ANDERSON, Ind. – At least five companies have hired private investigator Bud McCorkle to monitor their employees.

McCorkle, who owns and operates BMA Investigations, L.L.C, says he has stayed busy throughout the pandemic.

“I’ve been doing this a lot of years,” he laughed. “I retired after 49 years in law enforcement.”

McCorkle typically investigates white-collar crimes. He specializes in lie detection and voice stress analysis.

“Our motto is, ‘In search of the truth,’” McCorkle told CBS4.

During the pandemic, though, when hundreds of companies were forced to send their employees home, companies started questioning whether their workers were fulfilling their expectations or if they were using their time away from the office as an unofficial vacation.

“The public is using this as an excuse to get out,” he said.

Five cases later, McCorkle says workers are being dishonest.

“They’re dumb. Pardon me, but if you’re going to sit there and screw the company, you’re stupid. You’ve got to work for a living, be honest about it,” he said.

In one case, a female worker told her place of employment that she was scared to return after coronavirus. Her office was reopening, and they wanted her back at work.

“I picked up on her driving, which means she is not afraid to get out of the house,” McCorkle recalled. “We went over to Wicks Pie Company in Winchester, I think. She was walking in and out without a mask, totally socializing.”

McCorkle said he received another phone call about her days later. While surveilling her property, he found the employee outside with about 16 others, building a pool.

“That pretty well shot down the fact that she was afraid,” he explained. “She just didn’t want to go back to work.”

In another case, a woman was packing her bags and preparing for a getaway. McCorkle said her boss wasn’t frustrated but rather disappointed.

“Nothing surprises me anymore,” he said.

McCorkle also trailed a couple of men. In one instance, he stopped for breakfast at a pub and ended up finding his target drinking alcohol. He said it was 8:30 in the morning.

“One guy was at a local bar at 8:30 having a beer while I’m here having biscuits and gravy,” he laughed.

Once McCorkle is done with the case, he hands over the video and photographs to the company. They take it from there.

McCorkle believes some people are taking advantage of the system because they are making more in unemployment benefits.

“Add it up. It makes sense,” he said. “Is it right? No. Is it honest? Absolutely not.”