As we are among friends in a secure environment, it is safe to admit that we all have been guilty of leaving the office to hit around that foolish little white ball. There is only so much time one can devote to scrutinizing Excel spreadsheets and considering the increasing popularity of working remotely, slipping away for some golf has never been simpler.
Isn’t it especially true during Zoom meetings? It’s as if your presence isn’t even necessary. Your boss doesn’t seem interested in hearing anything you have to offer, but rather just wants you to stop speaking so that he can take over the conversation.
And while we’re on the topic, do you ever finish conference calls feeling completely clueless about what some of those present actually contribute? Take Ben from the art department for instance – does anyone else feel like his sole purpose is attending these meetings and throwing out buzzword phrases such as “we should have enough bandwidth” or “let’s circle back with a more holistic approach”? Ugh, don’t get me started on Ben… He truly takes the cake!
In any case, it seems that a utility coordinator from San Antonio’s public works department forgot to activate the mute microphone and black screen feature during his recent virtual meeting. As a result, someone discovered that our friend was playing golf while on duty – which ultimately led to him being confronted by a news team about his activities. This may seem unbelievable, but unfortunately it is true.
According to the News 4 I-Team, investigators have uncovered a story involving twelve instances of on-the-clock golf outings. The City of San Antonio’s investigators used evidence such as sign-in sheets from various local golf courses and a Facebook post claimed that the Public Works employee was playing during work hours. Thomas Rivera, who is employed by the Public Works Department in Utility Coordination role earning $60K annually, allegedly engaged in these activities while at work; he has been found guilty for participating illegally with this leisurely activity.
Through an open records request, we acquired a record of Rivera’s past games. The dates in which he is accused of playing golf during working hours are emphasized with blue highlights – the tee times vary from 11 am to shortly after 2 pm. Furthermore, investigators reference video footage posted by an individual last March who claimed to be “with Tommy Rivera” at Brackenridge Park Golf Course. A commenter on the said post wrote: “Tax dollars at work? Or not?”
According to the report from investigators at the Office of Municipal Integrity, he denied all accusations at first. However, after realizing that OMI had evidence regarding the golf incident, he reluctantly admitted that he hadn’t taken enough leave.
