New job - alarm bells already!

[MeatLoaf]

After an extended period on sick due to a heart condition I started a new job at the start of may.

After less than a month alarm bells are ringing!

Till shortages are demanded from staff. Nothing in writing - no request for payment and nothing done via payroll - boss wants cash in hand

One chaps till was -£900 over the month. On payday they didn't pay him and told him he was sacked so they were keeping his pay. No disciplanry meeting no nothing.

Today I get my pay slip. My pay rate £8.20 an hour - 1p under minimum wage. And ive not got a contract as yet.

No myself I haven't had any issues but should my till ever turn up short I will not under any circumstances be handing over any cash. it all needs to be done via payroll, except according to acas any decductions ( apart from the usual tax, NI ) cant take my pay below the minimum wage.

Now I know this must be correct as when I was supervisor at esso they tried taking money for drive offs out of staff pay but payroll sent an email saying they couldn't recover anything as staff were all on minimum wage.

As I say ive had no issues as yet and the hours are great - no nights, no lates bank hols off 5.30 finih at night, and im in a union so they should step in if needed.

 

[MeatLoaf]

Yup its a post office

 

[MeatLoaf]

So to update last Monday the 3rd I was on shift and when I got the unit out of the safe i noticed the unit had been worked by another staff member and when cashed up it was -150, the reason given 15 x £10 notes short in a bundle of £1000. As soon as I signed the till on I got some transactions that had bounced back from previous days / months. One was for £178. There was a queue out the shop and I pressed the button to get rid of it so I could carry on serving. I told the manager.

So come 5.30 I cash my till up and its -329. So I write it on the form that it was -150 when I started shift and I said about the 178 that had come back. Turns out it was a chargeback for car tax back in march before I started and because my till was the first to be signed on it comes on my till. if anyone else had logged on first theyd have got it.

My manager said she had checked the transaction log and could see it had come back on my till.rt! But I was relieved because they could see it wasn't my mistake. So 150 + 178 was the 328 it was short.
Then yesterday she called me to say the owner had actually accepted it in his till so I was again liable for 178. I don't believe it for a second, she said it comes to the first till so It came to mi e it wouldnt have gone to his.

All week ive felt so low and so down about it. I go work to earn a wage to keep my family - not to worry about how much im losing out of my pay. 178 is probably 2 weeks pay.

Fast forward to taday and I find a collegue in tears. Turns out her till is -200. She checked the cash transferred to her from the main safe and a bundle of £10 is 21 notes short

Cash is delivered to store on a Monday.

Im in total disbelief, what the hells going on is someone on the rob at the cash centre or robbing from the safe in our office as week before last 150 short in a bundle, this week 210 short in a bundle. last week who knows? I had over 10k from cash centre transferred to my till. Is it possible one of them was 18 notes short. Maybe, but probably not its to much coincidence that the transaction that came back was 178 and that's what I was short that day.

Im speaking to my union tomorrow as its first day off ive had and im going to argue that im not liable for the shortfall on the following grounds :

1. Already 150 short when I started using it
2. Several people use the unit - not just me
3. I have had nothing in writing stating im liable for losses - no contract at all.

And that's before I mention im on below legal minimum.

My heart says leave don't turn up again but then he will stop the money regardless, but my head says keep going you need the money.

Really am at a loss. Got other major health things going on ATM and just don't need the hassle or stress

 

[MeatLoaf]

Sounds like a horrible place to work, I'd be looking for another job personally.

I doubt they can hold you personally accountable for your till being down like that. Surely they have cameras and checks in place to confirm that money isn't going walkabout.

If someone hasn't paid their car tax due to it being charged back, then surely no money is owed and instead the DVLA should be informed of the car the transaction was against, so they can void the tax and get them to pay it again. They can't seriously expect you to pay someone elses road tax!

I wouldnt be surprised when I worked at esso and you had a drive off they expected you to pay for it