Yokosuka official dismissed for sick leave fraud

The Yokosuka City government in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, has dismissed a 45-year-old female employee from the Child Welfare Department following a sick leave fraud scandal.

The employee reportedly obtained a falsified medical certificate from an acquaintance to secure 10 days of paid sick leave from June 7 to June 16 for an overseas trip, rather than using her annual leave. The scheme was discovered when her direct supervisor spotted her on a street in Yokosuka on the very first day of her supposed illness.

Despite initially claiming she was too ill to work and responding to wellness check messages by stating she was resting at home, the employee was confronted with evidence upon her return to work. She eventually admitted to the trip, claiming her health had recovered faster than expected.