Working from home? Why employees in Ontario need to know about ‘time theft’

Experts are warning that electronic tracking and monitoring of remote employees in Ontario could be used by companies as evidence of time theft.

Experts are warning that electronic tracking and monitoring of remote employees in Ontario could be used by companies as evidence of time theft.

Time theft, a broad term used to describe incidents in which an employee says they are working when they are not, is not an idea exclusive to remote work.

Examples include asking a co-worker to log in while the employee is not in the office or an instance in which an employee says they are on a job site but is actually elsewhere.

But as remote work remains popular, experts say there may be more cases of companies taking employees to court.

Earlier this month, a British Columbia accountant was ordered to repay $1,500 to her employers after being found guilty of time theft.

In this particular case, the employee sued the company for wrongful termination. The company then countersued, claiming there were about 50 unaccounted hours recorded on the employees timesheets.

“Time theft in the employment context is viewed as a very serious form of misconduct,” the Civil Resolution Tribunal’s decision, dated Jan. 11, read.