Hi everyone. About two months ago I started working at my local U-Haul. For those of you who do not know what that is its a place that rents moving trucks and trailers. I loved working there because everyone was cool and we all got along. Then one day I was asked to close the store. I was givin the alarm codes, safe key, and store key. A few weeks later I was closing one night and I was counting the cash drawer down. It was about 235.00 short. So I recounted hoping I just counted wrong, I had not. Anyway here is a quick run down of how the drawers work there. We have 3 point of sale registers. so thats 3 computers and three drawers. Anyway long story short we only put cash in drawer 3 for some reason. So if i sold something to a customer and my coworker already had # 3 open I would have to open # 2 in the computer under my user name. This is stupid because if I have to give change I am still going to take it out of # 3 which makes no sense. So one day my boss pulls me into his office and tells me that I need to pay about 500.00 that the drawers are short because I was the last person on the drawer even tho we all have a # 3 key and we all use the same cash drawer. The shit came down on me because in the computer i was on # 3. This did not make sense to me at all. I have to pay because I was on # 3 and everyone else could get into my drawer and at most times had to to give back change or steal I just dont know. Anyway I explained how unfair and stupid the whole situation is and I was told either sign the paper that said I would pay the money back with 50.00 from each paycheck. I was told to sign or be fired. those were my only options. I was also told by my boss that the paper I signed did not have to be honnered in the state of Iowa and that they could take how ever much they wanted to out my check. WHAT!!! Can anyone help me? Should I get a lawyer? Also I just stoped showing up to work I never told them I quit.
Honestly, I don't think GiantBomb is the place to ask for help on something like this. You'd probably be best off talking to someone who actually knows about this stuff (like a lawyer).
"This is the last place I'd ask for legal advice (no offense to all of you fine individuals here). "
This is the only place I know that has such a wide range of users. Were not all just hardcore video gamers who know nothing of the outside world. Also its in the "OFF-TOPIC" section
" I will look into getting a lawyer but I dont have much money or even if any good would come from it. "
If you end up looking into getting a lawyer, call your county Bar Association. They should be able to help you find lawyers that specifically work with your kind of case, and have options for people with little money.
" I will look into getting a lawyer but I dont have much money or even if any good would come from it. "
If you end up looking into getting a lawyer, call your county Bar Association. They should be able to help you find lawyers that specifically work with your kind of case, and have options for people with little money. "
This is exactly why everyone should be a member of a relevant trade union. If stuff like this happens, you know exactly where to turn to for advice and/or legal help.
I'm a bit lost...what exactly did you do regarding the -235? Did you tell your boss, or what?
And a lot of this stuff will probably fall under your company's rules and procedures. So before you get a lawyer, make sure what is happening is actually breaking some policy. If the money is missing underneath your drawer, then technically you are still responsible for it, despite other people running off it.
I'd contact the next person up higher than your boss before trying to make a lawsuit out of this.
Contact your district manager or whoever is higher up than your boss and tell them the story. I have a feeling this drawer thing is WIDELY against company policy. Also tell the district manger type that you are considering having to get a lawyer.
Quit the job and if they want to proceed with a legal case let them do it, as long as you are telling the truth and they lack the evidence you will be clear. You won't need a lawyer until they bring up legal proceedings though. I've seen people be accused of stealing money before but they never made it past the accusing stage of the conflict.
" Also I just stoped showing up to work I never told them I quit. "
This one action just ruined any credibility you might have had and makes you look guilty.
I'm guessing you're a young guy and this is your first job dealing with cash registers. At the end of the day it's on who runs the drawers if you come up short, the other people there know this and since you're the new guy it makes you the easy mark to take the fall. I bet one of your "buddies" that works there took some cash knowing you'd get nailed since you didn't know better. The boss is ether in on it as well - sadly a very regular affair - or he's just a no-nonsense guy that's dealt with this enough times to stop trying to play detective and goes after the obvious culprit - even if he may be wrong. The whole signing the paper thing sounds like BS and a scare tactic to get you afraid and go along with it.
As far as what to do, you've already lost the job by now since you basically quit. You could try reporting to the Better Business Bureau or ACLU, or go the police, but it's going to come down to your word against his and your leaving the way you did ruined your credibility. Sadly this is something that just isn't worth the time or effort since - no offense - it's a shit job at a shitty place and the best you could do is move on and make sure not to include them as a reference. You could try going to U-Haul corporate as well, but given they are franchises it's not really something they control since any asshole can open up a U-Haul location.
" @melcene usually bureaus of labor provide a free lawyer in this instance don't they? "
Negative. In fact, from the little I know of employment law, if you go through your state labor department, its possible you may be waiving your right to sue by doing so.
@Funzzo: Did you sign that piece of paper? I hope you didn't, the best thing to do in that situation is to sign it ( so you keep your job ). However you write on it that it is signed under duress? I think that's the term you should use, anyway one that says you are not wilfully signing it and you will contest it before you make any payments etc. Also if you can afford a lawyer definitely get one. If you can't essentially you need to ask for hard evidence that you took the money e.g. CCTV, and bring up the fact that anyone can access any till at a given time.
Thanks to all who replied and i just talked to my grandma who was worked with lawyerrs her whole life and she said its pointless to go after them even tho I have a ton of evidence that proves I did nothing wrong. I was also informed that when I get a new job they can come after me for their money. So I'm going to take this as a big learning experiance and move on
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