Employer Awarded Damages For Remote Worker's Time Theft

The advent of remote work has introduced various risks for employers – including the risk that employees may not actually be performing the work they log hours for.

In a recent case heard by British Columbia's Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT), a terminated employee's claim for unpaid wages and severance pay in lieu of notice was rejected after the CRT found the employee engaged in time theft by logging dozens of hours for work that was never done.

The CRT concluded that the employer had just cause for terminating the employee, who was ordered to pay damages for time theft. While CRT decisions are not binding on the British Columbia Supreme Court or Court of Appeal – or on future CRT decisions – this case nonetheless represents an unusual instance of an employee being ordered to pay damages for stealing time from their employer.