How is employee theft a problem in America?
As we discussed in last month’s blog, employee theft is a huge problem. It can be as simple as a clerk at a store stealing from the cash register or taking money from customers and voiding the sale, to a more complicated theft such as employees falsifying their expense accounts or writing phony checks.
How can I explain having been fired for stealing?
If they called the bank, they would be told that you had been terminated “with cause,” and that it was not a criminal offense. They probably are not allowed to say more. A criminal background-check will come up clean.
How does data theft affect the business of a company?
Employee theft isn’t just about physical assets or money. Data theft is increasingly common and just as, if not more, dangerous to your company. Data theft can result in loss of business for many reasons, and can jeopardize your operations if the theft is of proprietary data or of sensitive personal data of individuals.
What happens if an employee fails to report theft?
Advise employees that if they know of another employee’s dishonesty and fail to report it, they can be subject to discipline as well. Remember, the word “theft” is a minefield all by itself. Used in the wrong circumstances it could expose your company to litigation, a defamation claim or worse.
Do you have to fire an employee for theft?
Before firing an employee for theft, it’s important to handle the matter delicately to avoid crossing legal boundaries. Save any documentation of incidents where theft occurred and make sure you have a trusted third party in the room when you terminate the employee.
If they called the bank, they would be told that you had been terminated “with cause,” and that it was not a criminal offense. They probably are not allowed to say more. A criminal background-check will come up clean.
What happens to your employees when you fire them?
You will have created a scenario in which your remaining employees are afraid to trust you. Or worse, they trust that you may harm them, too. Nothing makes an employee angrier than feeling blindsided when fired. Unless an immediate, egregious act occurs, the employee should experience coaching and performance feedback over time.
Can a person be fired based on a false accusation?
Almost any person would be upset if someone falsely accused them of misconduct and an employer chose to terminate them because of the accusation, especially if the employee doesn’t believe the employer did a thorough or fair investigation. Despite this fact, in most cases being terminated based on a false accusation is not wrongful termination.
What kind of felony is theft in Texas?
Under Texas theft / larceny law, offenders may receive charges varying from a “Class C” misdemeanor for the most minor of thefts, all the way up to a first degree felony for the most serious. The following guidelines are generally set for varying degrees of theft based on the amount or value of property taken:
How much money can you get for theft in Texas?
The following guidelines are generally set for varying degrees of theft based on the amount or value of property taken: “Class C” misdemeanor: $50 or less. “Class B” misdemeanor: $50 or more, but less than $500. “Class A” misdemeanor: $500 or more, but less than $1,500. State jail felony: $1,500 or more, but less than $20,000.
What happens when an employee is suspended from work?
Suspension will mean that the employee will be sent home and not allowed to entre their place of work or engaged in any work at all, such as working from home.
Can a former employee get arrested for identity theft?
After much investigation, time, and trouble, most of the credit problems were sorted out, and the former employee was arrested. However, many of the employees are still having to explain the situation to credit companies and banks.
Can a Texas employee refuse to perform an illegal act?
Texas courts have declared that this exception is narrow and only extends to employees who refuse to perform an illegal act. Furthermore, the illegal act must be under a state or federal law that carries criminal penalties.
Can a whistleblower claim be dismissed in Texas?
Texas courts have rejected whistleblower claims under the public policy exception, declining to extend the narrow exception to protect employees who report illegal conduct. Whistleblowers must therefore rely on the narrow statutory protections below.