What do you do when the cash register is off?

Interesting... I thought it might differ from place to place.

I worked at a supermarket once (USA) and they didn't deduct shortages from employees, but all shortages were added up and if you reached something like a total of $100 short over a period of 6 months it was grounds for termination or at least demotion to bagger. (Assuming that the shortages weren't obviously intentional.) I'm not sure if it was a typical supermarket though.

I just looked it up and here's how it works in the USA:

Breakage and Cash Register Shortages

If your cash register drawer comes up short or you damage merchandise, can your employer charge you for the loss? Under federal law, the general rule applies: As long as the employee still earns at least the minimum wage after deductions, there’s no rule against charging losses and damage to the employee.

Many states have adopted stricter rules, however. Some states require employers to get the employee’s consent, in writing, before they can deduct the cost of broken merchandise or shortages from the employee’s paycheck. Some allow these deductions only from an employee who assumes responsibility for the loss.

California doesn’t allow these deductions at all, unless the employer can show that the employee acted dishonestly, willfully, or in a grossly negligent manner. California considers ordinary losses and shortages to be part of the cost of doing business, which should legally be borne by the employer, not passed on to employees.

im against taking it out of their pay check - unless theres been a serious **** up.

im pretty much with klaus (and california) on this one - i can usually find it the next day. the biggest problem we have is that we were running on a paper system until a few months ago and the new computer system we've been using is... well, the cash up part doesnt work. i've got a couple of staff members who are, in all honesty, pretty ******* useless. as infuriating as it is, we're going to be doing some restructuring soon and a few jobs will go, so that'll be a load off my mind.

Well, forgot to mention that usually for the very first time I just simply count it as a loss, without consequences... but it depends on the employees attitude as well.

One of our receptionists had a serious counting problem as 2/3 of the shifts the till was never right. Most of the cases we could figure out what was wrong on paper but then in some cases it couldn't be revealed until we figured out that she is taking the money she thinks it is over the till, however that was the right amount and her calculations were wrong...

We also have a rule not to put/take any private money from/to the till, so the numbers won't be messed up even more!

99% of the time we can figure it out - its almost always a counting problem and almost always over. so its not too much of an issue at the end of the day, just a bit of a pain in the ass.

Which system is that? I thought you are going to use Hostelpower, that has a pretty good cash up part..

yeah, thats what we use but i cant seem to get the cash ups to work consistantly, so all transactions go on paper. im probably going to switch over to BPO very soon and we've found a new point of sale system so we can integrate the 2 in the bar; which will be open 24/7 next year. YAY!

Do you need any help on that? I mean I wouldn't mind staying in Scotland for a week or so, especially if I can manage to the Great Glen as well...

Otherwise Klaus and I are desperately awaiting for your arrival to Budapest! So let us know when would you be able to put the trowel down... Any ideas when would you be able to come by for a Risk party? Or if you'd be too busy, maybe we should go and visit you?

help's always appreciated mate ;) but i think i'll have this sorted soon.

well, im taking a few weeks off in jan/feb - which reminds me, i need to register for the hostelworld conference - hopefully heading to chamonix for a few days with a couple of staff then i can swing by your neck of the woods before heading to dublin... then a week or so down in portugal.

you guys gonna be free for a few days just before the HW junket? that would be the ideal time for me - but any time late jan early feb ill be on the road is good with me.

Wait...!
I´ll arrive in Dublin on Saturday evening already (along with another Wombats staffer who should be good at Risk). Why don´t we waste the Sunday afternoon with a match THERE? I mean - what do you do on a January Sunday afternoon in Dublin anyway?

get drunk? it is ireland.

sounds like a plan!

do you guys know where you're staying?