Definition
A person on payroll who doesn't actually exist or no longer works for the company, but continues collecting paychecks through fraud or administrative incompetence. The organizational equivalent of believing in paranormal activity, except the money really does disappear.
Example Usage
The audit uncovered three ghost employees who'd been collecting salaries for two years after supposedly quitting.
Origin
Accounting and fraud investigation terminology from the early 20th century
Fun Fact
Ghost employee fraud costs U.S. businesses an estimated $50 billion annually, with schemes sometimes running for decades before detection.
Source: Payroll fraud investigation terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “ghost employee” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator