Can I be fired for looking like I stole money?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I be fired for looking like I stole money?
I work for a donut chain and on one day last week, I was asked by my manager to end the day. As I went into the safe, I noticed that an employee deposit was missing. At that point, I told my manager. She didn’t give a response, so I continued on with ending the day. As I was doing so, I put the safe code that was written on a sheet of paper into my purse. I followed up with my manager and she told me that she would handle it and that I could go home. When I got home I received a call from my manager saying that the drop was missing and that the way it looked on camera, I stole it. I returned to the job that same day and explained to my manager that I only put the safe code in my purse. At that point I was informed that if I don’t pay the money back I am getting fired.
Asked on August 9, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Alaska
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 8 years ago | Contributor
If you don't have a written employment contract limiting the reasons you may be terminated, you are an "employee at will." An employee at will, unfortunately, has essentially no rights in or to his or her job; an employer may fire an employee at will at any time, for any reason, including factually incorrect one or unfair ones, and the employee has no recourse. So yes, you may be terminated for this reason.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.