The Fact of The Matter recently obtained additional overtime records of Westfield Department of Public Works supervisor Rob Kosciolek who, in 2018, was exposed for allegedly being the ring-leader in a DPW overtime theft ring.
The stealing of overtime involved an employee that would obtain the employee identification numbers of co-workers and then falsifying time card records by punching out those employees that were not present at work. Supervisors are not required to punch into work for their 7am. to 3 pm. daily shift....however, they are required to punch in for all overtime work after 3pm.
Kosciolek would work his normal shift of 7am. to 3pm. At 3pm. he would complete his shift and as he left the building, would clock in for overtime. TFoTM source(s) have confirmed that on a significant number of dates, Kosciolek would then leave work for the day while his overtime for that day would begin to accumulate.
Another worker that was legitimately working overtime would clock Kosciolek out, up to hours later, garnering him the stolen overtime.
TFoTM source(s) has confirmed that Kosciolek instructed subordinates to engage in this illegal behavior. It wasn't uncommon for a DPW worker, that lived locally, to return to the DPW timeclock hours after other employees had left for the day, and clock out up to 7 coworkers. Those coworkers (non-supervisors) are required to clock in at 7am. and then out at the end of each work day. The end of that work day is 3pm. unless they stayed longer for overtime. On a significant number of days, several workers would leave work while the overtime hours accumulated and another employee would return up to hours later to clock them all out.
Photos obtained by The Fact of The Matter show Westfield DPW worker Frank Watkins at the DPW time clock holding a list of multiple DPW co-workers, including supervisor Rob Kosciolek along with their employee ID numbers.
While Town of Westfield officials maintain that "improper behavior" and "impropriety" had taken place, they claim that the "Impropriety" does not rise to a criminal offense. You be the judge.
TFoTM obtained the time clock records of every Westfield DPW worker and cross referenced the employees on the lists in the pictures above and found a significant number of dates that show those employees being clocked out at the same exact time, allegedly by one employee.
Source(s) have confirmed that Westfield DPW supervisor Ron Kosciolek could be found at Garwood Lanes/Bar, at home, or elsewhere, when he was supposed to be at work garnering overtime. DPW source(s) confirm that Kosciolek has earned overtime by being driven around town while under the influence of alcohol, unable to perform his duties as a supervisor.
Shown below are Westfield DPW supervisor R. Kosciolek's overtime records for 2018, 2019, and 2020. NOTE: 2020 records are from January 1, 2020 thru September 25, 2020 for the purpose of putting this blog story together.
Note the significant reduction in billed overtime over the time period listed. Based on public employee records, R. Kosciolek garnered over $35,000 in overtime in 2018 based on a reported 2018 salary of $81,632. Kosciolek's total compensation for 2018 was in excess of $116,000 of which over 30% was comprised of overtime.
Westfield DPW supervisor Rob Kosciolek's accumulated overtime:
2018 = 625.75 hours
2019 = 483 hours
2020 (1/1 thru 9/26) 79.5 hours (Post investigations of overtime theft.)
To view previous TFoTM coverage of Westfield DPW overtime theft, go to the following link.
http://07090.blogspot.com/2020/09/westfield-dpw-overtime-theft-scandal.html
2018
Westfield DPW must be some special place to work. In the years of work hours documented here - not one single day did work need to be started or ended on anything other than "at the hour or half hour". Never punched in at 659, or punched out at 301. Its amazing the days work these guys do to start and complete work and magically somehow be completed and at the time clock as the clock literally ticks to the new hour.
ReplyDeleteA source has confirmed that DPW Supv. Greg O’Neil has the ability to alter hours electronically. What role, if any, he played in Rob Kosciolek, and other employees, fraudulently obtaining overtime hours, will most likely be exposed during the discovery phase of the lawsuit recently filed by a former DPW employee. The discovery phase will most likely include interrogatories and depositions.
ReplyDeleteThe Westfield town handbook explicitly states, “Accurate accounting of employee attendance is of paramount importance.” It also states, “The supervisor or department head shall review each time record for accuracy, approve it, sign it and submit it to the designated payroll representative.”
Furthermore, a source has confirmed that Westfield DPW Superintendent Greg O’Neil allowed employees to pad their weekly hours with overtime submissions of hours not worked.
The Westfield DPW union is only as strong as its weakest link.
ReplyDeleteWhen Town Administrator Jim Gildea and DPW superintendent Greg O’Neil try to silence someone and ignore the Union contract, members need to stick together and stand up for themselves as a union.
Gildea has done this with other departments in Westfield and it has ruined them. He knows that if he can conquer and divide, he wins.
Now that employee VB is getting all the ot he wants it’s funny the story of ot theft has died.
ReplyDeletePatience is a virtue. The story has not died, it’s on the “back burner” staying warm.
ReplyDeleteMore to come as the lawsuit filed by a former Westfield DPW employee unfolds.