BURST
Approximately $295,000 worth of gift cards are missing and unaccounted for, says the City of Richmond after a review of its long-standing gift card program.
The matter has been referred to RCMP, said city spokesman Clay Adams. One person also had their employment with the city terminated following a personnel investigation.
The city launched a routine review of the gift card program late last year, said Adams. The program awards employees with gift cards to Richmond restaurants and businesses as a way to recognize their performance and commitment.
The use of gift cards for “individual employee excellence” ended last fall, and for long-serving and retiring employees earlier this spring.
“We ended it because we started to find that there were some inconsistencies in the way they were being purchased,” said Adams. “As a result, we thought best to stop the use of gift cards for employee recognition.”
The review found that the city purchased approximately $446,000 worth of gift cards between Jan. 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2024.
About $121,000 were distributed for long-serving and retiring employees, as staff recognition and volunteer appreciation, and to support employee fundraising programs such as with the United Way.
About $31,000 gift cards have been accounted for and are with the city’s human resources department.
But about $295,000 of gift card costs are “unreconciled,” said the city.
Adams said he cannot share details about the employee’s departure from the city. He said Richmond RCMP was contacted “recently.”
The city’s forensic audit of gift card purchases continues.
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