TFoTM has also obtained a copy of a report issued by Stephanie Gironda, a Wilentz law firm attorney that was tasked with investigating allegations regarding theft of overtime at the Westfield DPW by employees.
The Gironda report includes excerpts from the 2018 Town of Westfield Personnel Policy Manual covering time sheets and attendance records and overtime. It states, “The supervisor or department head shall review the attendance records of both exempt and non-exempt employees for accuracy.”
The manual also states that the Department Head (Greg O’Neil) and the Town Administrator (Jim Gildea) must approve all overtime budgeted.
According to the Asbury Park Press Data Universe, Westfield DPW Supervisor Robert Kosciolek earned a base salary of $81,632 in 2018.
Westfield payroll records obtained by TFoTM reveal that Robert Kosciolek billed 625.75 hours of overtime in 2018. The overtime was billed on 168 separate occasions on 159 separate days. A majority of the overtime was billed in 3 to 4 hour increments.
Based on an hourly overtime rate of $58.86, Rob Kosciolek earned $35,065.84 in overtime/comp time for 2018.
A TFoTM source has confirmed that Robert Kosciolek instructed subordinates, that worked later into the day, to clock him out when they left work even though Kosciolek would leave hours earlier.
The alleged bilking of overtime was not limited to DPW Supervisor Robert Kosciolek.
TFoTM obtained photographs of handwritten notes containing the names and employee ID numbers of DPW workers that employee Frank Watkins admitted to having while clocking out multiple employees including DPW supervisor Rob Kosciolek. Kosciolek’s employee ID number and name appear on both lists/pieces of paper
Complaint about theft of time was made to town officials on September 26, 2018. Westfield town administrator Jim Gildea provided payroll records to his investigator that postdate the complaint.
Investigator Stephanie Gironda was not provided with payroll records of exempt employees. Robert Kosciolek, as a supervisor, is an exempt employee as described in the town personnel manual.
Kosciolek’s payroll records are made only when he works overtime. His name appears on the list in the photographs provided to the town. Ms. Gironda was never provided Robert Kosciolek’s payroll records.
On June 4, 2019, Westfield Town Administrator Jim Gildea stated there was “no wrongdoing” with regards to the allegation of theft after he was supplied the Gironda report.
On June 19, 2019 a Westfield councilman provided an update on his Facebook page titled “DPW Overtime Abuse Allegation” and stated, “The town attorney addressed this by informing the public that a thorough outside investigation was conducted by a highly regarded law firm which found that there was no evidence of overtime theft.” The Westfield Town Attorney that the councilman refers to is Tom Jardim who also stated at the June 18th Town Council Meeting that there was in fact “impropriety” and “improper conduct.”
According to a source, Kosciolek continues to bill overtime on weekends to “catch up on paperwork.”
More to follow.
TFoTM has learned that the Union County Prosecutors Office will be investigating.
ReplyDeletetime to resign or look for a new job ya thieves.
ReplyDeleteHope you never need them
DeleteThere needs to be a parallel investigation into why the investigator from the law firm was given records by the town that couldn’t possibly have found any evidence of theft.
ReplyDeleteLawyer Stephanie Gironda stated, and her report reflects the fact, that she was given payroll records that postdate the time period when the thefts allegedly occurred.
Keep the pressure on this, Greg! Well done!
DeleteI wonder if This guy Rob was giving kickbacks to other that clocked him out when he wasn’t there?
ReplyDeleteThis seems to be a coordinated plan to steal from the town
Please provide proof, instead of accusations.
DeleteYou should see all the scrap metals he “Rob” collected while on town time. Storing it on town property. Having someone come by the town yard to pick up all the material to go to the scrap yard. He was at least smart enough not to bring the town vehicle to the scrap yard. He’s made a lot of EXTRA money from the town he shouldn’t have. Way to go Jim and Greg you hired an outstanding supervisor.
ReplyDeleteU must be the RAT🐀
DeleteThe DPW employee who filed the grievance if he/she REALLY wants the TRUTH to come out they need to contact the Courier News, Star Ledger and other News outlets like Channel 2,4 7 and 11 to tell their story. You want to see action, you would see action IMMEDIATELY. Why in this day and age people are NOT just speaking publicly i do not understand. You are not going to lose your job you have a Union contract by which to stand behind and protect you. These Supervisors and Department Heads and your own Union Rep's who were involved need to be held accountable, they were not just STEALING from the Town and the Tax payers but they were Stealing from YOU the employee who has filed the Grievance and the other DPW employee's who may/should have gotten that Overtime. This is what UNIONS were developed for, "to protect the workers" if wrong doing's were happening. It is very clear from reading all of the comments that not ONLY the DPW employee who filed the grievance knows what was going on but so do MANY other DPW employee's, you ALL need to stand UNITED and SPEAK UP!!!
ReplyDeleteThey won't do that, bc it's all lie. There is an underlying reason. 🙏
DeleteFacts vs fiction.....didnt anyone ever teach you, believe half of what you hear, until proven.
ReplyDeleteHow does a DPW supervisor Rob rack up so much overtime as a “exempt” employee? He needs the permission of his bosses including Gildea, to work overtime.
ReplyDelete