They're lying to get bonuses/overtime they did not work. The USPTO has a horrible hazard with respect to production quotas, where issuing a patent is less work

They're lying to get bonuses/overtime they did not work. The USPTO has a horrible hazard with respect to production quotas, where issuing a patent is less work than examining it, because they'll keep coming back until it costs too much or they get a patent. (I'm oversimplifying things a bit, but you get the idea.) I don't mind letting them do telework at all. But I don't like paying ridiculous bonuses for unverifiable work.