Swipe and Go: BCE Fires Dozens for Faking Office Attendance after RTO Mandate

BCE fired dozens of employees for ‘swipe and go’ attendance scandal, including one who used the office gym before leaving. The Silicon Review reports on Bell Canada‘s code of conduct violations amid Canada’s strict RTO push.

BCE Inc., the parent company of Bell Canada, has fired dozens of employees for repeatedly falsifying workplace attendance records in a “swipe and go” scheme the company uncovered after enforcing its return-to-office mandate.

An internal investigation revealed varied strategies employees used to fake their presence. Some workers would badge into offices across Canada and immediately leave. One employee swiped in just before midnight and again just after, making it appear they had worked two separate days. Another reportedly entered the building only to use the company gym before departing.

“In each case, there was a thorough investigation and individuals were presented with clear evidence of their misconduct,” said Bell spokesperson Luc Levasseur. “The majority of individuals admitted to deliberate and repeated falsification of workplace attendance.” 

BCE maintains that a three-day in-office policy has been in effect for most corporate employees. The company emphasized that no unionized staff were affected and that the terminations were not part of any broader layoffs, but rather “for cause” dismissals.

The firings come amid a wider crackdown on hybrid work across Canada. The federal government recently mandated that public servants return to the office four to five days a week, while Rogers requires a full five-day in-office schedule. Employment lawyer Jean-Alexandre De Bousquet is representing 30 former Bell employees, arguing the terminations may be “economic layoffs disguised as mass firings for cause.” 

Facing potential legal action, the company stands by its position that code of conduct violations warrant immediate termination. Employment lawyers note that “for cause” dismissals are rare in Canada, typically reserved for serious dishonesty such as fraud or theft that irreparably damages the employment relationship.

As Bell Canada’s parent company fires employees caught in the ‘swipe and go‘ attendance scandal, The Silicon Review examines the clash between corporate RTO mandates and workplace culture and whether ‘coffee badging‘ and gym visits are worth risking a career.