Japan city worker fired after receiving $11K in fake overtime by using boss' seal

NOBORIBETSU, Hokkaido -- A city government employee here has been dismissed for illicitly receiving about 1.54 million yen (approx. $11,000) in overtime by using his boss' seal without permission over three years.

The Noboribetsu Municipal Government in Hokkaido fired the 42-year-old assistant manager at the general affairs department dated Feb. 28.

According to the city, the man used his department head's seal without permission to make fraudulent overtime and holiday work documents and received overtime pay between November 2019 and November 2022, when he was dispatched to the association of local governments in the Nishi Iburi region of Hokkaido.

The amount received apparently came to approximately 1.54 million yen for 676 hours. When the office's entry and exit data for security was checked, it was found that the employee's actual working hours did not match the record.

(Japanese original by Kimitaka Hirayama, Tomakomai Bureau)