Shortfall in the till: do you as an employee have to pay?
At the end of the shift, money is missing from the till or goods from the warehouse, and the employer deducts it from your wages? It is not that simple. You are only liable for a shortfall under certain conditions.
Reach your next steps and the matching ready-made texts in just a few minutes, free of charge:
Check the liability →Your chances of getting your money back
What you should do now
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1. Check for fault
Is there proven fault, or is it only an unexplained discrepancy?
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2. Clarify access
Did several people have access to the till? Then sole liability is hard to justify.
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3. Object to a wage deduction
Object in writing to an unjustified wage deduction for the shortfall and demand full wages.
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4. Get advice
In a dispute, the works council, union, or employment-law advice helps.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to cover a till shortage?
Not automatically. For a shortfall, you are liable only if fault is proven against you, and the burden of proof lies with the employer. In addition, limited employee liability applies: with slight negligence you are generally not liable at all or only proportionally. A blanket wage deduction 'for the shortage' is usually impermissible.
What is shortfall money?
An additional sum the employer pays as compensation for you (co-)bearing the risk of shortfalls. Only if such shortfall money is agreed and you alone had access to the till does stricter shortfall liability come into consideration at all, and even then usually limited to the amount of the shortfall money.
Take action now
We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.
General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.