Is this a good reason to fire an employee?

Question

Im an assistant manager and a fellow manager took 5 dollars out of a wallet we have had in the lost & found for a month. She got fired as it was caught on camera. This isn't technically stealing from our business so is it still a fire-able offense?

Answer 1

Yes, it's still theft, and more importantly it IS technically stealing from the business because the business was acting in a fiduciary capacity at that time. The business had an established lost and found, anything in that lost and found becomes the business's responsibility - that is the business acknowledges it's acting in a fiduciary capacity and holding onto that property until it's determined to be safe to dispose of it. Until that time the property (or the cash value of same) is held in abeyance which means that the business is legally liable for the (value of the) property.



In other words until the business decides to "dispose" of the property, it is acknowledging a legal responsibility to maintain that property as it was found, and stealing that $5 from the wallet in lost and found was just like stealing it from a cash register. Or put more simply, theft is theft. She got caught, she deserved to get fired.

Answer 2

Of course



She stole from found property, in the care of the business. Technically, the business is legally responsible for turning that wallet over to the police or holding it for ninety days. After that 90 days, it would be the business' property. to dispose of as they viewed proper.



Your friend broke the law, on camera. Not only could she be fired for this, she could be arrested for it as well.





That aside, firing an employee for petty theft is a great reason to fire someone. As someone who steals small objects when they can get away with it, would likely do the same thing with large objects, if they thought they could get away with it.

Answer 3

It is stealing... next time she will take 10 dollars from the business owner saw this coming she is fired end of the story .

Answer 4

Technically, each state is an "employment at will" state. Montana is the in easy words one to my expertise that has strict provisions on terminations. Georgia if I remember properly is fantastically lax, and also you may enable someone bypass with out fearing a significant lawsuit and such. you'll listen horror thoughts, yet they are frequently adorned and exaggerated, or taken out of context. truly, letting a non appearing worker bypass legally interior of reason ordinary. If she's no longer understanding for you, affecting the babies, corporation, even if, you are able to purely tell her she's no longer mandatory any further. i might want to, out of courtesy provide her some type of caution in case you have not any further already. in case you've already given a caution, and nothings replaced, then do what you are able to and flow alongside.

Answer 5

Yea that's a good reason, If the owner of the wallet decided to come back for the wallet and noticed the money missing, they could sue the whole company.

Answer 6

In most places, in the absence of an employment contract or a union, you can be fired for no reason at all.



Regardless, stealing from a customer is most certainly an offence worth firing someone over.

Answer 7

Theft is theft. If I can't trust you with money in the lost and found how can I trust you with money that DIRECTLY involves customers(that you aren't over charging or won't steal from the drawer)

Answer 8

doesnt matter if the person is taking money from the business, she has proven that she willingly can take money that isnt hers, and no employer will take that risk in allowing her to actually take more, cept the next time it might actually BE from the company.





yes it is a good reason to fire someone. they have proven that they are a thief and not trustworthy

Answer 9

Technically, she didn't steal from your business. And any money found that was lost by a costumer is supposed to be removed and placed into a special area inside an office for someone to come and claim. Failure to do so can result in problems for your buiness. It was there for a month. I'd say it's ridiculous.

Hope I helped(:

Answer 10

yes it is still theft

it is stealing from the owner of the wallet

Answer 11

Two questions that always come up in an organization are

"is it legal" and "is it ethical"



From my perspective, no, because it was the lost and found. If she is willing to pay the 5 dollars, then so be it.

Answer 12

of course, she stole something that wasn't hers. when i was in business, my philosophy was if you stole $1 today, you'd steal $100 tomorrow.

Answer 13

i would have fired the thief