Intel fires many employees for faking bills

Allowances Include LTA Crackdown After Probe Bangalore: Faking bills to claim your allowances like conveyance, drivers’ salaries and LTA? That may be commonplace in India Inc, but one company is now taking that malpractice with uncompromising seriousness. Intel Technologies India has sent out scores of employees — some say it could be as high as 250 — over the past few months following an audit and investigation of allowance claims made by employees in recent years. Sources say that under its business practice excellence (BPX) initiative, Intel set up an independent team to investigate claims, which then proceeded to take immediate action against the employees found guilty. “It was like they are working with us one day, and are suddenly not there from the day after,” said one employee. When contacted by The Times of India, Intel sent a written reply stating that “corrective actions have been taken”. “This audit is confidential, so details will not be available. We don’t comment on the specifics of investigations. We can say that we conduct all investigations thoroughly, professionally and in compliance with the law,” the Intel spokesperson said. According to Intel, “the matter relates to code of conduct violation. Intel does expect very high standards of employee conduct and business ethics. Intel does not discuss personnel matters. Suffice to say corrective actions have been taken.” According to another source at Intel, “The checks have been happening. I am also aware that some people have been fired after they were found guilty.” The Intel Development Centre in Bangalore has about 2,700 professionals. It is not clear why Intel chose to suddenly crack down on the malpractice. One story doing the rounds is that when Intel asked for governmental concessions for its proposed chip-testing and assembly plant in India, the government officials brought to Intel’s notice the employee malpractices that led to tax losses to the government. “This may have persuaded Intel to take a serious view of the matter,” a source said.Sources also said it has not been all that bad for those who had been asked to leave.