Tricky employee question.

[hawing]

So, at the library my colleague and I employ a bunch of college students. I'm almost certain that one of my colleague's students is faking at least some of her hours (saying she was here for a given shift when there is no evidence that she was) but I don't know how to prove it. The timekeeping system available to us is not a timeclock, so employees can enter hours online at any time (from any internet connection) during a two-week pay period. The work that my colleague's students do is relatively independent and relatively flexible (shelving books), so while it is possible she is sneaking in and out without either of us seeing her, I think it is highly unlikely.

 

Any ideas for how to catch her in the non-act, so to speak? My spidey sense that she's scamming us is tingling, but "hawing's spidey sense" probably isn't enough to hold up in an employer-employee dispute. Thanks in advance.

[TooLiveBrew]

Can she come in & work whenever, & leave whenever? Or is it a set schedule?

[stoutdude04]

Can you just talk to her? Ask her about it and not accuse her? Hold a meeting and talk about honesty and such. Is she in an easy position to replace? If so, just let her go.

[owbc]

Confrontation is probably a good policy if you are comfortable with it.

 

One idea to avoid confrontation would be to just try sending out a general message to all of the student employees telling them that there are concerns about improperly reporting work hours and letting them know that they will be more closely watched.

 

Otherwise if that doesn't work you might have to consider a policy change where they all have to sign and date a clipboard at the library in addition to filling out Kronos reports.

[GAME05]

Wisconsin is an at-will state, so you don't legally need a good reason to fire somebody.

 

wow. could your coworker temporarily insist on a handwritten sign in/out sheet in addition to the usual system? you wouldn't have to go through policy change of the timekeeping system and maybe this person wouldn't have as much room to lie with other people honestly signing out after her.

 

confrontation is tough and generally useless if you don't have solid evidence, because they'll know enough to just deny everything and there's nothing you can do about it. and hard to say "we'll watch you all closer" because there'd be no visible evidence of the change for people to actually believe it. plus any personal confrontation will automatically come across as accusation and then you get to deal with the subordinate thinking everyone dislikes them and they become jerks to the patrons and stop working hard at the job.

[logan82]

If you don't have good cause to fire somebody they can draw unemployment. Of course even if you do they still might.

[Invader3K]

Do you happen to have cameras at your place your place of work?

[valpocrewsader]

Would it be feasible to have students check in with a manager/supervisor/senior before starting and ending shifts? The managers/supervisors/seniors could keep a separate log book on paper or Excel or whatever and then reconcile those numbers against the students' timesheets at the end of the week. Even if there are some days or shifts where there is no manager/supervisor/senior around, some data is better than no data.

 

Without a timeclock, it's a little strange that an hourly employee would be able to just show up and disappear into a corner of the workplace. Seems natural anyways to have such employees stop by the desk of a superior to touch base, go over any special instructions, and -- unbeknownst to them -- keep tabs on their comings and goings to prevent undetected fraud.

[JimH5]

Can't you ask her to report to you at the beginning and end of her shifts? Just because the work is independent now doesn't mean that it has to be that way. And it's hardly an unreasonable request, especially from a supervisor.

 

I would trust your judgment on this. . .you work with enough people over the years that when something doesn't seem right, it usually isn't.

 

So what if the rules for her are marginally different than for others?

[And That]

This can be solved in two simple steps:

 

1 - Neutralize student worker with tranquilizer dart.

2 - Implant GPS chip in their arm.

[FVBrewerFan]

Good ideas so far. I would pull her aside and say "It's come to my attention that you may not be working all the hours you have been reporting...." Not knowing this person, I don't know if that would "scare her into honesty" or not. Just make it clear whatever happened in the past is one thing, but it can't continue. She'll be paranoid how you know, who may have told you...etc. then either she'll be "scared straight" and stop it, or she continues doing it and you terminate her.

[hawing]

Wow, so many responses. Thanks!

 

The short answer: I got here a little late this morning (that Duke game ended late for a "school night") and found the employee here. My colleague has already asked her to check in with him or me at the start and end of every shift, and notified her that shifts not entered into Kronos on the day of work won't be counted by us unless we have seen her arrive and leave. That should put an end to the leaving-timecard-blank and then trying to recall two weeks of shifts business. If it doesn't, either she won't be paid or we will have cause to terminate.

 

So I guess we're going with the valpo/JimH5 suggestions.

We had what I consider solid evidence that her hours for the last pay period were inaccurate, since she listed coming in on Thanksgiving Day, as well as a day when she'd called in sick. I think my colleague is too willing to give second/third/multiple chances, but he seems to have (finally) provided a benchmark for future behavior for this person.

 

Again, thanks for the help. Who ever thought a sports message board would have such versatility?

[Invader3K]

I've found doing a written warning can nip this kind of thing in the bud, though it sounds like that may not be necessary in this situation.

[logan82]

I wouldn't even bother with a verbal warning and just go with a written warning. If you don't put it in writing, it is like it never happened.

[hawing]

Oh, yeah, I'm composing a written reiteration of what was said this morning, so she can't claim she misunderstood. I'm alllll about documentation.

[Brewbadger]

Time fraud is apparent everywhere in the UW student employee system. One of my friends works for the UW, and she inputs 20 hours of work a week (at $11/hour mind you, good wage for a student) when in reality she works 5-10 hours a week, if she goes in at all. Her boss is totally fine with this practice though, so she doesn't get into trouble. She usually makes up various hours when she fills in her Kronos table. Not fair if you ask me (I wish I would have lucked into having a job like that), but I'm not going to out her for it or anything. She comes from a wealthy background too, so it's not like she even needs the money. Some people are lucky.

[hawing]

Yeah, in a way, I'm surprised that this has happened so seldom on my watch. The check-in point for both my people and the shelvers is literally five feet away from my desk.

This person I did not see at all between the last week of October and the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Sure, it's possible that every one of her arrivals and departures in that 3-4 week period happened at times when I was away from my desk, and she also forgot to enter times in Kronos, and she forgot to record her shelving totals for the whole month of November.

I doubt it.

 

I sort of envy that employer of Brewbadger's friend who apparently has money to spare if s/he can afford to pay people for twice as many hours as they actually work. When I consider that permanent staff at my workplace are not out of the woods on layoffs yet, the thought of paying this kid $7.75 an hour for nothing infuriates me.

[Brewbadger]

Yeah, they are associated with UHS, who seem to have ample funds and lot of power compared to some other UW-affiliated organizations.

[ewizabeff]

Hawing, many of our offices at UW-Milwaukee require students to clock into kronos on a certain computer. Then there's a report that can be run in SAP that lists any exceptions to that IP address. Any additions/changes to the timecard have to be done by the supervisor. Could be an option.

[Point Beer Is Best]

hawing wrote:

 

We had what I consider solid evidence that her hours for the last pay period were inaccurate, since she listed coming in on Thanksgiving Day, as well as a day when she'd called in sick.

Amateur.