False Covid positive report submitted by employee to get benefits - What actions are you going to take in such a scenario?

Dear All, I have got a challenge here, Recently one of our employees has submitted Covid 19 +ve report 2nd time which was looking like an edited one. So when we cross-checked he has submitted 1st time also the same edited +ve report. When we came to know 2nd time, we asked him to get tested again from a known LAB where he got -Ve within the 3rd day of his 2nd false +ve report submitted to us and after Lockdown open in Karnataka 14th June onwards till date he is on WFH & yet to back. We have kept all false document proofs for discussion with him, once he is back as he committed within a week.

Here during his 1st-time report (During 1st Wave) - We had given him almost a month of Paid Leave and another few months WFH even all of our employees back to normal work and 30,000/- Rs from company side to manage himself. During both Lockdowns, we have paid 100% of salaries to all employees.

Any one of you have faced such issues? What actions are you going to take in such a scenario?

We are going to Terminate him for submitting False reports, Any Suggestions from your side?

Dear Praveen,

Submission of false documents to the company is misconduct. However, the misconduct needs to be proved. Therefore, I recommend you order the domestic enquiry. Let the accused employee be given a chance to clarify his position, and if the misconduct is established, then your management is free to award a suitable punishment.

Now the lockdown restrictions in Bangalore have been lifted by and large. Therefore, the employee can be told to report to the office and depose the domestic enquiry. However, before you release the order for the domestic enquiry, hire an experienced Enquiry Officer (EO) and explain the facts of the case.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar