Thief at work...............

[compuwiz1]

You need more proof than hear-say.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi

Originally posted by: Skeeedunt
How do you know coworker x isn't trying to set up coworker y and pocket the cash?

Not a............ummmm........."less than" a snowball's chance in hell. (She doesn't need the money & she doesn't care either way)

anyone working needs the money and if she doesn't care either way why did she come forward. I think you are being naive about it and probably biased towards her.

Having $50 missing could be a simple change problem.

If you are the manager or in charge of this I suggest you get your bookkeeping down first and figure out what your day's intake should be. When it's off speak to who was on the register.

 

[redgtxdi]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

anyone working needs the money and

Is that why Oprah's still working? She needs the money, right??


Sorry, there are a few givens here.......

#1.) She ain't lyin'

#2.) It ain't a change problem

#3.) The dude's a thief & everyone knows it..........maybe even Oprah!


FWIW, he denied it & had guilt written all over his face. There were also a couple of other comments I made that he would have normally been defensive about, but he didn't know how to react so he fumbled the responses.

No biggie........register is now centrally located and I have the only key. Yes, it'll be a little inconvenient for me, but the problem will certainly go away.

After this, he will be watched like a hawk! (No, it will not be pleasant for anybody).

 

[alkemyst]

So you are going to let a 'known' thief continue working for you?

What Oprah is doing I would not classify as working in the way I was using it, but she needs to keep doing what she does to keep that empire going as well.

There is really no 9-5'ers out there doing it because they just want to really. You may find a handful, but most will stop doing that once they are truly financially secure.

Then work becomes more about what your want to do each day.

 

[redgtxdi]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
So you are going to let a 'known' thief continue working for you?

The burden of proof is on us. Without video or an eye-witness, that's all we *can* do.

This is an *employees* world.............(especially here in the beautiful state of Californication)


:Q

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi

Originally posted by: alkemyst
So you are going to let a 'known' thief continue working for you?

The burden of proof is on us. Without video or an eye-witness, that's all we *can* do.

This is an *employees* world.............(especially here in the beautiful state of Californication)


:Q

It's not that hard to fire an employee even in California if you do it right. Start performance reviews and like metrics. I'd attend a small business meeting in your area and just ask what methods they have used.

If I knew someone was stealing from me, they would not be employeed...however; over $50 and nothing else to go on I think you have jumped the gun.

$50 and even $100 is easy to lose if you keep those bills in the register. That is the main reason stores don't keep them not the worry of someone robbing them. Hell even people do it themselves when they have big bills. One night after delivering chinese food I had an extra $100 somehow. Best thing I could think of is someone gave me it as a $10 bill. No one ever called it in though.

Worst case most stores deal with is an extra $20 being handed back by accident usually.

 

[redgtxdi]

Originally posted by: alkemyst


It's not that hard to fire an employee even in California.....................................
...................................................

..................................................

................................................ if you do it right.

That's a rather big bridge you just built on your keyboard there. Dunno if you're as familiar w/ the legal cesspool that is "California" as you think you are....(namely labor law!!!)

Originally posted by: alkemyst
If I knew someone was stealing from me, they would not be employeed...however; over $50 and nothing else to go on I think you have jumped the gun.

I won't divulge the history of personal problems this guy's had. Again, you're just gonna have to trust me. Liability is king here. If he doesn't walk the straightest, narrowest line he's ever walked for the next 6 months straight, he's hosed.

 

[LTC8K6]

Any way to take him off the register?

 

[Injury]

Put all of your employees down in the same room and just flat out tell them that someone stole $50... and they aren't leaving until someone admits to it. You can say that if it's returned by the end of the day you'll turn a blind eye as long unless it happens again.

You can even try treating them like school kids and have them close their eyes and tell them if you want to confess, raise your hand and we'll take care of this in private later on.

After 30 minutes the person won't need to confess because they'll be ratted out.

How many people work in this place, and how many of them have... or had... access to the register?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi

Originally posted by: alkemyst


It's not that hard to fire an employee even in California.....................................
...................................................

..................................................

................................................ if you do it right.

That's a rather big bridge you just built on your keyboard there. Dunno if you're as familiar w/ the legal cesspool that is "California" as you think you are....(namely labor law!!!)

Originally posted by: alkemyst
If I knew someone was stealing from me, they would not be employeed...however; over $50 and nothing else to go on I think you have jumped the gun.

I won't divulge the history of personal problems this guy's had. Again, you're just gonna have to trust me. Liability is king here. If he doesn't walk the straightest, narrowest line he's ever walked for the next 6 months straight, he's hosed.

My company is national. We have CA employees and we have terminated several. We simply set metrics and reviews to do so.

It sounds to me you have decided to give the guy another chance regardless. If you think you can't fire him now, what makes you think you can in the future with your hosing him statement.

In a company where $50 began an inquisition I think you are over complicating the situation. From a liability standpoint is one employee enough to bring down the whole business?

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: DLeRium

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: jackace
Coming from a person that has worked in fast food, other restaurants, and convenient stores with lots of money transactions. If the till is open for multiple people to do transactions with customers, you do not have enough proof to fire someone. To fire someone you have to prove they were the only person using that till AND proof that the till is short money. Most places I have worked have the manager check the money at the start and so does the employee. both have to sign off at the start of a shift. At the end the employee counts out the money and signs and then the manager does the same.

Like I said before, it depends on the laws where you work. In many places you can fire without cause. When you know, but can't prove anything, summary termination is the proper course of action.

If the laws in your area don't allow that, then you're stuck with the thief until you catch them.

I think that even if you can fire, let's all take a step backwards. What if Coworker Y is being setup? What if Coworker X is just mistaken? What if Coworker Y really is a douche? Come on. If you can setup an investigation, then by all means go for it. If you can't catch anyone and you're losing money still, it's time to take action and start probing further.

Let's be civil and not jump to conclusions so quickly. Even if you're firing the right guy, I think it is best to make sure you have the right guy before you pull the trigger.

exactly, what do you do when you fire this dude and then next week find another $50 missing?

 

[imported_Baloo]

Is you state an "At Will" state, where you do not need a reason to fire an employee? It likely is, in which case, it does not matter if you can't prove the employee committed theft, so long as you are not firing for something protected by the bill of rights, and suspicion of theft certainly is not, you have nothing to worry about. Let him sue, he'll lose and get stuck with paying court costs and your attorney fees.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Baloo
Is you state an "At Will" state, where you do not need a reason to fire an employee? It likely is, in which case, it does not matter if you can't prove the employee committed theft, so long as you are not firing for something protected by the bill of rights, and suspicion of theft certainly is not, you have nothing to worry about. Let him sue, he'll lose and get stuck with paying court costs and your attorney fees.

it's already been covered, it's California which is not "AT WILL".

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Baloo
Is you state an "At Will" state, where you do not need a reason to fire an employee? It likely is, in which case, it does not matter if you can't prove the employee committed theft, so long as you are not firing for something protected by the bill of rights, and suspicion of theft certainly is not, you have nothing to worry about. Let him sue, he'll lose and get stuck with paying court costs and your attorney fees.

it's already been covered, it's California which is not "AT WILL".

Uhm....it was when I worked there.

 

[Mr Pepper]

Put a camera on the register. Could even be fake as long as you are the only one who knows.

 

[CPA]

Originally posted by: quakefiend420
doesn't sound like you have enough proof to do anything, and firing them without evidence is just asking for a lawsuit

personally, i would set up a hidden camera on the register after hours, so noone knows it's being installed, then not mention the missing money at all(as if it went unnoticed) and wait for the thief to get ballsy and do it again

taped evidence and a firing>hearsay and a lawsuit

If it's an at-will state he can fire him regardless.


Is your company large enough to have a Loss Prevention department? A good LP can get most employees to crack.

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Baloo
Is you state an "At Will" state, where you do not need a reason to fire an employee? It likely is, in which case, it does not matter if you can't prove the employee committed theft, so long as you are not firing for something protected by the bill of rights, and suspicion of theft certainly is not, you have nothing to worry about. Let him sue, he'll lose and get stuck with paying court costs and your attorney fees.

it's already been covered, it's California which is not "AT WILL".

Section 2922

kthxbye

 

[jandrews]

Ok anyway its been established that its an at will state, you can fire someone for any reason at anytime and who cares blah blah.

Now the thing you do have to be concerned about is if the employee qualifies for unemployment. If they have been there long enough to get unemployment and you fire them without proof, your company will have to pay for 1/3 or 1/2 of the unemployment for the 3/4 month term. If you do get proof he stole then that is fault on his part and he is not allowed to collect unemployment. If it is some retail bullcrap chain it doesnt matter just can him.

 

[randay]

cameras are your friend.

 

[tranceport]

Why waste your time? Are you in a right to work state? Then just terminate his employment and forget about it all.

You are spending more than $50 trying to figure out what to do. Fire Him, Hire New, Move on.

 

[IBuyUFO]

you need to install cameras.

 

[umbrella39]

Originally posted by: redgtxdi

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Is it possible you can catch them in the act? IMHO that would be the best approach.

Well, I'm sure there's a way (camera?) but the camera would be hard to hide.

It just really sucks that people choose to suck!

You'd be surprised how easy spy cameras are to hide.

 

[Kelemvor]

Unless you have proof, you can't do anything. Setup a security camera to tape the register area and go from there. Hearsay isn't worth anything unless you use it to catch the person in the act.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: KLin

Originally posted by: alkemyst

Originally posted by: Baloo
Is you state an "At Will" state, where you do not need a reason to fire an employee? It likely is, in which case, it does not matter if you can't prove the employee committed theft, so long as you are not firing for something protected by the bill of rights, and suspicion of theft certainly is not, you have nothing to worry about. Let him sue, he'll lose and get stuck with paying court costs and your attorney fees.

it's already been covered, it's California which is not "AT WILL".

Section 2922

kthxbye

That must be why we have not had problems terminating ppl in CA. I thought it was not at will though.

It's amazing CA of all places being so litigious would be.