It appears city hall's so-called snitch line is paying off.
According to a report released Monday, the city's fraud and waste hotline has exposed city employees who uploaded inappropriate videos of co-workers on to the Internet during corporate time, faked sick days and solicited donations for a non-existent Christmas party.
These complaints of employee misconduct are among 18 incidents cited in a report by auditor general Jeffrey Griffiths. The report is being discussed at an audit committee meeting Feb. 22.
Of the 573 complaints the hotline received in 2010, about 50 of them were substantiated, while about 20 resulted in disciplinary action, including dismissal.
The misconduct resulted in losses of more than $85,000 to the city, but only $2,200 has been recovered so far, according to the report.
In one case, a city employee used his sick time to work a different job outside Toronto. Another complaint found that an employee filed a bogus mileage claim worth $2,100.
Coun. Mike Del Grande, city council's budget chief, said a small number of city workers are behind the wrongdoing, but their actions are a blemish for all city employees.
Del Grande said some examples of fraud and waste may have gone unreported or unnoticed.
