Ask HN: How to expose a coworker that is outsourcing his work?

[dooberdeats]

We have a recent remote hire that seems to be outsourcing his work. We'd like to either prove or disprove this.

We believe he's given others control of his Github and other account logins. It does seem like he's taking precautions with a VPN.

How would you go about exposing this? Ideally in a brilliant and clever way.

[HALtheWise]

One reason you might not want someone outsourcing their work is because they (presumably) won't be able to explain or improve it. Consider testing that? For example, get them on a video call to answer questions about a code review, or do collaborative design work related to their project. You can apply similar practices to what an interviewer would, asking progressively more detailed questions to find out if they really did the work, although you obviously want to present yourself as an interested coworker rather than an interviewer.

At some point, getting your manager and/or their manager involved will be inevitable, and this is exactly the sort of problem that managers and HR exist to deal with. (assuming you're not their manager yourself).

[heavyset_go]

Are you sure they don't just have different Git emails set across their machines or projects?

> How would you go about exposing this? Ideally in a brilliant and clever way.

I wouldn't. If it causes problems, let your employer address them.

[proc0]

Ask for code reviews where they explain the code line by line and overall approach.

Ask for detailed estimates and breakdown on a problem they never heard before, and insist on an initial approach to the solutoin, then verify with what is delivered.

When you do either of these, make sure there are experienced technical people asking questions. Anyone who is technical will not mind explaining code or solutions on the spot. At the very least there should be open conversations on approach, and usually you won't be able to hold that conversation if you are not doing the job.

[endisneigh]

I'm curious - what evidence is there that made you believe that they "seem" to be outsourcing their work?

[dooberdeats]

Initial suspicions arose from the general tenor of how he talked about his past work -- the way someone speaks when they're making things up.

Non-native english speaking grammar and mistakes in Github comments. There are certain types of mistakes native English speakers make -- I make -- and the type non-native English speakers make. These are of the latter class.

His code has different styles project to project.

Logins to 3rd party tools through a VPN at every hour of the night and day -- the preempted warning that this might happen from him.

His tendency to take specific questions about his code and answer them with generalities, or more often having to think about the answer and get back to us later.

What I'm missing is hard forensic evidence.

[reasons]

- Apply Hanlon's razor. Maybe they're going through some stuff.

- Consider how you'd like to be treated; like for real. What if it was you?

- Burning bridges over something like this isn't worth it. Burning bridges over anything, is almost always a bad idea. Seek to mend.

[dooberdeats]

I want to reap what I sow.

Misrepresenting someone else's work as your own is morally wrong at best.

[whydoibother]

Is the company you work for 100% moral (whatever that means)? Seems like a bad reason to want to axe someone.

[slater]

Don't.

[version_five]

Agreed. Unless there is a crime or a safety issue, mind your own business.

(Edit - one interpretation of your post is this person is compromising your corporate security in some way. If this is the case, you should probably, and without trying to be clever about it, discuss your concern with the person and if not satisfied with whoever is responsible for security in your company)

[dooberdeats]

I've considered this, however: -it's a contractual violation -the work is shoddy -it's immoral -this presents security issues -it would make a good hacker news story

[paulcole]

If the work is shoddy, fire him — regardless of why it’s shoddy. If you don’t have the power to fire him, convince the people who do. If you can’t do that — on the basis of shoddy work — then it’s time to recalibrate your definition of shoddy.

[znpy]

actually, I just realized that there are some countries whose work laws do not allow firing on the basis of "shoddy work". but would totally allow firing for outsourcing your own job, on the basis of trust violation, trade secrets access from unauthorized people, and stuff like that.

[paulcole]

Out of curiosity, list some of those countries.

[dooberdeats]

Good advice.

[slater]

that last part invalidates all the previous parts.

[proc0]

It's just wrong to say you are doing something and giving it to someone else. At the very least they are lying and that is not professional.