Question: What counts as employee theft?
Answer:Employee theft is difficult to define in black and white terms. It can range from an employee taking a few items of stationery, to defrauding large sums of money from the company.
A conviction of employee theft, or dismissal on the grounds of employee theft will be successful depending on a number of factors such as the gravity and frequency of the theft, the potential impact of the theft on the employer’s business, any solid and reliable evidence collected, as well as the employee’s past record.
As an employer you must handle claims of employee theft very carefully, and conduct a fair investigation of the claims in order to avoid false accusations and potential defamation claims.
As an employee you are protected against unfair dismissal, so make sure if you have been suspected or accused of theft that a proper investigation is undertaken and that any punishment is proportional to the act. You may also want to consult the employee handbook for guidelines on how to avoid misconduct in the workplace.
For more information have a look at our article on how to handle employee theft.
