Suspended Pending HR Investigation

[leannc]

California - During my lunch break, using my employee discount, I purchased a stereo. My credit card did not go through and the employee who was ringing me up suspended the transaction so I could come back with the money or a different credit card. I left the merchandise in the store (because the transaction did not go through) and went to lunch. When I returned from lunch, I was stopped by several managers and questioned about a stereo cord. They say they saw me on camera taking a stereo cord out of one box and placing it into my box. As we always do at work, we check the boxes to see if there is anything missing. I checked the first box and it appeared that a case was missing, so I checked the second box and it appeared to be complete. I was given permission to take a cord that is in our 'junk' drawer. That was cord I put into my box and in fact it was a totally different color cord. They viewed the tape over and over after talking to me. One of the managers said to not worry because it doesn't show me taking anything out the boxes just like I told them. I was asked to write a statement about what happened. However, the next day when I came to work, one of the other managers told me to go home while they conduct an investigation. He called me the next morning and said I was on suspension until HR reviews the info. Where do I stand on this? What do you recommend?

 

[JETX]

Where do I stand on this?

Obviously, you stand 'suspended.

What do you recommend?

If you are as innocent as you say, then you shouldn't have anything to worry about.... especially if the person who told you gave you "permission to take a cord that is in our 'junk' drawer" confirms your story.
However, if you have any problems with your version, you should consider quitting before you get terminated. Quitting, even under this cloud, will be better than having a 'terminated for theft' on your record.

 

[leannc]

I have been there for two years and had good reviews. Wouldn't resigning make it appear as if I was guilty? Either way, wouldn't they be able to give me a bad recommendation when others call for employment verification?

 

[outonbail]

During my lunch break, using my employee discount, I purchased a stereo. My credit card did not go through and the employee who was ringing me up suspended the transaction so I could come back with the money or a different credit card. I left the merchandise in the store (because the transaction did not go through) and went to lunch. When I returned from lunch, I was stopped by several managers and questioned about a stereo cord. They say they saw me on camera taking a stereo cord out of one box and placing it into my box. As we always do at work, we check the boxes to see if there is anything missing. I checked the first box and it appeared that a case was missing, so I checked the second box and it appeared to be complete. I was given permission to take a cord that is in our 'junk' drawer. That was cord I put into my box and in fact it was a totally different color cord.

While reading your rendition of what happened, my BS detector went off several times. This whole scenario sounds unnatural.
First you use a credit cared that you had to have known would be rejected. Whether you're over your limit, or late on payments, you certainly would have known the card wasn't going to work.
Then there's the part about opening boxes to make sure everything is there. What do you mean by, "like we always do at work, we check the boxes"? I never remember anyone rifling through my new merchandise box before I left a store. The only time I would do so, is if I noticed the box had already been open. The way electronic merchandise is packaged these days, you can hardly get everything back in the box once you pull it all out. So I just don't buy this "like we always do" statement.
Plus, if your card didn't go through, then what did you do, leave now two stereo boxes opened up and place them back on the shelf for the next customer to purchase? What about the one that you claimed "appeared that a case was missing" what did you do with that incomplete box?
Then, when and who did you ask about this cord you were told you could have, that came from some "Junk drawer"?
How does merchandise get in the junk drawer? Is that where you placed the stereo with the missing case? Is this like the open bag of cookies at the grocery store, suddenly becomes the free samples sort of thing?
Even so, if your card was rejected and the sale did not go through, the stereo wasn't yours, so why would you leave this "free from the junk draw cord" in the stereo box that was not your property?
If several managers stopped you and questioned you about this strange box opening ritual and the extra cord in one of the two boxes you opened, that tells me they didn't know you were told you could have the cord. So who did you ask, or who gave you permission to take the cord, shouldn't it have been one of these managers?

Your story reads like your trying to justify too many strange or unusual actions on your part.

Start looking for another job.....

 

[leannc]

I had to read the previous post over and over again to figure out why you were so mean in your post. Wow.

Employees check the boxes in the back storage area, not in front of the customers. This is common practise. This was not the issue. My credit card is also not the issue. I did not put the box back on the shelf, but I kept it near the register so I could come back to get it. That is also not the managers issue.

Their issue is that I put the cord in my box which made it look like I was hiding it. My manager gave me permission to take the cord from the junk drawer and no he was present at the time the other managers came up to me.

we give customers cords all the time from the junk drawer. we also have to empty the junk drawer on a regular basis.

 

[outonbail]

I had to read the previous post over and over again to figure out why you were so mean in your post.

I wasn't trying to be mean, I was posting exactly how I interpreted your post.

Employees check the boxes in the back storage area, not in front of the customers. This is common practice.

You're telling me that employees open boxes of new merchandise, all the time, just to look inside and make sure everything is there?

Their issue is that I put the cord in my box which made it look like I was hiding it. My manager gave me permission to take the cord from the junk drawer and no he was present at the time the other managers came up to me.

If this is true, then your manager should have simply informed these other managers that he/she gave you the cord and that would have been the end of it.
So why have you been suspended?

 

[manny_mandy]

confer

With so much complications, I can only tell that the company can have you suspended per company violation. However, proper notice must be given to you before any suspension is imposed. I cannot speculate if this requirement was complied in your case nor will I assume that there was sufficient notice present based on the facts given. At most, as a precautionary measure, you can consider conferring with an employment attorney.

 

[cbg]

I can only tell that the company can have you suspended per company violation. However, proper notice must be given to you before any suspension is imposed.

Really, now? Under what statute is the employer required to provide notice before they can suspend anyone?

Suppose you post a link to that non-existant law?

 

[JETX]

However, proper notice must be given to you before any suspension is imposed.

What a pile of stinking crap. Absent an employment contract or binding arbitration requiring notice, no such 'requirement' exists.