# Wages docked for customer "drive offs"



## Duzy (14 Jun 2008)

Hi, my daughter is 16 and started a job at a shop with petrol pumps. Several of her collegues' wages have been docked by the employer when a customer drives off without paying for their diesel or petrol.
These people all work at the tills.

Is this an illegal act and if it happens to my daughter what should we do about it as my employee rights knowledge is very poor.


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## Complainer (14 Jun 2008)

Probably worth contacting [broken link removed] for advice.


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## Duzy (14 Jun 2008)

Thank you sooooooo much Complainer.
I have emailed them for their advise. I really hadn't a clue what to do. Hopefully they will get back to us soon.
Again Thanks.


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## vandriver (15 Jun 2008)

Your daughter could prevent any drive offs while on the till by only authorising a pump after payment has been made.Any customers complaining could be appraised of the draconian working conditions and the dire consequences for her wages of even one drive off in a week.


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## rmelly (15 Jun 2008)

vandriver said:


> Your daughter could prevent any drive offs while on the till by only authorising a pump after payment has been made.Any customers complaining could be appraised of the draconian working conditions and the dire consequences for her wages of even one drive off in a week.


 
This would need to be company policy, not something an employee in the job a few weeks would have the authority to implement - plus you're assuming the technology is there to support it. Good idea nonetheless.

Do they have CCTV covering all pumps?


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## shipibo (15 Jun 2008)

rmelly said:


> This would need to be company policy, not something an employee in the job a few weeks would have the authority to implement - plus you're assuming the technology is there to support it. Good idea nonetheless.
> 
> Do they have CCTV covering all pumps?



100% agree. This is an unbelievable policy.


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## Marathon Man (15 Jun 2008)

Such deductions are illegal under the Payment of Wages Act. 1991
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1991/en/act/pub/0025/index.html

AFAIA, the employee can agree to other deductions being made, but this does NOT include making up for employer losses from such things a pilferage or drive-offs.  

WRT, pre-authorising/payment prior to filling.  I've yet to come across this in Ireland.  If it comes here I'll be voting with my wheels.  Filling is v..e...r..y... slow where pre-payment happens.  Only came across it once (Portugal).

Anyway, the deduction is, imho, bullying and would not happen with adult employees.  May be worth your daughter's while looking for alternative employment, even if you/she fights this one.


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## becky (15 Jun 2008)

The shop beside me at work where the staff turn on the pumps first before you get to fill up and the satff seem very pre occupied with it.

There is a sign that after 11pm you must pre pay but I have not got petrol at night.

I do remember hearing about this type of thing if your till was short in the likes of the bigger dept stores who employ a large number of part time staff. However, it was explained to staff when they commenced and I think it was used a tool to ensure staff were careful giving out change etc.


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## tiger (15 Jun 2008)

Have wages actually been docked or is this just possibly a story told to new young employees to make sure they're keeping an eye on things?
Best I could think of, as I can't see that there would be a legitimate way an employer could do this?


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## John Rambo (15 Jun 2008)

becky said:


> There is a sign that after 11pm you must pre pay but I have not got petrol at night.


 
Same in the ones I use...I just tell them I'm filling up. How exactly are you supposed to prepay when you're filling the tank?


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## tech3 (15 Jun 2008)

just a little off the point but my daughter has a part time job as a waitress in a hotel and if a customer walks away without paying the owner takes the money he has lost from the  staff tips jar.


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## John Rambo (15 Jun 2008)

tech3 said:


> just a little off the point but my daughter has a part time job as a waitress in a hotel and if a customer walks away without paying the owner takes the money he has lost from the  staff tips jar.


 
The petrol station policy is outrageous but I don't thnk this hotel policy is particularly unfair. Tips are essentially bonuses, while customers doing a runner are the fault of the staff in a hotel/restaurant enviroment. That's different to a garage where it's quite easy to 'leg it'.


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## Bubbly Scot (16 Jun 2008)

Taking us off topic again. A girl passed a fake note in the canteen at my daughters school. The principle demanded 5 cents of every girl in the school to cover the loss. Okay, no one was bothered for 5 cents but I was incensed at the message they were sending.


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## max (16 Jun 2008)

Pump the petrol in the window of the car next time. Until you get a pain in the arm.


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## Ruam (16 Jun 2008)

John Rambo said:


> The petrol station policy is outrageous but I don't thnk this hotel policy is particularly unfair. Tips are essentially bonuses, while customers doing a runner are the fault of the staff in a hotel/restaurant enviroment. That's different to a garage where it's quite easy to 'leg it'.



When I leave a tip for a waiter/waitress I intend it for them, not the owners.  The boss should have no right to take their tips in my opinion just because someone did a runner.

How is it the fault of the hotel staff if someone does a runner?

ruam


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## Black Sheep (19 Jun 2008)

I have seen an employment contract of a young non-Irish person employed at a petrol station which stated that "drive-off's" would be deducted from wages.  On further checks we discovered that was the standard contract in that station


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