At least once a week, I come across a stranger-than-fiction story in Google News about a temporary worker-related incident.
Last week, it was the worker who was rehired despite submitting a false resume on his wife’s behalf.
This week, it involves a man facing time for lying about doing time.
Andre Melvin was working for an unnamed temp agency in Auburn, N.Y. On March 28, he allegedly overslept and didn’t make it in.
OK, raise your hand if you haven’t overslept for work. Put your hand down, we know you’re lying.
It’s a fact of life. We’re all guilty of doing it at some point, but usually an employer is understanding about it, if it’s a one-off.
Rather than going the logical route of admitting his mistake, Melvin allegedly came up with what he thought was a better excuse.
According to an account from Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann in the Auburnpub.com, Melvin forged a note saying he missed work because he was in the Cayuga County Jail.
Riddle me this: How is being in jail a better excuse than, “I overslept today”?
Melvin was even resourceful enough to allegedly procure the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office letterhead, forging the deputy’s signature.
Of course, the employer called the jail to check the story. Sure enough, they called the jail and discovered Melvin hadn’t been an inmate since 2008.
It looks like Melvin got his wish, a little too late.
He was charged with second-degree forgery and possession of a forged instrument. Both are felonies.
Melvin pled not guilty, but his attorney, Charles Thomas, contradicted himself when he told the judge, “This alleged act was for him to keep his job.”
Define irony: Winding up in jail after pretending to be in jail to keep your job.
Hope they allow huber.
