My boss caught me stealing from my job, what happens now?

V

vampirebat

Guest
Jurisdiction
Hawaii
I'm sixteen years old and work as a barista at a Starbucks inside of a Target store. I like my job quite a bit, I'm saving for college and have made a few friends. However...My boss has been watching me like a HAWK, and displaying CLEAR favoritism with another girl. She takes her shifts, lets her go home early, she breaks while still on the clock, she hangs out with her before and after work, when there's an errand outside of the workplace that needs run, my boss and her favorite are there to do it. The favorite, who is my equal as a coworker, is allowed to give me direct orders and disrupt my present focus to force me to do whatever she's asked. That being said, I feel like she's been feeding misinformation about me to my boss. She's been rude and prickly to me from the very first day that I started. Anyways, at Starbucks, we have this "thing". We can scan your gift card to make it look like you've paid, when you've really only paid for a free refill. The employees all do it for their breaks, for all the times they come in off the clock, all the time to get free drinks. Some employees even do it to their friends and family that come into the store. I do it for myself, just like everyone else, but don't as far as other people. A very close friend came into work yesterday who I haven't seen in years. My boss wasn't on the floor at the time, so I stupidly didn't charge for her two drinks. My boss walked out right as I was ringing her up, stood directly behind me, and watched it happen. I was mortified, but hoped for the best. Later, my boss pulled me aside and confronted me. She also informed me it'd be going "straight up to AP (Asset Protection)". I'm so terrified. What do I do? I don't want to lose my job or have to serve jail time for SIX DOLLARS. Please help. I'm so, so scared, and I'm so embarassed. Inside of Target, there was another employee caught stealing a five dollar gift card, and she was simply written up. I don't want to undermine this and think it will be fine. I couldn't sleep last night, and I feel sick just sitting here writing this. Can anyone help me? What's going to happen now?
 
We have no way of knowing what they will do, and none of the rest of your story makes any difference. You were caught stealing. That is the only relevant part of your story.
 
You're not going to go to jail. But I'm not going to promise you that you're not going to lose your job, because you might. You might just get written up, but there's no guarantee, and there's nothing illegal about firing you even if the other employee only got written up. If you are fired, there is nothing at all that you can do about it. And just so you know, NOTHING that you've posted about the boss's favoritism is relevant. YOU got caught stealing. That someone else got treated better than you were has nothing to do with that.
 
shrinkmaster said:
I am a Retail Theft Consultant and answer questions like yours daily. I would be VERY surprised if you kept your job! They could file civil demand (A recent writing of mine - Parent Nook Forums Civil Recovery ) or criminal complaint. Unless you have priors jail is VERY unlikely. However if questioned you use your right to remain silent and say NOTHING! In addition it was unwise to name store on public forum.
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How do I "say nothing"? If questioned, isn't it worse to deny it as opposed to just fessing up? I'm going to start applying for colleges soon, is this going to go on my permanent record?
 
cbg said:
You're not going to go to jail. But I'm not going to promise you that you're not going to lose your job, because you might. You might just get written up, but there's no guarantee, and there's nothing illegal about firing you even if the other employee only got written up. If you are fired, there is nothing at all that you can do about it. And just so you know, NOTHING that you've posted about the boss's favoritism is relevant. YOU got caught stealing. That someone else got treated better than you were has nothing to do with that.
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The only reason I gave so much information is because my boss said, "and as I understand it's happened before" upon confronting me, but it HASN'T. So my concern is that the Favorite is spreading rumors and feeding lies to my boss, which is even more terrifying.
 
vampirebat said:
The only reason I gave so much information is because my boss said, "and as I understand it's happened before" upon confronting me, but it HASN'T. So my concern is that the Favorite is spreading rumors and feeding lies to my boss, which is even more terrifying.
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Another reason to say NOTHING!
 

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