Photo by ssteege1.

Double dipping at a party might get you some nasty looks, but doing it when you work for the District’s government will get you fired and prosecuted.

The Post reports today that 150 D.C. workers are under investigation and could potentially be fired and prosecuted for taking home both pay and unemployment insurance they were not entitled to:

The employees accused of wrongdoing worked in various arms of the District government, including the D.C. Public Schools and the D.C. Council, according to a high-ranking official to Mayor Vincent C. Gray, who was not allowed to speak publicly on the investigation. Some of the employees, Mallory said, received as much as $20,000 or more; others received only a few hundred dollars.

The alleged fraud is not complicated nor is it uncommon in unemployment insurance programs: Workers apply for checks and receive them legitimately for a time but fail to inform authorities as soon as they go back to work.

Some 90 workers were placed on leave as of today, and will likely be fired. Late last year the City Paper reported that such double dipping it also taking place at the Metropolitan Police Department, where officers who retired and were rehired received both their pension and full salaries, even though the practice is prohibited under D.C. law.

In a statement released by Mayor Vince Gray’s office this afternoon, Gray commended thge director of the Department of Employment Services. Lisa Mallory, for uncovering the fraud. Additionally, D.C. Attorney General Irv Nathan promised to get as much money back as possible.

“It is unconscionable for anyone – and particularly District of Columbia employees, who should have high ethical standards – to be fraudulently collecting unemployment insurance to which they are not entitled. The OAG will be seeking to recover for the District’s treasury any money that was wrongfully taken by these individuals,” he said.