Local News
The employees who resigned were facing “imminent termination proceedings,” according to MassDOT officials.
The MassDOT District 6 office. Pat Greenhouse / The Boston Globe
Six Massachusetts Department of Transportation employees who are being investigated for possible overtime fraud resigned recently, according to officials.
The resignations come after a monthslong Boston 25 News investigation uncovered an alleged pattern of overtime fraud perpetuated by seven MassDOT employees who worked at a facility in Charlestown.
MassDOT leaders opened an investigation, and those seven employees were placed on administrative leave after the report was published.
A MassDOT spokesperson said Tuesday that most of the employees under fire chose to resign.
“Six employees resigned while facing imminent termination proceedings related to allegations of overtime fraud. Prior to their resignations, the employees had been suspended without pay and were scheduled to appear at disciplinary hearings to determine whether they should be terminated for cause,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
The resignations have no impact on the agency’s ongoing investigation or other “potential action” by different authorities, the spokesperson said. MassDOT’s records will reflect that the employees “unilaterally resigned in lieu of discharge proceedings.”
The initial investigation by Boston 25 focused on Highway Maintenance Worker II employees, some of whom made more than $100,000 in overtime last year. One worker with a base annual salary of $84,000 increased his pay to $240,000 last year. Another employee with a base salary of $91,000 ended up making $228,000, according to the report.
Reporters from the station staked out the MassDOT facility in Charlestown where the employees worked, taking note of the time they left and comparing this information to timesheets obtained by a public records request. They found a pattern where certain employees allegedly clocked long back-to-back shifts that garnered substantial overtime pay, despite appearing to leave early in their personal vehicles.
Officials are working to identify and take back any dollars obtained through deception.
“MassDOT is also pursuing all available avenues to recover any improperly obtained compensation and will seek all remedies available under law,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson did not name the employees who resigned.
“The employees are no longer employed by the Commonwealth, are not eligible for employment, and MassDOT remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and holding individuals accountable for misconduct.”
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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