'Can my employer make me pay the difference?': Server accidentally orders wrong bottle of wine, manager makes them pay up

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  • 01
    Organism - "Can my employer make me pay the difference on a bottle of wine if I sold the wrong one?"
  • 02
    Font - Can my employer make me pay the difference on a bottle of wine if I sold the wrong one? Short We have 2 CDPs on the menu. One is $175 and the other is $100. The $175 is on our reserve list and the $100 is on our regular menu but it says "Rotating" instead of a name because we change it often.
  • 03
    Font - It was mid absolute weeded rush and I asked another server to help me find this "rotating" one. She picked me the $175 and neither of us knew.
  • 04
    Font - Now my manager is saying I have to pay the difference of that $75. We have never been shown the differences between the two. We're rarely told when the "rotating" switches over and I couldn't find anyone else to help me.
  • 05
    Font - Personally I feel like this is an honest mistake and it's on management to be more proactive in keeping us updated. Should I really be required to pay this $75? I live in NC.
  • 06
    Font - JU PurpleMatt 18 hr. ago Generally speaking, your employer cannot legally make you pay for mistakes, in many countries. If you intentionally punched in the cheaper, but gave the more expensive, then they may have an argument to make. 996 Reply Share
  • 07
    Font - 420wasabisnappin OP. 18 hr. ago No, I definitely didn't do that. What I would like to know is if I say no and they threaten to fire, can I go to the labor board or can I show them something that legally says I don't have to pay. 347 Reply Share
  • 08
    Font - alcMD 17 hr. ago They can threaten to fire you for any reason, but they have no legal way to force you to pay up. If they'll fire you over a mistake that is, really, not a huge sum of money... they'll fire you over the next mistake or the next if you don't "pay up." Don't lose your cash to those idiots, jobs are ten a penny in the industry right now. If they fire you, you can claim unemployment on their dime while you look for another thing. Never pay your employer to cover their business
  • 09
    Font - FleurDeezNutz 17 hr. ago As someone who has worked as a GM, Bev Manager and holds certifications with the ISG, Master Court and SWE, I would never ask that to happen. First, this wouldn't have been an issue if management communicated things better. But also, it's an honest mistake. It's not like someone ordered a bottle of Sutter Home Cab and you brought them Chateau Haut Brion. The confusion lies with management here, not with servers.
  • 10
    Font - Next point is, it's improper to have a restaurant expect their employees to financially cover the cost of mistakes. But most importantly, they made their money on that bottle and then some. If I buy a bottle for $10 and sell it by the bottle, it'll be $30. If I buy a bottle for $10 and sell it by the glass, it's $40 per bottle, $10 per glass. So unless they do some silly $10 or 10% markup, asking you to pay the difference is petty on top of ludicrous. 183 Reply Share
  • 11
    Font - Hot Aside_4637 · 18 hr. ago Employers (in US) are not allowed to charge employees for unintentional mistakes. However, 49 states are "At Will" employment, which means they can fire you for any reason (not related to a protected class discrimination). 130 Reply Share
  • 12
    Font - moonmusicals 18 hr. ago Jobs aren't allowed to force you to pay for anything. Like in retail if someone steals your boss can't make you pay for that merchandise. My first day as a server I took someone's payment and it didn't get through it was an 83 dollar ticket and I was panicking and offered to pay and my boss was like no you can't....legally consider getting a new job if possible this place sounds toxic 84 Reply Share
  • 13
    Font - rlaalr12 18 hr. ago Personally, I would not hand over $75 to your employer. Sure, they lost $75 profit from the mistake but I would be totally shocked if the actual cost of the $175 wine was over $100.
  • 14
    Font - Your employer may have the ability to legally deduct the amount on your paycheck so you'll want to look at your employment docs to see if there is anything regarding the issue there. You can read more about legal deductions in your state by searching N.C.G.S. §95-25.8
  • 15
    Font - Regardless, I would start looking for something else if you're not one who typically makes mistakes cause I would not want to work at a place like this.
  • 16
    Font - somedude456 15 hr. ago Fifteen+ Years Can they legally make you? NO. Can they ask? Yes. Can they fire you if you refuse to pay? No, but they will find another reason to fire you next week. This is a sign of a employer.
  • 17
    Font - myopiniOn 18 hr. ago Wow, so lazy, they can't even update the wine list? Is the "rotating" one posted somewhere on a specials board? Don't know if they can make you pay it, but you shouldn't.
  • 18
    Font - 420wasabisnappin OP. 18 hr. ago Yeah, I agree. But honestly, why aren't they specifically bringing the wine bottle to line up or something so we know specifically? That just feels like a really easy way to be lazy and not have mistakes.

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