shoplifting???

[Stacey4]

What is the name of your state?PA
I work in a grocery store in a small town. Last night I had two bags of groceries I had not paid for sitting by the register next to me. At the time of closing the office person asked me if I had anything to check out. I said no. The manager for the night, standing by the bags, says "What about this stuff?" She proceeds to open the bags. I said "Oh, ****! I forgot." She says you were going to walk out with this stuff. In a panic, I stated that I had paid for one of the bags but not the other. Of course I could not produce a receipt. I then tried three times to pay for the items. She said it was too late. I was fired for shoplifting. I had not walked out of the store with anything. She just said I was going to. I said I was going to set them aside and come back tomorrow and pay. Nope, too late. Now correct me if I'm wrong. Do you not have to leave the store with unpaid for items to have shoplifted? Just because she said I was going to does not mean I was. And I was not. Granted I did panic at first thinking she wouldn't believe I was going to pay tomorrow. That was wrong. But now my parents think I should get a lawyer and sue for slander. Help?

 

[BelizeBreeze]

The manager is an idiot but your dismissal was not illegal nor was it wrong.

And there is nothing in your post to substantiate a slander action. So move on and find another job, then start eating more fish. It's brain food and will help you to stop 'forgetting'.

 

[cbg]

This is not an accusation. I have no reason to disbelieve what you say.

However, every person who really did intend to shoplift and got caught also said, Oh **** I forgot.

How is the manager supposed to know the difference?

No, you have no case for slander.

 

[Stacey4]

shoplifting

But I didn't think you could be caught for shoplifting unless you leave the store with unpaid items. Right?

 

[Katy W.]

Before you hire that attorney

You were fired because the manager thought you were shoplifting the groceries, and does not want to employ you any longer. That is their perogative.

If you had actually been charged with shoplifting, they would have called the police and you would have been arrested.

My advice is to look up the definition of slander before you hire that attorney.

 

[Beth3]

Last night I had two bags of groceries I had not paid for sitting by the register next to me. At the time of closing the office person asked me if I had anything to check out. I said no. You forgot that you had two bags of groceries sitting right next to you at the register and you forgot that you hadn't paid for them???

And then you gave multiple different stories about the payment:

In a panic, I stated that I had paid for one of the bags but not the other. Of course I could not produce a receipt.

I said I was going to set them aside and come back tomorrow and pay.

I have no idea what your actual intentions were but your story just doesn't hang together. Management's assumption you were planning on stealing the items is reasonable.

But now my parents think I should get a lawyer and sue for slander. You don't remotely have a claim for slander.

 

[cbg]

But I didn't think you could be caught for shoplifting unless you leave the store with unpaid items. Right?

Wrong. But you weren't charged with shoplifting anyway. If you had been, you'd have spent some time that night in a police station.

You have no case for slander and no case for wrongful termination.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Is there an echoooo echoooo echooo in here?

 

[cbg]

Just a little emphasis for a poster who doesn't seem to be getting the point.

 

[seniorjudge]

But I didn't think you could be caught for shoplifting unless you leave the store with unpaid items. Right?

You thought wrong.

You had them concealed inside the store.

That was enough.

 

[jpritchett81]

The manager is an idiot but your dismissal was not illegal nor was it wrong.

And there is nothing in your post to substantiate a slander action. So move on and find another job, then start eating more fish. It's brain food and will help you to stop 'forgetting'.

Mmmmm salmon and perch!!!

 

[Stacey4]

money due?

PA
I have two weeks of paid vacation I did not get before termination. Is that still mine to have? And also a Christmas club I paid into weeekly.

 

[Beth3]

PA reg's state that final wages include vacation pay when an employer has a policy or practice of providing vacation pay to separating employees. Your Christmas Club money is your money. I don't know if your employer is managing CC accounts or it's being done via a credit union. If that money is not in your final paycheck, contact the payroll person or credit union manager and inquire.

 

[cbg]

I'm not disagreeing with Beth but I just want to clarify the part about the vacation.

PA's law requires that they follow their policy. If the policy states that they will pay it out to all employees, then they have to pay it to you. If the policy states that they will pay it out only to employees who terminate voluntarily with two weeks notice, then they don't have to pay it to you. If the policy says that they won't pay it out at all, they don't have to pay it to you. And so on.