If my restaurant job requires me to carry my own “cash bank” to provide customers with change, is this legal?
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If my restaurant job requires me to carry my own “cash bank” to provide customers with change, is this legal?
I’m required to go to my ATM each night, withdrawl $50-$100 and carry it around to give customers change. Keep in mind this is change for the house’s money, not mine. If a customer orders a hamburger for $11.30, I’m supposed to give them $7.70 from my own cash. The biggest problem is that we never have enough coin change so were constantly having to round up to the next dollar. This is resulting in me losing $5-$10 a shift in change. Over a week that can we much as $50-$60. I can’t imagine that’s legal. I’m not an owner or a partner in the company, so why am I finacially responsible?
Asked on December 2, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
You *can* be required to provide your own change--an employer is free to set its own terms and conditions for employment, including that employees provide their own change for customers. If you have to round up, and so lose money, that is your own responsibility in this case--knowing of the requirement to provide you own change, you can be expected (and should) make sure you have enough coins. (You can go to the bank one day for example, and get $100 in coins.) If you fail to do this, knowing that having and making change is part of your job, you bear the consequences thereof. If you are not willing to work under those conditions, your recourese is to seek other employment.
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