After having investigated and validated an employee theft situation in your store, you will interview the employee to determine the rest of the facts, in addition to getting an admission of guilt straight from your employee. This admission is the final step in completing your employee theft investigation, it is also a very critical point in how you have handled the investigation and treated your employee thus far.
Regardless of the evidence you have found substantiating an employee’s role in theft and losses, having an admission of guilt directly from the employee plays a very important role in the after effects of the investigation. An employee who understands that there is concrete evidence as well as a signed admission of guilt will be less likely to pose a wrongful termination suit against their employer. The one who do decide to pursue litigation will have a much harder time proving their case when faced with the overwhelming amount of concrete evidence against them.
This, of course, means that when you have the employee write their admission- the statement- that they need to do so willingly and without coercion or promise. You may not promise to forgo criminal prosecution, or allude to their retaining their employment in exchange for writing an admission. They cannot under any circumstances be forced, threatened, or eluded to possible consequences if they do not write out an admission of guilt. Statements gained in these fashions will be contested and ultimately thrown out of a court proceeding. If you have criminal charges brought against this employee, and it is determined that the admission was coerced, the integrity of the rest of your evidence can be called into question, and you may potentially lose your case against them.
Now, when you present the employee with the need to write out an admission of guilt, you do not have to call it an admission statement. What many professional investigators are calling these statements is a letter of explanation. By rewording what this document is called, the employee is more at ease, as they will feel like it is a less formal document. This makes the employee more willing to be helpful and write their deeds down on paper.
To start the process, have the employee go back over the notes that you have taken during the interview. Let them know that this is their opportunity to make sure their side of the story is heard and that you want these points to be accurate. Go through line by line with their thefts and have the employee initial and date beside each one. If they backtrack and start to tell you that the points are not accurate, give them the opportunity to make corrections. If they are sliding back on their guilt, you need to go back into interviewing the employee to determine their guilt. Hold off on their statement writing until you have reestablished their guilt in the thefts.
Now that you are back to the statement, let them start to write the date, and their name. This gets them into a writing mode. From there have them put down specific dates, incidents, methods of their theft, and what items they took. Have them be as detailed as possible with SKU, color, size, cash amounts, etc. They should also provide explanations of what they did with the cash or merchandise and why they did what they did. The more information they volunteer, the more irrefutable the admission will be later. Conclude the statement with the employee writing how they were treated during the process (fairly, respectfully, etc) and that they were not promised or threatened in any way. The last this is to have the employee sign and date each page. If any corrections were made, have them sign and date those items as well.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
After having investigated and validated an employee theft situation in your store, you will interview the employee to determine the rest of the facts, in addition to getting an admission of guilt straight from your employee. This admission is the final step in completing your employee theft investigation, it is also a very critical point in how you have handled the investigation and treated your employee thus far.
Regardless of the evidence you have found substantiating an employee’s role in theft and losses, having an admission of guilt directly from the employee plays a very important role in the after effects of the investigation. An employee who understands that there is concrete evidence as well as a signed admission of guilt will be less likely to pose a wrongful termination suit against their employer. The ones who do decide to pursue litigation will have a much harder time proving their case when faced with the overwhelming amount of concrete evidence against them.
This, of course, means that when you have the employee write their admission- the statement- that they need to do so willingly and without coercion or promise. You may not promise to forgo criminal prosecution, or allude to their retaining their employment in exchange for writing an admission. They cannot under any circumstances be forced, threatened, or eluded to possible consequences if they do not write out an admission of guilt. Statements gained in these fashions will be contested and ultimately thrown out of a court proceeding. If you have criminal charges brought against this employee, and it is determined that the admission was coerced, the integrity of the rest of your evidence can be called into question, and you may potentially lose your case against them.
Now, when you present the employee with the need to write out an admission of guilt, you do not have to call it an admission statement. What many professional investigators are calling these statements is a letter of explanation. By rewording what this document is called, the employee is more at ease, as they will feel like it is a less formal document. This makes the employee more willing to be helpful and write their deeds down on paper.
To start the process, have the employee go back over the notes that you have taken during the interview. Let them know that this is their opportunity to make sure their side of the story is heard and that you want these points to be accurate. Go through line by line with their thefts and have the employee initial and date beside each one. If they backtrack and start to tell you that the points are not accurate, give them the opportunity to make corrections. If they are sliding back on their guilt, you need to go back into interviewing the employee to determine their guilt. Hold off on their statement writing until you have reestablished their guilt in the thefts.
Now that you are back to the statement, let them start to write the date, and their name. This gets them into a writing mode. From there have them put down specific dates, incidents, methods of their theft, and what items they took. Have them be as detailed as possible with SKU, color, size, cash amounts, etc. They should also provide explanations of what they did with the cash or merchandise and why they did what they did. The more information they volunteer, the more irrefutable the admission will be later. Conclude the statement with the employee writing how they were treated during the process (fairly, respectfully, etc) and that they were not promised or threatened in any way. The last this is to have the employee sign and date each page. If any corrections were made, have them sign and date those items as well.
For more information on employee theft, employee theft investigation or internal theft contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 – Atlanta Georgia
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase CCTV Systems that can help you stop Employee Theft and Internal Theft problems and help with your Employee Theft Investigation.
When you are working in public relations, one of the best sales you can make is about yourself. If you can effectively brand yourself, and make you more marketable, you are then a walking testimony as to your skills with public relations. In one of the more recent news scandals, a public relations executive for an extremely successful and well-known retailer was caught lying about his qualifications on his resume.
This particular executive had been with the company for many years, so it was quite the shock to find out that this particular employee had been through several pre employment screenings, employee background checks, and interviews and the discrepancy had not been caught.
The particular exaggeration the executive created was about his educational history. He had never actually completed his college degree. While there are admittedly worse oversights a resume can have, lying about the completion of a degree has two very distinct negative affects on the prospective employee.
The first is, of course, honesty and integrity. If someone is lying to you to get a job, they will continue to lie throughout their career. For someone reaching as high as a company executive level, a lack of honesty and integrity can seriously mar a company’s reputation.
Additionally, what skills are this employee claiming to have, but doesn’t? What information did they miss out on by not completing their degree? Another candidate who did in fact complete the required course load may have a different competitive edge when placed in a position that a less educated candidate may not be able to provide.
Company funds may be squandered through unplanned training if the candidate needs longer than expected to get up to speed, or requires more supervision and training to get work related tasks accomplished, if they are not familiar with jobs that may have been explained during the unfinished portion of their schooling.
Most companies provide a pay range for each specific job position. Those ranges are often determined by establishing a base line for experience and education needed for those jobs. A candidate that is higher or lower in their experience or education would end up at a different end of the pay spectrum accordingly. When a candidate misrepresents their year’s worth of experience or their education, they are asking for more payment and compensation than they are actually deserving of, based upon those company evaluated pay scales. This is another cost to the company that should have been avoided though honest employee credentials.
The executive in this news report was able to secure his position for as long as he did because he had a natural talent for public relations. He was able to put a spin on himself to hide the fact that he did not complete his college degree, like he claimed to. The company has a black mark on their name as many, on the inside and the outside, are left questioning how did this egregious of an oversight happen? Many former colleagues are also questioning their involvement with this executive, and their dealings with this company.
To see a major player in the retail market be caught unawares only reiterates how easy, and how prevalent it is for potential employees to exaggerate or blatantly lie on their resume.
To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or for more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547
When you are working in public relations, one of the best sales you can make is about yourself. If you can effectively brand yourself, and make you more marketable, you are then a walking testimony as to your skills with public relations. In one of the more recent news scandals, a public relations executive for an extremely successful and well-known retailer was caught lying about his qualifications on his resume.
This particular executive had been with the company for many years, so it was quite the shock to find out that this particular employee had been through several pre employment screenings, employee background checks, and interviews and the discrepancy had not been caught.
The particular exaggeration the executive created was about his educational history. He had never actually completed his college degree. While there are admittedly worse oversights a resume can have, lying about the completion of a degree has two very distinct negative affects on the prospective employee.
The first is, of course, honesty and integrity. If someone is lying to you to get a job, they will continue to lie throughout their career. For someone reaching as high as a company executive level, a lack of honesty and integrity can seriously mar a company’s reputation.
Additionally, what skills are this employee claiming to have, but doesn’t? What information did they miss out on by not completing their degree? Another candidate who did in fact complete the required course load may have a different competitive edge when placed in a position that a less educated candidate may not be able to provide.
Company funds may be squandered through unplanned training if the candidate needs longer than expected to get up to speed, or requires more supervision and training to get work related tasks accomplished, if they are not familiar with jobs that may have been explained during the unfinished portion of their schooling.
Most companies provide a pay range for each specific job position. Those ranges are often determined by establishing a base line for experience and education needed for those jobs. A candidate that is higher or lower in their experience or education would end up at a different end of the pay spectrum accordingly. When a candidate misrepresents their year’s worth of experience or their education, they are asking for more payment and compensation than they are actually deserving of, based upon those company evaluated pay scales. This is another cost to the company that should have been avoided through honest employee credentials.
The executive in this news report was able to secure his position for as long as he did because he had a natural talent for public relations. He was able to put a spin on himself to hide the fact that he did not complete his college degree, like he claimed to. The company has a black mark on their name as many, on the inside and the outside, are left questioning how did this egregious of an oversight happen? Many former colleagues are also questioning their involvement with this executive, and their dealings with this company.
To see a major player in the retail market be caught unawares only reiterates how easy, and how prevalent it is for potential employees to exaggerate or blatantly lie on their resume.
To purchase Pre-Employment Screening Services or for more information on background check experts, background checks, criminal background checks, employee background checks or pre employment screening contact us at the background check company or call 1.770.426.0547
Time and time again we find ways to bridge the gap between loss prevention and customer service. When both are executed correctly, the two sides of store operations should flow together seamlessly. Loss prevention should never interfere with sales, or with customer service. Conversely, customer service should never have a reason to inhibit loss prevention. There is always a solution to keep both sides happy.
Since a major player in most retailer’s clothing security is Checkpoint tags or other clothing security tags, understanding the balance between their use and good customer service is essential to carry out the process quickly and efficiently.
The first step is to have the correct placement of security tags on clothes. The tags should not be somewhere that prohibits a customer from comfortably trying on an item for size and fit. Most EAS manufacturers understand the need for variances in size and style when it comes to these security tags. There is no longer a need to try and use a one-size fit all mentality when it comes to EAS tags.
There is no need to use a UFO style tag, like one would use for a winter coat, on the chain of a necklace. It is bulky and an eyesore for a customer wanting to make an accessory purchase. It is better to use smaller, less obvious tags designed for jewelry and accessories. The accessory tag would also not be effective as a deterrent on a winter coat. Due to the size and bulk of the outerwear, the larger tag will fit better, clasp together better, and be more obvious that the product is being protected.
Along the same lines, there is a right and wrong application of EAS tags- even on large and bulky items. Yes you want to use a larger tag, but the larger disk component needs to be on the outside of the garment. The smaller, flat and smooth pin side needs to go on the inside of the coat. This way when a customer puts it on, they can slide their arm through the sleeve without getting it caught up on the tag. The same concept applies also for shoes with tags pinned though and eye for the shoelaces.
Another aspect to consider is where n the merchandise the tags should go. If a tag is placed in a seam of a shirt close to the hem, a shoplifter might try to cut or tear the tag out- understanding that repairing a small rip in the seam is easily fixed. Positioning the tag up several inches in this same seam, does not pose the same problem. Too high up, however can be uncomfortable for a customer trying the shirt on.
The last part is to be consistent with where the clothing security tags are place on your merchandise (tags on the bottom left pant leg, right coat sleeve, etc). This way your cashiers will be more accurate in removing them at the point of sale. If a cashier has to search all over a garment to find a tag, they are more likely to miss the tag and cause a great inconvenience to the customer.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
Time and time again we find ways to bridge the gap between loss prevention and customer service. When both are executed correctly, the two sides of store operations should flow together seamlessly. Loss prevention should never interfere with sales, or with customer service. Conversely, customer service should never have a reason to inhibit loss prevention. There is always a solution to keep both sides happy.
Since a major player in most retailer’s clothing security is Checkpoint tags or other clothing security tags, understanding the balance between their use and good customer service is essential to carry out the process quickly and efficiently.
The first step is to have the correct placement of security tags on clothes. The tags should not be somewhere that prohibits a customer from comfortably trying on an item for size and fit. Most EAS manufacturers understand the need for variances in size and style when it comes to these security tags. There is no longer a need to try and use a one-size fit all mentality when it comes to EAS tags.
There is no need to use a UFO style tag, like one would use for a winter coat, on the chain of a necklace. It is bulky and an eyesore for a customer wanting to make an accessory purchase. It is better to use smaller, less obvious tags designed for jewelry and accessories. The accessory tag would also not be effective as a deterrent on a winter coat. Due to the size and bulk of the outerwear, the larger tag will fit better, clasp together better, and be more obvious that the product is being protected.
Along the same lines, there is a right and wrong application of EAS tags– even on large and bulky items. Yes you want to use a larger tag, but the larger disk component needs to be on the outside of the garment. The smaller, flat and smooth pin side needs to go on the inside of the coat. This way when a customer puts it on, they can slide their arm through the sleeve without getting it caught up on the tag. The same concept applies also for shoes with tags pinned though and eye for the shoelaces.
Another aspect to consider is where in the merchandise the tags should go. If a tag is placed in a seam of a shirt close to the hem, a shoplifter might try to cut or tear the tag out- understanding that repairing a small rip in the seam is easily fixed. Positioning the tag up several inches in this same seam, does not pose the same problem. Too high up, however can be uncomfortable for a customer trying the shirt on.
The last part is to be consistent with where the clothing security tags are placed on your merchandise (tags on the bottom left pant leg, right coat sleeve, etc). This way your cashiers will be more accurate in removing them at the point of sale. If a cashier has to search all over a garment to find a tag, they are more likely to miss the tag and cause a great inconvenience to the customer.
Visit the Loss Prevention Store to purchase Checkpoint Tags, a Clothing Alarm, Clothing Security or Clothing Security Tags to put Security Tags on Clothes and an Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system.
For more information on Checkpoint tags, clothing security, clothing alarm, or clothing security tags how they can work with your Electronic Article Surveillance or EAS system contact us at security tags on clothes or call 1.770.426.0547
