NORFOLK -- Norfolk’s city attorney is investigating how an employee at the Norfolk Community Services Board managed to be on the payroll for 12 years despite never once showing up to work.
The woman was in a clerical position and received compensation every payday with full benefits, said Maureen Womack, executive director of the Norfolk Community Services Board.
Other staffers are under investigation and "may be held accountable" for complicity, Womack added.
She would not identify the employees by name citing personnel privacy laws.
Womack said she discovered the salaried no-show employee while reviewing the board’s budget in May and immediately fired her.
Womack stated she immediately alerted the board’s governing members, who asked her to forward her findings to city attorney Bernard Pishko.
"I honestly do not know how this happened," Womack said. "I am saddened because I have a dedicated staff and I think it reflects badly on the work that they do."
Womack became executive director in February 2009.
The Community Services Board is funded by the city, state and government and operates independently and offers mental health, intellectual disabilities and substance abuse services.
Board members are appointed by City Council members.
City Councilman Barclay Winn says an employee getting paid for not doing work amounts to a crime.
"I think the senior executives at the CSB whose job it is to run the company, that's where someone in that upper chain of command has dropped the ball in a serious way and we need to get to the bottom of it," Winn said.
City Attorney Bernard pishko said the employee used to show up to work until termination proceedings began against her 12 years ago.
Apparently, they were never finished.
Pishko said he has evidence to suggest CSB managers knew about this, including former executive director George Pratt.
