I just moved to a new state not too long ago and almost 2 weeks ago, I finally got my ID and found a job nearby. It was within walking distance and my friend was watching my daughter so, it was perfect right? McDonald’s hired me at $11/hr and began to cross train me on drive thru and front register.
Yesterday, my elderly neighbor came through my drive thru. We chatted for a minute and she gave me a $10 bill for lunch and a small thing of diapers otw home. (She knows times are tough for me right now and that I don’t have any funds until I get my first paycheck from them.) I stuck the $10 in my pocket and went on about my day. Finished my shift like normal, ordered my food before I left and went home. Didn’t think anything of it.
Today, I go in at 10am and my general manager asks to speak with me (he didn’t even bring me to the office, he brought me to a table in the dining room which was just embarrassing) He tells me that he has me on camera stealing money from the register and putting it in my pocket.
I explained to him that I never took any money from the register but, my neighbor had come through the drive thru and offered me $10 for lunch and diapers and that was the money that I accepted. He told me that the drawer was open so, it looks like I took it from the drawer. I asked him if I could see the footage, he showed me and I pointed out to him where the $10 bill never went near the register but instead, straight from her hand, to my hand and into my pocket.
I also pointed out to him how my drawer was even yesterday (not short or over, meaning all of my transactions were right meaning that I didn’t steal ANYTHING) After I made these points, he starts saying “Well regardless, you don’t make tips. This isn’t a tipped position and any money that touches your hand is McDonald’s property.” He was basically telling me that $10 that my neighbor gave me should have went in the drawer because it was given to me on the clock? Atleast that’s what I was grasping from it.
He fired me right on the spot. I told him how bad I needed this job (he literally knew my situation when he hired me) and again, assured him that I never stole anything. He told me that he couldn’t help me because the decision “came from higher up”. Is there anyway that I could fight this? I feel like I was wrongfully terminated but, I wasn’t even there a full two weeks….
Is it worth calling McDonald’s corporate office? Is there really anything I can do at this point? Do you think i’d be able to get my job back by calling or is it pointless? Is this going to affect future employment for me?
TLDR: I got fired from McDonald’s for accepting $10 from my neighbor for food and diapers. I guess it’s cuz it was at the window? I don’t get it.