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Last month, Wells Fargo terminated over a dozen bank employees following an investigation into claims of faking work activity on their computers, according to a Bloomberg report.
A Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) search conducted by Ars confirmed that the fired members of the firm’s wealth and investment management division were “discharged after review of allegations involving simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work.”
A screenshot of a FINRA report showing that an employee was “Discharged after review of allegations involving simulation of keyboard activity creating impression of active work.” (credit: Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica)
A rise in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote worker surveillance techniques, especially those using software installed on machines that keeps track of activity and reports back to corporate management. It’s worth noting that the Bloomberg report says the FINRA filing does not specify whether the fired Wells Fargo employees were simulating activity at home or in an office.
