The MTA in New York City has a problem with MTA operators stealing paid leave to gamble.
The latest worked with the MTA since 1996 and is the third MTA worker to be caught stealing paid leave this year. The man, who is remaining nameless, was caught by the authority’s inspector general. According to the NY Post, he used family or medical leave to gamble in Atlantic City on 90 different occasions and also went to Hersey Park in Pennsylvania over three years.
The driver reportedly stole 824 hours of pay which amounted to almost $25,000, and after he admitted to everything, he agreed to pay back the money and said he was addicted to gambling which is why he did it.
A veteran New York City bus operator is on the outs with the MTA after the authority’s inspector general caught him gambling in Atlantic City on 90 occasions over three years while he was out of work on paid medical or family leave.
The driver, whom the IG’s office declined to name, also visited Hershey Park in Pennsylvania during one of his paid absences, the IG said.
“The Bus Operator admitted to the fraud and told the OIG that he has a gambling addiction. However, he stated that he did not seek treatment until after he was contacted by the OIG for an interview,” the IG’s report released Thursday said.
He probably should have found a better excuse.
Social media, though, has an issue with this story. If it was paid leave or sick time, why should anyone care what he was doing when he was the one that earned the time?
For example, say I have 8 hours of paid sick time, and I just don’t feel mentally like going to work, do I have to sit in the house all day? This doesn’t seem fair, to be honest.
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