- Wells Fargo fired more than a dozen employees who used mouse movers
- WFH staff used the products to make it look like they were working
- Several companies in the City have expressed interest in bringing workers back to the office.
During lockdown they flew off the shelves as clever staff found the perfect device to convince bosses they were busy working from home.
And now a major bank has fired more than a dozen workers for using mouse movers while away from their desks.
Bosses at US company Wells Fargo have fired employees from its wealth and investment management department after claiming they were using devices that gave the “impression of active work”.
The products, also known as ‘mouse jigglers’, gained popularity during the pandemic as staff tried to escape the watchful eye of bosses while apparently working from home.
The gadgets allow users to leave their desks for hours at a time without being detected by their employer, moving their computer mouse autonomously.
Bosses at US company Wells Fargo fired employees from its wealth and investment management department after claiming they were using mouse engines (File Image)
The bank fired more than a dozen workers for using mouse movers while they were away from their desks (File image)
The products, also known as ‘mouse jigglers’, gained popularity during the pandemic (File image)
First used by players who didn’t want their sessions to run out, they took off in lockdown as workers exchanged tips on social media sites like Reddit and TikTok about where to buy them. Today you can get a mouse motor for under £6 on Amazon.
The layoffs at Wells Fargo, which were revealed through filings with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and first reported by Bloomberg, left it unclear whether the laid-off employees were feigning active work from home or in the office.
But the saga will be a blow to the bank, which has been on a mission to clean up its act after a scandal broke in 2016 when it emerged staff were opening fake customer accounts to meet sales quotas.
In a statement, a company spokesperson said, “Wells Fargo holds its employees to the highest standards and does not tolerate unethical behavior.”
Other city companies here have been interested in tracking workers as they struggle to get them back to the office.
Law firm Hogan Lovells has been monitoring swipe card entry to see how often lawyers work from its London and Birmingham offices.
Meanwhile, Clifford Chance, Slaughter and May, and ‘Big Four’ auditor EY have admitted they monitor office attendance. But there is a lot at stake for bad behavior.
In February, the husband of a BP manager admitted to insider trading after overhearing his wife discussing a major deal while working from home.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission alleged that Tyler Loudon made £1.4 million in illegal profits from illegal eavesdropping. His wife also lost her job due to the debacle in Houston, Texas.