California State Employee Played Games, Watched Videos Online During Work Hours: Audit

NBC Bay Area ^ | Mar 2, 2017

[nickcarraway]

Report finds widespread misuse of state resources and other improprieties

A Fresno State University employee was paid an estimated $22,000 for time he was playing online games and watching YouTube videos at work, according to a state auditor's report released Thursday.

The case was one of 10 highlighted in the report on investigations into improper activities by state employees during the second half of last year. The state employees, who were investigated after whistleblower tips, cost the state nearly $40,000 through misuse of state resources, improper payments and other issues, according to the report.

The report also identified instances where state employees improperly disclosed confidential information and kept an "indefensible" do-not-hire list.

[Morpheus2009]

Disappointed in all those workers who waste time on the dimes.

[boycott]

Those abusing taxpayers like this should have it deducted from their checks. If caught again, fired.

[dp0622]

On an average day of doing graphics work for investment bankers I would do six hours of brutal work and have two hours to read FR :)

But they knew about it and didn’t care.

They could NOT afford to be short people, just the opposite.

This sounds like a VERY different situation.

[discostu]

Did they get the work done? I play video games and watch video at work, and FReep too. But I get the job done.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The university did not recommend firing the employee,

And that is why it will never stop.

[Steely Tom]

I remember the story about how the then-new mayor of NYC, Michael Bloomberg, was doing a walk through of some city department. On a particular desk was a computer, and on that computer's screen was an unfinished game of Solitaire. No employee was at the desk; it later came out that he was in the bathroom at the time.

Bloomberg completed his walk-through without commenting on the Solitaire game. Then, as he was going out the door, he said "I want the employee who uses that desk fired immediately," indicating the desk in question.

People here on FR were impressed, and pleased.

Then it came out a few weeks later that the employee had not been fired, and was still in his job. The reason?

He was covered by NYC labor laws, as well as by union work rules. Neither the Mayor, or anyone else, had the power to fire him, for anything short of pulling out a gun and murdering his office-mates on camera.

And even if he did that, the union would have argued that he should continue to get his paycheck, even though he was in jail awaiting trial.

[Morpheus2009]

The real question is how much time wasted. If a project was not completed on time, you have a problem. Me, I might spend a few minutes on solitaire every now and then.

[samtheman]

The inability to fire government workers who deserve to be fired is one of the grave injustices of our entire Modern Western Civilization.

[Bryanw92]

>>Did they get the work done? I play video games and watch video at work, and FReep too. But I get the job done.

Most people on FR seem to think that all work is piecework, where there is only one way to do the job and it always takes the same amount of time. They can’t seem to see work as a collection of required outcomes. I’m like you. I get the job done and then some, and I’m efficient enough to still have some YouTube and FR time almost every day.

[Texas Eagle]

Therein lies the Catch-22. We are better off if they AREN’T getting any work done.

[Cheerio]

I am betting there was lots of on line porn and betting