Cash drawer is short. Do employees have to pay?

Question

The managers of the restaurant I work at are asking one of my fellow employees to pay back $100 that went missing from the register on Saturday. There were 4 different people using the cash drawer over the course of the day, so there is no way to say who was running the register when it was missing, or what happened.

I know that laws are very different in each state. I live in Michigan. Can any of you direct me to a site that explains the laws involved here? Is it illegal to ask her to pay the difference out of her own pocket? I think this is very unfair.

Answer 1

#1 only one employee should be working out of each drawer
#2 HR should have a cash handling policy statement for each cashier on file
#3 She could be fired for not following said policy

Answer 2

They can ask all they want for her to pay it back. And she can say no. If they take it out her check then she needs to talk to an Attny. Because more than one person was using the same cash drawer no one person should be at fualt. So legally they can't do that. Get your parents involed if you are under 21.

Answer 3

You might want to start with calling your labor board or EE office there in Michigan. If this has become an LP issue then you might send a formal letter to your DM and RM explaining the situation. Also find out if there is a legal aid center in your neighborhood that offers meetings with mediatiors. You might even go down to the court house and find out if the Bar Association there in Michigan has an alternate dispute resolution program and if they do set up an appointment. Also just for hoots and hollers try dialing 211 here in Ca its the legal information hotline but I don't see why it wouldn't apply in your state as well.

Answer 4

It wouldn't be a matter of state law, but rather company policy. If the restauraunt you works for has a policy that states employees have to pay back shortages, then they can.

The best way to avoid that situation from happening again is to not let anybody use another persons register. When I managed our Pizza Hut, we logged on and off everytime another cashier got on the register.

It could have been worse, your friend could have been terminated.

Answer 5

No. Michigan law provides that employers may only deduct from an employee's wages (which is essentially what is happening here) if the employee provides written consent, freely given, without intimidation or fear of discharge. (The employer is permitted to deduct items like Social Security and support garnishment as required by law without written consent).

Visit the state Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor at http://www.michigan.gov/cis/0,1607,7-154-27673_27688---,00.html for information about deductions from wages and the process for filing a complaint.

By the way, you are correct that the law is different all states, but it is common for states to prohibit this kind of self-help by employers, who seek to shift the risk of loss due to theft, etc. onto their employees.

Answer 6

That sound a little suspicious. I would start out by calling your local Department of Labor or checking the department of labor website http://www.michigan.gov/cis. If they're not able to answer your question they should at least be able to point you in the right direction. Good luck!

Answer 7

boy the exact same thing is happening to my son at his job 100.00 missing all employees working drawer ..but his name is on all receipts he went to manager and said i dont want people using my drawer he was told thats how its done here ...now they are telling him he is short the hundred and because his name is on the receipt he is responsible where does we find the governing agency here in ca to help him ...thank you

Answer 8

They can NOT ask you to pay the difference out of your pocket. Period! They CAN deduct the amount from your paycheck, but may not deduct anything that will take you below minimum wage for the pay period. Go see an attorney immediately if you were asked to pay out of pocket!!!