In the old days, factory workers used punched clocking-in cards to register when they arrived at and left work. There were Draconian punishments for those found guilty of clocking in colleagues and a fair chance that the misdemeanour would be given their cards. (result in dismissal)
These days, the technology has advanced to electronic swipe cards but should the same sanction be applied to an employee discovered clocking-in a workmate?
It rather depends on whether or not you consider it gross misconduct which is usually an example of an extreme or persistent offence.
In a company in Warsaw, Poland, an employee was dismissed for clocking in a colleague who, he claimed was on his way, although camera evidence proved this was not the case. On the one hand you can argue that the employee lied and could not be trusted but for a first offence, dismissal seems a bit over the top.
We also have to question why, in this day and age, we don’t trust employees enough to assume they will do a fair day’s work. On balance, employees probably give more of their time to employers unpaid than the opposite. Maybe a bit of give and take, and common sense would be the best solution.
Is clocking in a joke?
