False Absenteeism Case Studies: Detect, Disrupt and Prevent It

These false absenteeism case studies should give you a better insight into why this problem needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency in your business. A survey of 1000 British employees undertaken by Timeware UK, published in 2015, suggests that almost 60% of those surveyed had pulled a ‘sickie’ in the last three years. Often, false absenteeism is based around finance. An employee either has a second job, their own business or helps a family member out with theirs.

Operation Tractor

Recently, a company from the manufacturing sector called on Expert Investigations Group to look into a suspected false absenteeism case, where an employee was off long-term sick with stress and depression. Known as Operation Tractor, it carried out observation and surveillance on the suspect and found he was not only carrying out house renovation, but had set up a business with a member of his family and a bonafide business with a number of properties which he then carried out maintenance work for. The employee was not only absent from work on full pay, but was receiving additional payment from his second job. The evidence produced led to immediate dismissal of the employee.

Agoraphobic Employee

In another instance, a company from the professional services sector required assistance in observing an employee suspected of purporting to be suffering from severe stress and depression. Over a period of days Expert Investigations engaged in regular covert observation of a female employee who had claimed that she was agoraphobic and unable to leave her own home. The observations confirmed that the employee was instead working lunchtime and evening shifts in a pub. The operation provided compelling evidence which employers used to discipline and dismiss the employee.

Housing Services Surveillance Operation

Finally, Expert Investigations also carried out an investigation on behalf of the Housing Services Department. We conducted a surveillance operation over a three-day period. Our surveillance team observed the employee renovating a home whilst he was signed off long term sick for a month period with a physical shoulder injury. The team also observed the employee driving a van, lifting doors out of it and taking them into the renovation property. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that his colleagues from the Housing Services Department had been providing him with stolen equipment. We covertly recorded all footage and handed it to the HR Department, who subsequently dismissed the employee and those other employers involved in the scam.

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