Should employer replace stolen check?

[suev5]

I work as a consultant for a City located in Northern California (under a typical consulting contract). My last two checks were stolen by a postal employee before they reached me, and were successfully cashed by the thief. The postal inspector is investigating, but I do not expect to be able to recover anything from the thief. I'm getting the "run around" from the City; they said they are not sure that it is their problem.

Before I spend money on an attorney, I have these Questions: 1. Is the City obligated to replace the checks? 2. Is the bank obligated to do anything?
3. Is the post office obligated to do anything?

 

[tpajet]

The one's liable are both the postal employee and the place that cashed the checks. Kind of depends on the circumstances, but if he didn't show proper ID, then the cashing back was in the wrong.

Your employer is not obligated to replace the checks, as they had nothing to do with this. Think of it this way - if you paid someone with a check, and they came back and said that someone stole it and cashed it, you wouldn't pay them again. From your end, you handed the person that check, and it did get taken out of you account. You had nothing to do with any wrong doing.