One of my best friends called me today

[Horse with no Name]

upset as you would expect. Her son works at a fast food restaurant and made a deposit last night--like always.

This morning, police were pounding on her door demanding to talk to the son. The deposit came up missing some cash. They dragged him out of bed.

He was treated like a criminal. He told them he deposited the money and the manager, police, and bank ALL acted like he was a thief.

Anyway...after the dust blew over...oh oopsy...the bank teller just put the money in the wrong merchants bag. No harm, no foul. It was just an honest mistake! Then everyone just acted like nothing happened.

Her son's reputation was sullied today. Police pounding on the door, treated like a thief...that is just wrong. People all over town knew what happened. I have to wonder if people all over town know what the outcome was.

Anyway...she asked my advice on what to do.

I'm at a loss. I suggested she have her son quit and file for unemployment. I studied the statute in Texas and he would qualify for benefits.

But...are apologies enough? Sometimes I don't think saying sorry is enough.

[Enrique]

1. no, apologies aren't enough

this story makes me so angry. I would suggest talking to a lawyer. It's possible even lowly fast food workers still have some rights in this country. :mad:

[wtbymark]

2. what about a public apology in the newspaper

and threaten to sue if they dont get one

[Occulus]

3. Get a lawyer.

Defamation.

[Dreamer Tatum]

10. No, it isn't. nt

[Solomon]

35. Yes it is if enough people witnessed it.

I'm a lawyer and I have litigated defamation cases.

I wouldn't quit the job though - that plays right into their hands.

I'd show up grinning for work as usual and watch them act stupid around me until it blows over.

[Maat]

56. Possibly not ...

but he should review everything with a lawyer.

[MrModerate]

4. Sounds like a harassing workplace to me. n/t

[Tx4obama]

5. Quit and collect unemployment in Texas? I don't think so. n/t

[RebelOne]

47. I don't think anyone can quit in any state

and collect unemployment. An employee must be fired or laid off to be eligible for unemployment. At least, that is the way it is in Florida and Georgia, the two states where I have had to collect.

[knowbody0]

6. if he's a kid

he's got no business running the late night deposit. that's dangerous. people are desperate now. so unsafe. gosh. bad management. bad banking.

hugs from all of us.

[Horse with no Name]

7. Well he is 19

and I think if anyone messed with him--they just might end up on the bad side of the deal...;)

[pipi_k]

8. What I personally would do...

is to refuse ever again to make bank deposits.

I'm not sure if they can force someone to do that. If they tried, and I refused, let them fire me.

No job is worth that bullshit.

What if the "forgetful" teller hadn't discovered the mistake? His life would be ruined.

Fuck that shit.

[Horse with no Name]

9. I haven't heard if he decided to go back to work or not

but no doubt. Talk about being thrown to the wolves.

[pipi_k]

27. I know...

that's just outrageous. Truly. And for nobody to act like they give a shit about almost screwing up a kid's life.

[blue neen]

11. He should seek legal advice.

Even if he decides to quit and file for unemployment...he needs legal advice from an attorney who understands Texas unemployment law.

[rucky]

12. Apologies are enough.

mistakes happen. everything can be back to normal today if you let it.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

13. apologies aren't enough in this case and in MANY other similar cases

[Ruby the Liberal]

14. "quit and file for unemployment"

Be very careful with that. Unless he has a sexual harassment or discrimination suit in the works, they could likely deny it. In most states those are the ONLY ways of collecting if you choose to terminate employment.

[ChrisBorg]

15. Tell the manager how it made him feel and accept an apology.

No blood, no foul.

[Horse with no Name]

17. Do you think the police that dragged him out of bed care that it hurt his feelings?

I don't.

[ChrisBorg]

19. You said the came to the door to talk to him, this wasn't a no-knock warrant.

I highly doubt they bum rushed his mom and physically drug him out of bed.

He was given a bag of money to deposit, he took the bag with a known amount of money to the bank, the bank told the manager how much was deposited, the manager called the police to report the shortage. I expect the police to question the young man. I expect them to go to his house as soon as possible. They did nothing wrong.

The bank employee made a mistake and probably worked hard to find the missing money. Simple mistake. Do you want them fired? This isn't a Big Bank thing, this is a teller making a mistake. The bank might fire then anyhow.

The manager made a mistake. If he trusts the man enough to give him this responsibility he should have just called him and asked about the deposit. Then they could both have gone to the bank and straightened things out.

The manager should apologize and pay him for his time, maybe double time.

It doesn't require a skywritten apology over the whole town. It doesn't require anyone losing their job.

You say he is physically able to defend himself, maybe this is the opportunity to grow emotionally. Mistakes happen, let him work through it without trying to make him the victim of the crime of the century.

He could use this incident to try to advance in the company. Show that he has management qualities. Or he could quit, get unemployment and kick and cry about how everyone is out to get him. That should help kick start his working life.

[Obamanaut]

24. This is a good, reasonable response. nt

[NeedleCast]

55. Welcome to Du

Your reasonable post will not be popular here.

[maxsolomon]

18. no harm, no foul

and there was harm to his reputation. they owe him a raise and a public apology.

[ChrisBorg]

21. Public apology? Like a placard in the restaurant window, an article in the local news?

Or maybe a scrolling message on the Goodyear blimp over the next high school football game?

His reputation was not harmed at his workplace, they all know it was a mistake..he's still working there. The cops know the truth and so does the bank.

He can talk to his neighbors and friends. Exactly who else was his reputation ruined with? If the story of the "theft" spread so will the story of his innocence.

[Horse with no Name]

22. You obviously have never lived in a small town. n/t

[ChrisBorg]

25. Then the news that he is innocent and still working at the same place will also spread.

Or doesn't good news travel in the small town?

[Fumesucker]

28. "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes."

-Mark Twain

[maxsolomon]

36. i'm concentrating on the raise he deserves.

[Zoeisright]

39. No, good news doesn't travel in a small town.

Just like it doesn't travel anywhere. That boy's reputation is ruined, because small-minded gossips will keep it alive.

Have you ever lived in a small town?

[snooper2]

51. Oh jesus christ,

:eyes:

[ChrisBorg]

53. You are right, you convinced me. His life is over. He only has 2 choices...move and change his name

and physical appearance or commit suicide.

[Capitalocracy]

16. My wife got a call from the bank yesterday

a recorded message saying she had an outstanding debt that needed to be paid in 48 hours or the legal services would take over the case...

after hours on hold she discovered it was some internal accounting error on their part. she almost had a heart attack.

not that that in any way compares to what happened to your friend's son.

[RebelOne]

48. I hope she got an apology from the bank.

In fact, if that were me, I would be demanding a written apology.

[Capitalocracy]

50. Would've settled for a written document stating she didn't owe them money

but didn't get it.

I actually don't know what they said on the phone, they might've apologized.

[treestar]

20. People do make mistakes

The world is just not perfect.

[Enrique]

33. and sometimes their mistakes are illegal

and the victim can take it to court and get justice.

I don't know if that's true in this case. It certainly should be.

[Shagbark Hickory]

23. Quit?! That's horrible advice. Now's a great time to demand a raise.

[ChrisBorg]

26. Or a promotion.

[Fumesucker]

29. My guess is that they'll find some reason to fire him before too long..

Keeping someone around that they screwed up so badly with will be a little awkward for them.

If I were your friend's son I'd be looking for another job.

[Enrique]

31. that's a good point

and in a job like that, it's extremely easy to find something to fire someone for.

[Philippine expat]

30. Don't think he would be eligible for unemployment if he quit n/t

[seabeyond]

32. apologies are enough and a greter lesson to the son.... nt

[sarcasmo]

34. Police State run amok. Another thread has a story of Swat breaking down a door over a student loan

debt. When every state has for profit prisons I will be posting from Canada.

[GeorgeGist]

37. Aren't bank tellers supposed to take money ...

out of bags when they record deposits?

Sounds to me like the teller was trying to steal the money.

[Horse with no Name]

44. The more we talked about it

that is the conclusion we came up with.

For it to have been in another deposit bag meant that SOMEONE had to take it out of the first one.

Then to sit by KNOWING that a kid is being accused of stealing and still saying nothing about it reeks.

I guess when the police went back up to the bank, the teller got scared and "found" it.

[Zoeisright]

38. Sue. Now.

[TrogL]

40. Go to the press, have them go after the bank

I've worked in a bank. That shit should never, ever, ever happen. "Money in the wrong merchant's bag"? Gimme a break. Everybody's job all the way up to manager should be on the line. If money is missing, everybody and their dog checks it first before we contact customers, especially with the police.

[Pithlet]

43. I agree.

I'm certainly not in the "no harm, no foul" camp. I'd be raising a stink.

[Horse with no Name]

46. He asked if he could see the cameras when the pulled the deposit bags out of the night deposit

He was told they didn't have cameras on the night deposit.:eyes:

He is certainly lucky that I am not his mother. I can promise you things would have been just a little more tense for that bank, lol. My friend is much more passive and peaceloving than I am.

[H2O Man]

41. He should definitely

contact an attorney to discuss his options. If he isn't satisfied with the first attorney, contact a second one.

[librechik]

42. Similar thing happened to my daughter last week

She was surprised by an alcohol/drug test at work, but had done neither so wasn't worried. Then the test came up false positive for amphetamines, which she had not done. These tests OFTEN bring back false positives, so they suspended her from work while the test was sent off for a better eval. Ten days later (today) they called her at last and the test came back negative. You are free to return to work.

Let me tell you she suffered and worried that whole time, even though she was innocent. Now just come back, no apologies and even more important, no compensation for the lost work days that were without cause whatsoever! She's out a week's salary, and that's just too bad, not to mention the pain and suffering of wondering if they were just trying to "get" her, what had she done to provoke the attention and so on. She was so upset she forgot which time of day it was and suddenly thought she had to be at work (2 hour commute by bus) in 10 minutes! I had to reassure her that it was daylight, she didn't have to be at her night job for 12 hours! It took her an hour to calm down...

[Horse with no Name]

45. I'm so sorry this happened to your kid

I didn't have to face humiliations like this when I was younger.

I remember when I was young I had what was considered a "neat" job to have.

But that job had a lot of demands and a whole hulluva lot of personalities to have to deal with.

I had been there a few years--had been promoted, but still was making less than the guys who were hired after me.

I went in to the Managers office and asked for a raise. I was told no, they weren't giving raises.

And then the smart ass manager looked at me (don't underestimate MY smartassedness), picked up a stack of resumes and shook them at me--informing me that ALL of those people wanted MY job.

It was 5 in the afternoon. I thought for a minute...stood up and told him that he had better get on the phone calling them--because he had a newscast in an hour and was short a camera operator. I quit.

I never regretted it.

I REFUSE to be treated badly. Nobody has the right to do it and if you allow them to, then they will.

The job market is a lot different now and a lot of things have to be tolerated. I had a job by 10 am the next morning--nowadays, that isn't going to be the case.

[librechik]

54. sadly you are absolutely right

she is terrified to lose this job--she has only had it 6 months and was out of work six months before that.

I wish I could tell her to screw those bozos you deserve better. What a world we live in nowadays.

[southernyankeebelle]

49. I would take it to the press and demand a written letter of apologe.

[tabbycat31]

52. The deposit should have been in a sealed bag

I am saying this as both a former bank teller and cash office associate for a big box store. We had to record the seal number on the bag and in the store's case, save the paper that protected the adhesive on the bag.

Once those bags were sealed, if anyone tried to open it there was evidence.

As a bank teller when I processed deposits like that, we had to do them one at a time. However not all businesses used bags like that. There was one chain donut/coffee shop (large one in the northeast) that had several accounts with us (one for each store) and the employees there would not use the caution that I had to use with the big box store. Often the deposits would come in in the same type of bag that a customer got their food in.

[Catherine Vincent]

57. For one thing

If I were that kid, I wouldn't make deposits for them anymore. Get someone else to do it. Aholes.

[ecstatic]

58. You don't get unemployment if you quit nt