A Dunedin accountant who gave false medical certificates to his former workplace and a bogus reference to a recruitment company has been struck off as a member the New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Simon Michael Collins admitted charges brought before the institute's disciplinary tribunal for conduct "unbecoming an accountant" and breaching the professional body's code of ethics.
The particulars of these charges - which Collins also admitted - said the accountant had provided false medical certificates to is former employer for an absence from work in August last year.
"When questioned about the false medical certificates, he asserted that he had received medical treatment in Timaru, including surgery, when this was false," the institute's decision on the matter said.
The institute's decision did not identify Collins' former work and said its identity was suppressed.
Collins also admitted providing the name of a manager at his former work as a referee to a recruitment company, but gave his home telephone number as a contact.
The institute only identified this manager as "Mr X".
"[Collins] either gave a telephone reference impersonating Mr X or arranged for another person to impersonate Mr X during a telephone reference," the institute said.
The tribunal said "repeated dishonesty" was "incompatible with membership of the Institute".
It ordered Collins' name be removed from the Institute's register of members and order him to pay it $9348 in costs.
