Book keeper falsifying her own timecard

[civilian63]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ma.
We just found for the past 2 plus years, the book keeper at my wife's business has been adding additional hours on to her time card every week. We're going to contact our lawyer and decide if we should charge her for stealing, and whatever else we could do against her.

The question we have is what kind of penalty or jail time could we use as a bargaining chip against her to possibly make her payback the money she wrongfully stole from them. Any input would be apprecaited.
thanks

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ma.
We just found for the past 2 plus years, the book keeper at my wife's business has been adding additional hours on to her time card every week. We're going to contact our lawyer and decide if we should charge her for stealing, and whatever else we could do against her.

The question we have is what kind of penalty or jail time could we use as a bargaining chip against her to possibly make her payback the money she wrongfully stole from them. Any input would be apprecaited.
thanks

Much of the information you are seeking would depend on how much she stole from you. She could get probation, she could get jail time.

I can tell you that if you choose not to file a police report, this person WILL do this to another business owner. You have the opportunity to stop this from happening again to someone esle and I hope you take it.

eta... She didn't think twice when stealing from you, why should you even give it a second thought.

 

[pattytx]

AND making restitution does not necessarily mean she could not be prosecuted.

 

[cbg]

I can tell you how my husband handled it when he had a similar situation.

He told the young man in question that he would give him thirty days to pay back every last cent that was stolen. If he received restitution in full, as determined by an impartial auditor reviewing the records, my husband would not prosecute. He also promised that he would not go out of his way to prevent the young man from finding other work. However, he was quite explicit about the fact that if asked, he would be absolutely honest about why the young man was no longer working for him. The young man had the choice; make full restitution and accept the fact that prospective employers who asked (and in my husband's industry most prospective employers would ask - even I was asked for a reference on one of my husband's former staffers) would be given a full, complete and truthful reference, or face prosecution. He had overnight to make up his mind.

The young man chose restitution. My husband has kept track of the young man, who is now working in a closely related field, and has apparently never repeated the offense.

I am not suggesting that you not contact the police, or stating that she will not do it again. This is just my experience with the situation, for what it is worth.