OK, you just found an employee on CCTV review placing money in his/her pocket while working register number two. You’re incensed! You’re Furious! You feel Violated. Let’s face it, you want Justice! But wait a minute, the real goal for any workplace internal investigation which involves either criminal activity, gross policy violations, or both, should be that of a “clean termination.” In this case, how do we know if the employee is simply pocketing a generous tip? or replacing change that she loaned the register (most likely against policy – if you even have one for cash management), or placed what she thought to be a counterfeit bill into her pocket to show her manager – which may or may not have happened since no camera view was able to follow her every movement?
All leads involving the case should be thoroughly explored, all documentation should be gathered and kept in secure and confidential storage in accordance to the laws of evidence (for criminal cases) or even those who have been terminated. A clean termination involves the successful outcome of a case for you the employer (HR, ownership, senior staff, etc.) where everything has been handled consistently with established legal protocols. This not only keeps you from tossing and turning in bed at night, it will also stack the odds in your favor should any legal proceeding (criminal or civil) be filed against you by your former employee.