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[jjmoohead]

Ok this is a true story about myself that just transpired tonight.

I am currently living in Mass, USA. I moved here for the summer to visit my sister, brother in law and my nephew. Instead of quiting my job back home, I decided to take a leave of absence. My boss was all for it cause I am great at my job and everyone loves me.

After about a month after I left the boss decided to install secerity cameras throughout the building. I believe this is a great idea for security reasons as things can go bad when there is only 2 people in my areas and there is like 70 customers. (I wont give out the name of the building for legal reasons, but it is a bowling alley)

With any job there is always a way to make extra money. Tips, bonuses, or fraud. I admit that the 5 years that i have been there there may have been maybe 3 times that the third option came into extance for myself, but never more then $50. Now I know this is wrong but it happened along time ago and all 3 times it was my co-worker that did all the work but I got some of the money.

Anyway when they installed cameras they started to watch everyone moves. They documented if you stood still for 5 minutes, if you sat down when you should be working, when you talked on the phone to anyone, even if its a family emergency you got in trouble. 3 individuals from the building were arrested yesterday after cameras supposedly shows them stealing money directly from the till after the night was completed and cash was being counted. The thought is that the money was an overage from the total nights work. For example say the total in the computer says $1570, and in the till was $1596 then there was an overage if $26 (miss counted change to customer or computer error) and that the owner was then in the right to have that money and not the employee.

I do this same thing at the end of the night. When i get tips from my full nights work I always just put them in the till cause a tip jar looks tacky and putting money in your pocket while the customer looks at you is rude. I would rather just say thank you put it in the till and get it out at the end of the night. This though is fraud.

I am not in trouble at all in this situation, I was away from work since may thus have no proof that I did anything. I have taken money out of the till just like these individuals have but feel that they are tips and not overage. I guess I was just lucky to have made the trip to Boston area this summer or I may be in prison right now.

My main concern is this: 1. Do I go back to work at this place knowing I am being watch 24/7 and could be fired or even arrested any day for something stupid like this. I know my boss figures I have done it before cause we talked about it on differnet occasions like why we get docked pay if we are short money but we don't keep overages. I think it should work each other out in the end.

2. If not how do I approach my boss after telling him a month ago over the phone that I was comming back and already gave him my schedual for university and extra stuff, without him knowing its related to the cameras and the events that traspired and have me not looking guilty.

I know I have done nothing wrong and I worked with those 3 people for a about 2 years now and i know they didnt do it to steal. I am in a tough spot here.

NOTE: Even if I quit my job for this reason I will still be there 3 days a week for my leauge nights and coaching sessions. I am an amazing bowler btw.

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO

[Pu the Owl]

This is a really bad situation mooman! I don't think you should go back to work there at least for the present moment. You know the situation, and if you have doubts, you should try another way, no? But if you say if you quit the job you'll be going there anyway three nights a week, well, this confuses me a bit, because if you had troubles there and you decide to quit the job for that reason, I don't think it'll be a good idea going there anymore. Maybe you just have to wait a little more time and things can be solved without much troubles.

[jjmoohead]

You see its a bowling alley, it happens to be the only one in my town so I cant just go somewhere else. I can make alot of money in this sport so I need to stay in the leagues. Thats why I will be there 3 nights a week. PLus I coach.

I am not worried about myself and what happened to the others, but i think the cameras are invasion of privacy unless used for security reason and no to watch the employees every move. if I cant feel comfortable working there then I guess I shouldn't be there.

[Rei]

Honestly moo, I think you should quit the job. If you don't mind going there for other reasons, it's good for you, but I say quit the job before it starts being even worse.