Can managers check employee's belongings upon leaving the store on their time off?

Question

I understand if you're getting off a shift or going on , because you have access to the back, cash registers and the sensor things... But if you're not working one day and you just stop in to look around and shop on a day off- as a customer, can they do that? It doesn't seem right.

I work at a teen clothing store. And it's not like they just peek in there - they dig around all your stuff. It's embarrassing actually, I don't even shop there anymore because of it. One time I even forgot and my manager chased me down the mall to look through my stuff, and my friend was appalled at what she did.

I think if you come in as a customer, you should be treated like one too. It doesn't make any sense if you're going in there just to shop - they might as well check every other customer's bag when they leave too.

Answer 1

i don't see what would give them the right to do that..it seems wrong to me ...maybe because of managers acting this way is why a lot of retail stores ask that employess dont shop there off duty ive seen a lot where it is acual policy that you can't shop there

Answer 2

I agree. Even when I was a retail employee I felt violated when they would dig through my handbag. Often times I had personal medications that I did not want seen and it was extremely embarassing to feel like someone's prying into your personal belongings. If you were there as a customer would have definitely complained. They have no right to search you when you aren't working that day.

Answer 3

This is actually a legal question. It would come under unreasonable searches. Whether it`s legal or not, it`s in very poor taste. If you`re ambitious you could go to the legal library at your county courthouse and do some research.

Answer 4

It's so easy to say 'change jobs', but you might consider it...
Many company's do this- Boeing looked in your lunchbox to ensure that you weren't stealing a jet engine :-)...