Trusted employee = stealing

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Luc

Well-Known Member
Nov 1, 2002
2,895
777
113
Elliot Lake
www.a1florists.com
State / Prov
Ontario
I hired this woman, a friend who I have known for a few years now to work in the card shop. At the begining everything seems to work. She had loss her husband to cancer and I thought by hireing her it would boost her morale etc and since I only needed someone part-time it suited me. I notice a few things in November, shrig it off a little bit. Then more red flags happened in Dec and a few more in the last few weeks. Because I have a few staff using the cash, I had to eliminate people one at a time.I can kick myself in the arse for not noticing signs before. So I have concluded that I will have to place surprises inspections on my staff to keep them in check.
When was the last time you checked your staff?
Tomorrow is the day of firing....
Luc
 
LUC, so sorry you are having this experiance. I am always shocked when I find someone stealing either money or time. Had a driver who wass stealing us blind for nearly year before I caught on to the scam. Now NOONE who is not a relative touches the cash. Yeah a pain in the a** but the best I can do.
 
It's always tough...thank God (nock on wood) I have not had this problem in years.....it's never fun to deal with...

Technology now-a-days takes care of it...A good POS, 2-3 well placed (in full view) webcams, and a faux "black box" under the drivers seat....

We point out the "black box" to all drivers....and is this thing amazing, it tracks starts, stops, how long your in a driveway, speed, if you use turn signals or not, what kind of coffee you order (I made that last one up)....

Actually I made the whole thing up....but it works:fdevil:
 
Hey Luc...sorry to hear that you are having to go through this ordeal. My best advice to you with regard to the "firing tomorrow" is to be cautious about your accusations without solid proof. Call the police and have them investigate. Just the presence of the police investigating will make your staff sit up and take notice. Many years ago, the police came into my shop and dusted money, etc. to catch the employee I thought was stealing. The detective got the goods on the employee and I prosecuted. One of my very first experiences in the industry involved calling a well respected florist for a referral on an application from a designer. The reply I received was startling, but a real wake up call. He told me the applicant was a terrific designer, but for me to be very careful of any employee that was too eager to take out the trash. Take out the trash??? Yup, this designer made a habit of loading up merchandise in trash bags and taking them out to his car! Wow! One of my saddest experiences in employee theft was with a husband and wife who were drivers. I had a charge account at the local gas station and suddenly noticed that the monthly charges were astronimical. Upon reviewing the receipts, both husband and wife were taking their own vehicles to the gas station and politely filling their cars with gas and signing to my house account. The sad part was that I loaned this couple money to pay their mortgage for two months when they were down on their luck. I prosecuted them and would prosecute any employee caught stealing. Makes it real clear to your staff that you won't tolerate theft. I agree with Mark, POS makes it real easy to check things out. You always have to keep your eyes open though. Thieves are tricky, and the worst part is that most employees who steal "feel they deserve it." I'll have to get one of the black boxes that Mark has...too funny! Anyway, Luc...be careful...back up your accusations.
 
What about the employee who does not steal cash but eats your candy and fruit at will? She once ate so many grapes that I had to go out and buy more. She has been given free reign about such things at other shops where she has worked. I've talked to her former employees who say that anything they have left from a fruit basket is available for employees. Am I making too much of this?
 
I am ready and have proof with this employee. I have planted some cash in her drawer when she worked alone and at the end of her shift. she always balanced to the penny. I can go on and on on the red flags.
I will have a tape recorder at the firing and I will get her to admit her stealing from me. IF she does not, Through the labor law here in Ontario, I can let anyone goes with no reason, however depending on the years of service I have to pay them severance pay, which in this case is 16.45 Hrs. pay.
As for a pos system. There is one going in next month. THe deal is signed and mid month I should have the system in place.
Why does employee think they are due these bonuses.?
Anyone knowing me, I am very careful to gather the proff before I do anything.
I will also use this in hope to show other employees their job are not secure for dotting me.
Luc
 
Missing Money

About a week ago one of my long time and trusted employees came to me with an oddity - one of the PT girls finished a transaction but when the older lady came around the corner my PT was standing there with cash in her hand. So I have been watching the registers extra close on her days.

Today there were three people working besides myself. PT was the one in the register mostly today, I did one transaction, one employee (office) counted the money first thing but did not touch register after that, and the other one did one transaction. Now my register is short almost $200. I can't prove YET it was PT, but it is looking that way.

Anyone with suggestions?

Donna
 
Better hope your drivers . . . . .

mark smith said:
It's always tough...thank God (nock on wood) I have not had this problem in years.....it's never fun to deal with...

Technology now-a-days takes care of it...A good POS, 2-3 well placed (in full view) webcams, and a faux "black box" under the drivers seat....

We point out the "black box" to all drivers....and is this thing amazing, it tracks starts, stops, how long your in a driveway, speed, if you use turn signals or not, what kind of coffee you order (I made that last one up)....

Actually I made the whole thing up....but it works:fdevil:
Click to expand...

Are not lurking around Flower Chat
 
My staff

BamaE4U said:
Are not lurking around Flower Chat
Click to expand...
None of my staff has access to FC! Remember I get to see who signs up, and control access :)

It's not allowed! I discuss too many operational issues to allow them in here, and in fact have not even told them it exists.
 
Donna,
My suggestion is to call the sherriff or police dept. depending on what you have their.
THey have ways to set things up and catch her in the act.
Camera, or even have them come in and do a purchase and track the money. If it is not in the register at the end of the shift, but in her pocket you have her. Talk to them to see if they will help you!
Give you more evidence. Also do not tell any of your staff what you are doing. Even the trusted employee, in case the beans get spilled.
THat is how I caught my last staff member. It is like hittting them on the side of the head...they never see it coming. I love it!!!!!
Same when I went to fire my last staff member......
WhAm!!!!!!!!!!Bang!!!!!!!Thank you Mam!!!!!!!!!!
Luc
 
Owner is really an employee

Remember that employee's watch what you do as an owner. If they see you taking cash out of the drawer, taking product without paying, etc they can justify that it is o.k for them to do the same. In reality you are really an employee, especially if your are a corporation.
 
I had to fire a dishonest Keyholder in December. I was lucky that my husband is the Manager of Loss Prevention at a large downtown store and handled the investigation. We had him on camera taking money from the till and, after the shop was closed for the night, entering the shop and taking money from the safe. He admitted to about half of what we knew he had stolen and we accepted restituation rather than prosecution. (Lovely for my family relations: he had become friends with my niece who worked for me part time and his uncle is a cop who is my brother in law's partner).

I am always cautious with tape recording people. In MA, tape recordings done without consent are usually inadmissable in court. It might be better to have a witness sit in on your conversation and have the witness write a statement after your conversation.

You have my sympathies, nothing is worse than the stress of a dishonest employee.

Mary
 
Ken said:
Remember that employee's watch what you do as an owner. If they see you taking cash out of the drawer, taking product without paying, etc they can justify that it is o.k for them to do the same. In reality you are really an employee, especially if your are a corporation.
Click to expand...


This is a very true statement. Except for one thing. How does the employee know that you are not taking cash to put in a safe at home or deposit in the bank?? Is it any of their business??

As a sole proprietor, the product is actually yours and the money is yours. I do however not take things home without writing up a slip, just for show. So anyone working heredoesn't think it is OK to just take. I will also go as far as to make up a fake deposit slip so the money looks like it is going somehwhere other than my pocket.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back