{"id":64106,"date":"22. June 2025 <\/span> Working world","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T13:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamhero.de\/working-time-fraud-what-you-should-know-about-the-legal-situation\/"},"modified":"2025-08-25T13:56:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T11:56:49","slug":"working-time-fraud-what-you-should-know-about-the-legal-situation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamhero.de\/en\/working-time-fraud-what-you-should-know-about-the-legal-situation\/","title":{"rendered":"Working time fraud: What you should know about the legal situation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manipulated timesheets, excessive private use of the internet at work – working time fraud is not a trivial offense, but represents a serious breach of duty that can permanently shatter the relationship of trust between employer and employee and cause considerable economic damage to companies. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is therefore essential for companies to know the legal framework, recognize the various forms of fraud and take effective preventive measures. <\/span><\/p>\n

This article provides an easy-to-understand, concrete overview of what working time fraud is, what examples there are, what legal steps are possible and how modern time recording systems can promote a culture of transparency and fairness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Definition: What counts as working time fraud?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Working time fraud is a common problem for companies. Seventy percent of the companies surveyed stated in <\/span>in a survey<\/span> stated that they had already had problems with working time fraud.<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to understand what constitutes working time fraud, it is necessary to look at the basis of the employment relationship. By signing an employment contract, employees undertake to provide their labor for the agreed and remunerated time. <\/span><\/p>\n

This mutual obligation is set out in <\/span>\u00a7 611a of the German Civil Code<\/span><\/a> (German Civil Code). The core of working time fraud lies in the intentional breach of this obligation. <\/span><\/p>\n

Intent as a decisive characteristic<\/span><\/p>\n

The decisive difference between a simple breach of working time and working time fraud is therefore the intent. If an employee is stuck in a traffic jam through no fault of her own and arrives late, this is a violation, but not fraud. <\/span><\/p>\n

The same applies to a quick trip to the coffee machine or a quick chat with colleagues. Such interactions are part of everyday working life. <\/span><\/p>\n

Working time fraud begins when employees deliberately and systematically pretend to be working when they are not. In other words, they allow themselves to be paid for a period in which they do not perform any contractually owed work. They do this with the intention of gaining an unlawful advantage, be it more time off or higher pay. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Person<\/p>\n

Different variants: Specific examples of working time fraud<\/span><\/h2>\n

The examples of working time fraud are numerous and sometimes creative. They range from subtle manipulations to blatant falsifications. It is important for employers to know and be able to identify the various forms. <\/span><\/p>\n

Manipulation of time recording<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is the most classic form of fraud. It includes: <\/span><\/p>\n