GOSHEN, Ind. (AP) — A recreational vehicle factory in northern Indiana has fired more than 20 people for collecting unemployment benefits while also collecting paychecks for their jobs.
Keystone RV fired the workers from the Goshen factory Monday after reviewing monthly reports from the state Department of Workforce Development for a year, said Timothy Edwards, the factory's human resources manager.
Edwards said most of those involved were production workers and the company's review took so long because managers wanted to make sure they had the most up-to-date information.
"This is something new that we've been faced with," Edwards told The Elkhart Truth (http://bit.ly/nGrmhp ).
Keystone won't pursue any other actions against the fired workers, Edwards said. Any who can show they didn't double-dip will be allowed to return to their jobs, he said.
Department of Workforce Development spokeswoman Valerie Kroeger told The Associated Press that she couldn't comment on specific allegations but that the agency would investigate any fraud reports.
State officials will likely investigate the matter since those involved would have been stealing unemployment benefits, said Greg Vollmer, a former deputy commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development.
Those caught improperly receiving unemployment benefits are typically allowed to repay the money rather than face jail time, said Vollmer, president and CEO of the WorkOne offices in the region that includes Elkhart County.
"I wouldn't say it's a common thing," he said. "It's actually a very small percentage of people that do this kind of thing."