Significant changes occurred to business models during the Covid-19 pandemic, when many individuals and companies implemented working remotely from home.
After the pandemic, companies and workers became split on the working from home model. The main concern for businesses became the productivity of workers while not being in the office. Three employees of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District allegedly committed time theft by collecting wages for hours not truly worked.
The three employees are alleged to have caused a loss of $9,004.00. Though not approved to work remotely, and working remotely not being conducive to their actual job duties, these employees are accused of claiming work time for 10-hour shifts.
After showing up to duty locations, the workers would leave for their private residences and remain there for the rest of the shift. SDC. This seems to be a growing method for fraudsters, especially in fields where there is significant autonomy in certain job roles. Practices as simple as having regular check-ins with employees can prevent an individual from claiming time worked without actually being at the physical location necessary to complete the work.
Individuals are also reporting working more than a single employee would. These individuals received funds in excess of base salary due to accrued overtime, holiday overtime, and other benefits. One of the three employees retired after being confronted by the BART Police Department, and the other two employees admitted to the theft before police became involved. Due to lackadaisical internal controls and oversight, this theft was allowed to succeed with evidence showing there may be more losses to discover.
Fabian, J. (2024, March 21). Investigation finds 3 BART employees responsible for time theft; facing charges. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/investigation-finds-3-bart-employees-responsible-for-time-theft-1-facing-charges/
Photo by Vitor Diniz
