GPS Tracking Data Reveals Workers were Trimming Time off Their Work Day
4 Sep 2012Keeping workers on an electronic leash is the latest trend used by management in local governments and throughout corporate America. Before GPS tracking technology, supervisors had limited tools in their toolbox to monitor employees and check up on workers or fleet drivers to ensure they were doing what they were supposed to be doing. However, GPS tracking devices have changed all that. And for some enterprises, employee GPS tracking appears to be working well.
After having their workdays monitored with global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices, two employees received a significant pay cut and one employee resigned. This came after the State Alcohol and Tobacco Control Commissioner of Louisiana, Troy Hebert, installed the GPS devices on employees’ vehicles.
The GPS devices were installed in an attempt to compare employees’ logged hours compared to their actual working hours. As Hebert suspected, a handful of employees were incorrectly logging hours and earning pay for hours they were not actively working. GPS devices have advanced tracking technology that is able to monitor movement and location. While most of his agents abided by company policy, at least three employees were found to be reporting to work late, taking long lunch breaks, or not reporting to work at all. One employee took every Wednesday off without mentioning it to his superiors.
Troy Hebert had GPS tracking devices installed on employee vehicles, which allowed him to gather data regarding employee whereabouts and examine the data by comparing it to their reported time. According to the data, employees would log in full work weeks, even when they took days off, enjoyed extended lunches, or came in to work late. The agents were not identified by name, but prosecutors on the case are currently deciding whether or not it is considered payroll fraud.
“You’re always going to have a couple of bad apples,” Hebert said. “I don’t think it’s widespread. I think it’s contained to a handful of agents.”
Troy Hebert is the office commissioner in Louisiana, overseeing the regulation of alcohol and tobacco industries in the state. His agents are responsible for monitoring the state’s restaurants and bars and being sure owners are following handling and distribution laws. Hebert began working as commissioner in 2010 where he instantly began implementing changes. Prior to his position, employees would manually enter their time which led him to use GPS tracking devices. This is due in part to the fact that employees only spend about 4 days a week in the office, while one day a week is spent investigating bars and restaurants.
In 2011, Hebert announced that he would need to cut 6 positions, including that of the state senator’s son. He also installed a time clock so that employees would only be paid for their hours worked. However while on the road, employees don’t clock in, so GPS devices were installed in their vehicles. All agents were informed that GPS tracking devices would monitor their location and movements.
Hebert spoke with each agent after reviewing the GPS data, some of which had plausible excuses for their whereabouts. Others, however, did not have excuses and are being put under scrutiny. “(I’m) putting out fires. I feel like a fireman,” Hebert said. GPS devices continue to be the most trusted way of monitoring employee’s location when they’re out of the office.
Comments are closed.