Employer making accusations about employees about something non-work related

[fashionally]

What is the name of your state? MO
Can employers blame employees for something that supposedly happened at their residence half a year ago, and is non-work related? Can they use that as an excuse to not have to pay employee(s)?

 

[Beth3]

Can employers blame employees for something that supposedly happened at their residence half a year ago, and is non-work related? You need to post back and provide some details so we know what you're talking about.

Can they use that as an excuse to not have to pay employee(s)? Again, more details would help but basically there are no circumstances in which an employer is not obligated to pay employees for time they worked.

 

[fashionally]

An employer is trying to blame employee(s) of theft from residence that supposedly happened 6+months ago, no proof of what is supposedly missing was ever there in the first place.

 

[Beth3]

That's not illegal. Sometimes theft (or other misconduct) isn't discovered until well after the fact. The lapse of time doesn't result in the employer being unable to investigate and take disciplinary action.

Just so I understand (because your post is still short on details), the company owner or boss had some sort of social gathering at his/her home to which employees were invited and allegedly something was stolen?

 

[fashionally]

The business first started out from the home over a year ago. It was maybe 1 month until a separate place was rented/purchased for the business. From then on, the only person at the employer's residence was the employer (and the person the employer was dating).

I must not understand all the way yet, unless: a person can claim that something is missing from their residence, blame one or more persons, try to have the value of what is "missing" replaced, even though proof of owning/having/posessing it does not exist. (That doesn't make a lot of sense because anyone could say that this or that was stolen from them & they want it back, even if they had no documentation, receipt, or proof they ever had one.)

[I'm not trying to be a smarty, I'm just trying to understand this better. I really appreciate your advice and thank you for your help. I'm also paying attention so I can learn something, thanks again!]

 

[Beth3]

There's nothing that prevents the employer from accusing an employee (or employees) of stealing the employer's property. The law prevents an employer from holding an employee financially responsible though unless a court of law orders the thief to pay restitution.

If you and others are being forced to reimburse the employer for the loss and/or a payroll deduction is withheld, contact your State's Department of Labor immediately.

 

[fashionally]

The employer has contacted a detective that 'had' to meet with the former employee. During that 'interview' (I guess it could be called that), it was learned that the employer's story changed trying to say that the value of what was missing to be ridiculously more than originally said, still wanting to make the former employee pay for the increasing value; & Nothing has been heard since.

Oh yeah... a letter was received before there was the thing with the detective, from the employer's lawyer saying,

"The time has expired to resolve this matter. Your former employer wanted this resolved within 2 weeks of... Kind Regards..."​

But it pretty much said that the employer was holding the employee responsible no matter what. Been a couple of months, no word, no further detecting has been done either. No last 2 paychecks or unemployment either. (An IRS investigator did say that employer finally agreed to pay unemployment, but that was at least a month ago).

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

An employer is trying to blame employee(s) of theft from residence that supposedly happened 6+months ago, no proof of what is supposedly missing was ever there in the first place.

Funny, how do you know it was not there? Maybe the guy is smart and has a receipt? Just a guess.

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

The business first started out from the home over a year ago. It was maybe 1 month until a separate place was rented/purchased for the business. From then on, the only person at the employer's residence was the employer (and the person the employer was dating). How do you know who was at your employers home, and who was not?


I must not understand all the way yet, unless: a person can claim that something is missing from their residence, blame one or more persons, try to have the value of what is "missing" replaced, even though proof of owning/having/posessing it does not exist. How do you know it does not exist?


(That doesn't make a lot of sense because anyone could say that this or that was stolen from them & they want it back, even if they had no documentation, receipt, or proof they ever had one.) Do you have the receipt for everything you own? Get real here.

 

[fashionally]

Maybe this will help clarify a little bit:
Supposed cash in plastic zip-locks? I just know that it would not seem legit (or legal) to have money in plastic baggies (isn't that what a bank is for?)- That is like someone going back to the locker room at a fitness center and claiming someone took their envelope full of cash out of their locker, even though the person knows that intermediate people were no where near the locker room ever.

So everybody can blame someone for "taking their baggies of money"?

 

[Beth3]

Blame is different than proof.

If I get it in my head that a neighbor snuck into my house and stole something, I'm free to "blame" him (no matter how irrational that is) but having any evidence to pursue a criminal complaint with the police against him is a whole 'nother matter.

An employer may sever the employment relationship upon suspicion of theft but they can't hold an employee financially responsible absent a court of law making that determination.

 

[fashionally]

Thank you very much for your help, I appreciate it. I will post updates if any.