Do you feel I am being treated unfairly in the detailed situation below at work? What should I do about it?

Question

Basically, I work at a grocery store and have for 3 years. I started out bagging, then six months later worked as a cashier. When I first began cashiering I experienced cash variances (shortages and overages, both we are held accountable for), but within a few months in I started to handle cash more efficiently. Every now and again, I might get a cash violation of $5.00 or $6.00, but fewer and further between.

I got promoted to Office Staff in which I began working in Customer Service. Behind the counter, you deal with $1000s and once again, in the beginning, I would have cash variances, but as time went on, I began to do better. I would have a few here and there, but again, they wouldn't be too high.

In April of 2007 (almost a year ago now), my lottery till checked up $56.00 short one busy Saturday. That night, five people including me touched that cash because it go so overwhelmingly busy I felt I had no choice but to allow others in the drawer to move the lines. Big mistake! I do not know if it was my mistake or someone elses. I was taken what my company calls "off cash" for one month.

I got back on cash and did well with maybe one cash variance afterwards that was not big enough to go off cash. In fact, June through September, I had no errors at all.

In October, I began training in the Cash Office, which is a different animal altogether. I was thrown into training and in my opinion, set-up to fail. I continiously could not balance at the end of the night ans was instructed to leave it for the morning person. I would ask if I would be accountable and I was told "if they correct it, no." They always corrected it. I never got written up or told I was having "cash violations" or taken off cash.

In December, another Office Staff's customer service till was $99.99 short. Two weeks later, my till was $100.00 short. There is one common factor for both shifts. Another Office Staff, who was very shady, worked both days. A month later, she was fired because she was caught taking money from another employees till. She was never caught stealing from my till or the person who was off before me's till, but my department manager was certain she had and didn't hold us accountable. I never went off cash.

Now in March, three plus months later, my Store Manager has decided that the violations in the Cash Office, plus the $100.00, will result in demotion from supervisor position for One year. Never took action on the other Office Staff who was $99.99 off.

I tried to argue I was in training for the variances in October and I was told I would not be accountable. This isn't flying with him. Is this fair?

If you read this and give honest input, I'd much appreciate it.

Answer 1

No quite honestly, the way that you have explained it; it does not sound either fair or an equitable decision on your managers part. He should take every action into account that was associated with that particular shortage and give due consideration. Your only recourse might be to ask others aware of the situation to speak in your behalf but; I wouldn't count on this. They may not wish to make waves. You may find that you are in a catch 22 situation. Danged if you do and danged if you don't! The only other recourse will probably result in alienating your manager. That would be to go over his head and file a formal complaint. Considering current economic conditions; only you will be able to determine if the risk and trouble might be worth it.

Answer 2

About the only thing you can do... is contact your Human Resources Department and ask them to review this.



No guarantee... there might be a million "unsaid" reasons that are actually behind your demotion but they need one "legal' one that they can use to demote you. And the legal ones are the write-ups and other written info they keep in your file. Quite frankly... you have amassed enough mistakes over time that can all be added up and used to compare your performance with another employee. If they had less overall write-ups then the company can decide to give them the job instead of you.



If the company is scaling back... then the average person gets demoted and down the line an even more average person gets to lose their job... that is business.



Most employers in the U.S. are "At Will" employers. If you see those two words coming up frequently in your Company Handbook then they can at any time and for absolutely no reason let you go, change your job description and title, etc. etc.

Answer 3

I think that since you have a history of having shortages/overages, it seems pretty fair that your manager is demoting you right now. You did improve, but with money, it's necessary to be exact. There is VERY little room for those amounts of error.



Perhaps you were not at fault in this incidence, but these shortages look very bad for the store manager. He has to report these things to someone above HIM, and so the person above him is probably frustrated too with the situation.



I would not argue, but just take it and accept that you've been demoted for now. Continue to perfect your handling skills and perhaps you will be promoted again. At least you weren't fired like the other person. I think the fact that you weren't fired shows that you are valuable to your manager, but he is not willing to let these mistakes keep happening.

Answer 4

Cash handling is not for everyone. It sounds to me like you have not been given adequate training in which to perform your job duties. Or, cash handling just may not be your thing. I am a bank teller, and it does take time to get your groove. Big mistake letting others in the cookie jar so to speak, when you were busy and had them run out of your drawer. Lesson learned, cover your butt when it comes to cash handling. Only you should be handling cash that you are accountable for. I hate to say it, but many states have what is called "at will" employment, meaning they can hire you and fire you as they please. Perhaps its time to look for a new job.

Answer 5

If there is cash involved,why doesn't your store have surveillance cameras at each cash location to make sure that there is no theft?