Ask Amy: Safety should be company's job

DEAR AMY: My daughter got robbed at work of the $200 she had saved to buy her husband a Valentine's Day gift. She should not have left her purse unattended. Management didn't do anything. My daughter is uncomfortable knowing that she is among thieves. Should she have called the police?Curious Mom

DEAR CURIOUS: Your daughter was the victim of a crime, so, yes, she should have called the police. Management at her company might have done this for (or with) her -- thus assuming some responsibility for the safety of the employees in the business.

If this is a business where the public enters the work space, management should take another look at its security or contact the building's owner to see if other tenants have reported thefts.

If this is a self-contained business and the most logical perpetrator is a co-worker, then, yes, management should do everything possible to investigate and safeguard employees.

DEAR AMY: About six months ago I stumbled across $1,000 that my husband had been secretly collecting. He told me he was saving it to buy me something nice. I found this hard to believe because he tends to forget my birthday. He deposited the money in the bank after that. Recently, he has been browsing websites for strip clubs/

escorts around the country. When I confronted him, he said he was looking out of curiosity (and agreed to stop browsing those sites). I just discovered another growing stash of cash. He's leaving on a business trip soon, so I'm concerned. I love him, but if something is going on, I want to know before our first child arrives in a couple of months. What do you think?Bewildered

DEAR BEWILDERED: If your husband were squirreling away cash and researching racehorses or vacations online, you'd have to assume he was interested in investing in racehorses or vacations. In this case, where there's smoke, there are strippers.

You two need to sit down and talk about what's going on, what he's afraid of and what he's up to. Each partner should have some money of his or her own to spend (or save), but you should also be able to trust that this money won't be spent on paid escorts on business trips.

Once you add a baby to the mix, you two will need to rely on each other in new and untested ways. It's best to enter this important phase of life knowing where you -- and he -- stand.

If he says he's nervous, unsure and panicking -- believe him. If he maintains that he is saving money for a big gift for you -- collect on this promise.