Can an employer make their employee pay for product that a customer stole?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can an employer make their employee pay for product that a customer stole?
I’m a waitress at a hotel restaurant. A customer came in and ate. After their meal they stated that they were going to pay with their room account. I left them the receipt and explained how to fill it out. They left and took
the receipt with all the billing info. Now my employer is forcing me to pay for their meal. Is this legal?
Asked on May 29, 2019 under Employment Labor Law, West Virginia
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
In most states, an employee can be made to pay for customer walk-outs. That having been said, your employer cannot just make a deduction from your wages. In W V, an employee must consent to any such deductions made from their paychecks. Although, your employer could request that you voluntarily reimburse them for the walk-out and if you don't you could be terminated. The fact is that unless you have protection under a union agreement or employment contract, you are an "at will" worker. Accordingly, you can be discharged for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 4 years ago | Contributor
In most states, an employee can be made to pay for customer walk-outs. That having been said, your employer cannot just make a deduction from your wages. In W V, an employee must consent to any such deductions made from their paychecks. Although, your employer could request that you voluntarily reimburse them for the walk-out and if you don't you could be terminated. The fact is that unless you have protection under a union agreement or employment contract, you are an "at will" worker. Accordingly, you can be discharged for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.
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.