It’s hard to explain why you forgot that you had to work 8 hours extra per week, especially when minutes of a public board meeting show that you were present. And especially when you forgot for 5 years and over 2,000 hours’ worth of pay!
That is the dilemma facing a fire marshal in Connecticut, according to a report in the New Haven Register.
In 2007, the employee’s hours were increased by 8 hours per week. However, the employee maintains he didn’t understand that the increase had been “approved,” according to the article.
Because he was an exempt employee, he did not have to submit written time cards because time cards were not computerized, so the town ended up paying the employee for more than 2,000 hours not worked.
At a recent board meeting, the Fire Commission chairman expressed surprise that the fire marshal did not realize his pay increase was for more hours worked. The issue had come to light during an unrelated job performance review that included not consistently filling out time cards.
Ironically, the employee’s office was in Town Hall. A meeting later this month will determine if any action will be taken, but the town’s labor consultant states in the article that the fire marshal will not have to repay the money.