Register Shortage

[mmmsjm]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

I was allegedly short on my register $10.00. The manager in charge asked me when I'm going to pay it. Ive only been working there a few days, fear of loosing my job I payed it. After my Shift I decided to talk to another manager about the shortage problem.I told him that I know I was not short on my register, and that the other manager did not let me count the register to verify, he responded to me that they were going to give me the money back, which They did , but only after i spoke Him. So an hour later I decided to quite because fear that they were going to cause me problems, because I stood up for myself.

My question is : In the state of Arizona is it legal for an employer to tell you to pay the money your short. I was not told and did not sign anything about paying any shortages.

 

[cbg]

It is legal for an employer to TELL you anything. It is unlikely that they could have enforced such a requirement, but there's nothing in the law that says they can't try to scare you into paying it. Which evidently worked.

 

[mmmsjm]

I found out my own answer.... This is what I found:

Again, you may be surprised to learn that the answer may be no, depending on what you make. The only requirement under federal law is that if the employer chooses to have you bear the cost of the cash register shortage, the deduction cannot take your pay below the minimum wage and/or reduce your overtime compensation.
For example, if an employee who is subject to the statutory minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is paid an hourly wage of $5.15, the employer may not make any deduction from the employee's wages for the cash register.
However, if you make more than the minimum wage, so that the deduction does not take your pay below the minimum wage, the employer is legally entitled to deduct the cost of the cash register shortage from your pay.
For example, if the employee were paid $5.50 an hour and worked 30 hours in the workweek, the maximum amount the employer could legally deduct from the employee's wages would be $10.50 ($.35 X 30 hours). If the employee is paid an hourly wage of $7.15 per hour and worked 30 hours in the workweek, the maximum amount the employer could legally deduct from the employee's wages would be $60.00 ($2.00 X 30 hours), so the full $15.00 deduction for the cash register shortage would be allowed under law.
Some states have laws which more narrowly limit the deductions which may be taken for cash register shortages and other work-related items. If you still have questions about your state's laws relating to deductions, then you may wish to contact the agency in your state which handles wage and hour/labor standards violations, listed on our site's state government agencies page.

 

[cbg]

You're not reading what I'm saying.

I am not at all surprised to hear that they cannot require that you pay the money. I didn't say they could; in fact, I said they probably couldn't.

What I said was that they can TELL you anything they want. They can TELL you to pay it. If you don't pay it, they can't enforce it. But that doesn't mean they can't try to scare you into doing it anyway.

 

[Zigner]

Furthermore, it's a moot question.

 

[mmmsjm]

You're not reading what I'm saying.

I am not at all surprised to hear that they cannot require that you pay the money. I didn't say they could; in fact, I said they probably couldn't.

What I said was that they can TELL you anything they want. They can TELL you to pay it. If you don't pay it, they can't enforce it. But that doesn't mean they can't try to scare you into doing it anyway.

Thanx for the Info. I just spoke to the owner of the restaurant , He informed me that the manager should of never asked me to pay the difference. he also told me that my register was never short. He apologized of what happened and he is going to look into the problem, he Also asked me to come back to work. I refused. I told him that trust was lost, I refuse to go back to work with the crew that may be doing something illegal and will not get caught up in it. He again apologized and understood were I was coming from.

 

[Ladyback1]

Thanx for the Info. I just spoke to the owner of the restaurant , He informed me that the manager should of never asked me to pay the difference. he also told me that my register was never short. He apologized of what happened and he is going to look into the problem, he Also asked me to come back to work. I refused. I told him that trust was lost, I refuse to go back to work with the crew that may be doing something illegal and will not get caught up in it. He again apologized and understood were I was coming from.

They didn't do anything illegal. The manager spoke out of turn, but did not force you to pay the money back or did not take it out of your paycheck. In fact, when YOU did the right thing by asking questions, the employer did everything in their power to fix the issue. One manager does not a bad employer make!

I certainly hope the job market in your area is better than a lot of other places and you can find another job.

 

[mmmsjm]

They didn't do anything illegal. The manager spoke out of turn, but did not force you to pay the money back or did not take it out of your paycheck. In fact, when YOU did the right thing by asking questions, the employer did everything in their power to fix the issue. One manager does not a bad employer make!

I certainly hope the job market in your area is better than a lot of other places and you can find another job.

Thanx .. I understand what your saying. Good things came out of it, I Just got a call from one of the Major super market chains in my area for an Interview tomorrow. woohoo.