'Till shortages

razzler

Hi, I work in a large retailer and they're really clamping down on workers 'tills being over or under what the sales says it should be. I know it's unlawful to dock pay to cover an amount the 'till is short but rumour has it that those employees who have the biggest discrepencies will get less working hours in future. Can they do this?
Thanks for advice

Eoin

razzler wrote: »

I know it's unlawful to dock pay to cover an amount the 'till is short

It's not actually. There are conditions attached, but it can be done.

razzler wrote: »

rumour has it that those employees who have the biggest discrepencies will get less working hours in future. Can they do this?

How are the working hours generally decided, and does your contract say anything about what hours you'll get?

Mimojo

I worked in a major retailer & this is exactly what they did. They set the rule that a cashier couldnt be down/up €2. Anyone who was on a number of occasions their hours were suddenly reduced the following week.

A lot of cashiers are on hourly contracts so the company knows that hours can be reduced and you dont have a leg to stand on.

They also brought in a further measure that if a cashier had numerous overs or unders they management could issue them a verbal warning. This warning stayed in place for 3 months, and if they had a second offence within the time period they would get a written warning, and if it went on get fired.

Everyone working on the tills were at their wits end, totally worried the whole time they were at work,it was awful an awful way to work.

Unfortunately with the climate we are in many employers know they can do what they want

Denerick

Frankly I can see where they are coming from. Its not difficult to keep your till balanced (Maybe a euro or two here and there) If you aren't keeping it balanced then maybe it isn't for you? Despite what people say operating a till can be tough work, especially when there is a big queue of people and you're just trying to move it along.

razzler

What they've started doing is adding up all overs and unders for each day and presenting it at the end of every month, a few cent each day can add up to 20 euro. And the moans we get if we want to check our float before we start is unreal, 'cos of queues at the checkouts. I just count the 2 and 1 euro and 50 cent coins, just takes 2 mins. So many times my float has been short (even came accross sterling in there and Turkish coins).
By the way, our contracts state that minimum weekly hours is 15 so I suppose we don't have an argument.
Thanks for the replies.

Denerick

razzler wrote: »

What they've started doing is adding up all overs and unders for each day and presenting it at the end of every month, a few cent each day can add up to 20 euro. And the moans we get if we want to check our float before we start is unreal, 'cos of queues at the checkouts. I just count the 2 and 1 euro and 50 cent coins, just takes 2 mins. So many times my float has been short (even came accross sterling in there and Turkish coins).
By the way, our contracts state that minimum weekly hours is 15 so I suppose we don't have an argument.
Thanks for the replies.

Ah. In that case you just have a stuck up manager who is seeking a promotion. The kind that has never had to do these kinds of jobs before.

Gillington

Anywhere I've worked this is common practise.My last employer,if your till was over/under €5 it meant a warning(usual process verbal/written etc). All money missing adds ups and can be quite alarming at the amount missing come the end of the month so I suppose they are just in doing it,although I've never heard of them saying they will directly cut hours as a result

wmpdd3

Demand the float is counted, the cash office won't have their wages deducted!

Where I have seen this happen the staff were at their tills 5 mins before their shift and still the manager had to cover while the float was counted. Mistakes were made in the floats too.

The can deduct from you wages but it has to be made clear to you in writing either in your contract or as an amendment.

The payment of wages act 1994 says:
Restrictions on certain deductions (or payments) - section 5(2)
4.2 Special restrictions are placed on employers in relation to
deductions (or the receipt of payments) from wages which:
(a) arise from any act or omission of the employee (e.g. till shortages, bad
workmanship, breakages) or
(b) are in respect of the supply to the employee by the employer of goods
or services which are necessary to the employment (e.g. the provision
or cleaning of uniforms).

taken from here:
http://www.employmentrights.ie/en/media/paymentofwages.pdf

If you are on a 15 hr contract, your company has a union. Contact them and tell them you haven't signed for this.

Also yes when your on a 15hr contract they can change your hours every week as long as you get your 15 hrs.