Timesheets are a vital part of keeping payroll consistent and need to be processed effectively in order for a business to run smoothly. Unfortunately, some could take advantage of the timesheet system to try and take more money for themselves, which means these processes have to be carefully monitored. It’s important to scrutinize every submission closely to make sure that they are plausible and correct.
In Newton, Pennsylvania, one man has been suspended from his job at the Department of Transportation (DoT) for illegally claiming too much overtime. According to NJ.com, the former employee, Harish Bhanderi, worked as a manager for the New Jersey branch of the (DoT) until he admitted that he cheated the timesheet system to gain around $20,000 in overtime compensation.
Bhanderi worked with Alkesh Desai, who on his own is responsible for falsely claiming an additional sum near $15,000. The two men were charged last October for submitting a combined 191 false claims over a one-year period.
During this time, the DoT workers admitted that they filed claims that alleged they responded to emergency situations and were entitled to overtime pay. A representative from the Attorney General’s Office, Peter Aseltine, described the crimes to the source.
“We allege that they would drive out to sites, after hours, indicating an emergency,” he said. “But no current emergency existed at the site, or did exist days or weeks or months before, or never existed at all.”
As a result of these charges, Bhanderi is facing a year in jail, having been previously suspended from his position. Left undetected, crime like this can go on for months, allowing employees to take advantage of the system. Avoid this by launching HR software implementation and making it easier to verify timesheets based on performance.