(The Center Square) – A former Tennessee Department of Revenue employee is facing a theft charge of working for another company while he was getting paid to work for the department, according to the Tennessee comptroller of the Treasury.
Jeffery Wadding, a former collections officer with the department’s Jackson office, was eligible to work from his residence, according to a release from the Department of Audit’s Tennessee comptroller of the treasrury. The Revenue Department learned in October 2023 he was working at an automobile dealership instead of his residence.
Wadding was dismissed later that month.
A comparison of timesheets from the department and the dealership showed 287 days when Wadding was being paid from the Revenue Department and the dealership for the same hours. The investigation revealed that Wadding earned $25,854.91 in unearned wages and $8,276.56 in unearned payroll benefits.
Wadding told investigators he did some work for the dealership while on the clock for the Department of Revenue, according to the comptroller’s report.
“Wadding stated that he would only spend about two hours a day performing his officer duties,” the report said. “Wadding claimed he had about five hours of downtime each day and he was just utilizing this downtime in a different manner than others by having a second job.”
A Madison County grand jury indicted Wadding on one count of theft of property over $10,000, one count of destruction, tampering, or fabrication of a government record and one count of official misconduct, according to the comptroller’s office.
“The Department of Revenue should consider changes to its alternative workspace solutions policy to require that employees notify the department if their approved alternate worksite changes,” said Comptroller Jason Mumpower. “The department should also verify the hours are being worked at the approved alternate worksite.”
