‘I refused to falsify my time sheet’: Boss accuses employee of time theft despite seeing proof of attendance, then tries to make them use sick time to supplement the alleged absence

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Aug 9, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

Most of us don't want to go to work every day. We'd much rather spend our days at home on our computers, working remotely and allowing ourselves some time to do the household tasks we'd surely put off if we were working in the office. Not everyone has the remote work luxury, but it's not like we're purposely going MIA and refusing to go into the office—that would be workplace self-sabotage.

Time theft isn't a joke. If you're caught clocking in hours that you didn't work, you'll be terminated immediately and will also owe your ex-company some money, as if they need any more.

What do you do when you've clearly worked the hours you've claimed to work, but your manager refuses to believe you? It's as if you have a target on your back or some sinister siren calling to your manager, advising them not to take your word for it. This is what happens in this next story, and the employee has no idea how to proceed. Scroll to read.

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  • The employee explains that they have proof of attending work on the day their boss is accusing them of being absent. Even with this proof, the boss persists. They expect the employee to utilize sick time to make up for the alleged time theft, but the employee refuses.

  • 9 12 11 1 2 10 4 8 7 3
    via freestocks for Unsplash

  • "My boss accused me of lying about being at work and tried to make me use sick time."

    I work in local government. Even though I'm a salaried employee, we have to turn in full time sheets every month. When I turned in July's time
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • sheet, my boss told me that I had filled it out incorrectly and I was absent on July 9 according to his "files." I was pretty sure this was
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • incorrect, and I told him I thought he was mistaken, but I would double check my time sheet anyway. I confirmed that I was at work on July
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • 9, and told him as such. He refused to believe me, despite me having emails sent on that day (I only work in the office and have no way of
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • emailing from my work account when I am not physically at work), text messages from me to a family member from that afternoon telling
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • them I was coming home from work, and my own recollection of being there that day. He told me I had to use sick time for that day.
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • Cheezburger Image 10538502400
    via Vitaly Gariev for Unsplash

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • I was in the middle of looking through security camera footage to show that my car was in the parking lot all day when I realized how inane this was
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • and I just told him I refused to falsify my time sheet and use sick time when I spent the day in the office. I
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • don't know if he signed the time sheet or not, I'll find out Monday when I see my new sick time accrual.
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • I was complaining about this to a friend who is a manager and he said that these actions might be illegal? Is that true? Regardless of whether it's
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • illegal or not I'm frustrated as f that my boss basically called me a liar for no reason. I am extremely diligent about my time sheets and have
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • gotten exceeds expectations on every single employee review. I have never once lied about my whereabouts or done anything to make my boss treat me this way.
    via bigdreamstinydogs
  • Cheezburger Image 10538507264
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • Mira_DFalco If you left a trail of activity on your work computer, he's going to have a hard time making that stick. And surely he knows that, so here's hoping that you don't need to spend any more time on this nonsense.
    via Mira_DFalco
  • Slight_Valuable6361 I'd get HR involved regardless if he backs off from it. Sounds like he's after you for some reason.
    via Slight_Valuable6361
  • New_Nobody9492 It's time to take this to your boss's boss.
    via New_Nobody9492
  • Witty_Candle_3448 From now on send him a daily "Good Morning from Work" email. Hi, I'm confirming I am in the office today.
    via Witty_Candle_3448
  • TolMera Illegal if they alter your time sheet in almost every country. If they falsified tax documents (timesheets are part of tax documents) then you can get the revenue department involved. But being govt to govt it won't amount to shall most likely. But it could also result in instant dismissal for your boss, so, ya know...
    via TolMera
  • JustMe_627984 Sounds like you have proof you were there, yet he's not backing off. What, is he crazy? I don't think he realizes he wasn't put on this earth to make other people's life miserable or hassle them for no reason, but he's about to find out.
    via JustMe_627984
  • PlumPat61 He called you a liar and a thief. I think I'd have a conversation with HR about this.
    via PlumPat61
  • AlexValleyAuthor Do you not have security access cards? I assumed all government agencies require security?
    via AlexValleyAuthor
  • bigdreamstinydogs City Hall has individual passcodes to enter employee only areas but my work site doesn't. We have one shared passcode for the door so there's no way to know which employee entered it. I believe there is a planned upgrade for the future for increased security but that's how it works for now.
    via bigdreamstinydogs

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Tags

boss workplace-stories wage theft toxic-workplace bosses work wages reddit story horrible-management workplace Horrible Bosses reddit thread bad bosses entitled people toxic-work-environment
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