The worker was reprimanded and fined half a day’s pay for taking early lunch break
An official in Japan's Kobe city has been fined for leaving his desk three minutes early repeatedly to buy lunch. His superior officials at waterworks bureau in the city also issued an apology on national TV for the behaviour of the civil servant who left his desk early 26 times over a seven-month period.
The unnamed 64-year-old worker was reprimanded and fined half a day’s pay for not finishing the shift, according to a report by the Japan Times.
In a televised apology, Kobe city officials described the “misconduct” as “deeply regrettable” and bowed in front of the cameras.
“It’s deeply regrettable that this misconduct took place,” an official told reporters at a press conference.
“We’re sorry,” the official said, bowing deeply.
A Kobe city spokesman said that the lunch break is from noon to 1 pm but the worker left his desk before the break.
The employee said that he occasionally left early to buy lunch. He was discovered by a colleague who spotted him through the window of the director’s office.
His act was in violation of a public service law which demands that officials “concentrate on their jobs”.
Many on Japanese social media defended the worker calling the punishment a joke.
"It’s sheer madness. It’s crazy. What about leaving your desk to smoke?" a Twitter user asked.
“Is this a bad joke? Does this mean we cannot even go to the bathroom?” another user wrote on the micro-blogging website.
This is not the first time that has been taken against an official in the city for leaving office early. In February, an official was suspended for a month after he had left his office numerous times to buy lunch during work hours.
The official was absent a total of 55 hours over six months, the Japan Times report said.
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 "Waterworks bureau officials in Kobe city apologised for worker who took early break")
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