Archived Falsely Suspected of Theft

[anonymous]

So I've overheard my managers / AP say they think I'm stealing things but can't prove it and "have to wait until he does something". I'm really not but it still bothers me hearing talk about it, I have some mental problems and odd behavior so I can understand why they would watch me but not why they are so careless talking about it that I've heard part of 6 - 7 conversations about it in a little over a month.

Does anyone think I should say something so at least I don't have to hear them talking about it or is it best to just pretend I don't know about it.

I'm just a seasonal temp so I suppose they'll just let me go at the end of December if they have these suspicions but can't prove them.

 

[NPC]

What kind of weird behaviors?

 

[DannyDawg]

So I've overheard my managers / AP say they think I'm stealing things but can't prove it and "have to wait until he does something". I'm really not but it still bothers me hearing talk about it, I have some mental problems and odd behavior so I can understand why they would watch me but not why they are so careless talking about it that I've heard part of 6 - 7 conversations about it in a little over a month.

Does anyone think I should say something so at least I don't have to hear them talking about it or is it best to just pretend I don't know about it.

I'm just a seasonal temp so I suppose they'll just let me go at the end of December if they have these suspicions but can't prove them.

Yeah you’ll likely be let go after Christmas but before you do I would speak with your HR team lead. Assuming they’re good at their job they’ll make note of it.

 

[anonymous]

What kind of weird behaviors?

I'm really nervous a lot which i'm sure looks bad, I've heard many people say he must be crazy or retarded but anyway do you think I should say something or just ignore it?

I know saying something will probably push them to do something sooner so I suppose I should ignore it but I don't know.

 

[HRZone]

I'm really nervous a lot which i'm sure looks bad, I've heard many people say he must be crazy or retarded but anyway do you think I should say something or just ignore it?

I would ignore it, your only job is to make sure their suspicions aren't true.

I'm really nervous a lot which i'm sure looks bad,

Fair or not their job is to stop theft. And q4 there is heightened security to watch for internals. Many stores have a seasonal steal every year.

Many AP folks are trained to trust no one. Keep doing you're job to the best of your ability, I would laugh if they are watching you and miss out on some wealthy "put together" blonde back from college stealing to support her drug habit (happened at my store a year ago)

 

[can't touch this]

it's kinda odd that your leads and AP would be casually chit-chatting in the open, potentially within earshot about cases they're building...AP has only ever talked to me about stuff that I've personally seen and brought to their attention and even then it was only the barest of need-to-know details. They sure as hell don't, or aren't supposed to, be blabbing about it outside of the office with the door shut and/or through emails. Nevermind the lack of professionalism, it's just flat out dumb because it's harder to catch people who know they're being watched. Let's say hypothetically you had boosted a few things before and then found out that they're on your trail, would you continue doing it?

 

[tgtguy]

To start with no one should be calling you anything but your name. No matter how nervous you act etc there is no excuse for anyone ( be it a leader or fellow tm) saying or implying you are crazy and or have any other mental issues. Secondly, if your ap tl , tms etc are having conversations about suspecting you of theft they should be having them behind closed doors and not within ear shot of anyone . That is a huge no no and if true they should be reported to the hr etl, stl and even the hotline. I would go to your hr etl ( tl if you don't have a etl hr ) and explain to them what is going in .

 

[The Dude Abides]

I'm really nervous a lot which i'm sure looks bad, I've heard many people say he must be crazy or retarded but anyway do you think I should say something or just ignore it?

I know saying something will probably push them to do something sooner so I suppose I should ignore it but I don't know.

If anyone in a leadership said the portion of your post that I bolded you should talk to HR. That is completely inappropriate and could constitute workplace discrimination if you do have a diagnosed mental illness.

 

[fiddlesteinfip]

I'm sorry this happened to you. It was completely inappropriate of leadership and AP to be so insensitive and talk about this out in the open, especially 6 or 7 times. I've seen lots of cashiers and other team members exhibit strange behaviors but I would never tell anyone outside AP about it unless it was proven they were doing something, and even then I would only talk about it behind closed doors. I would just continue what you are doing and you will prove them wrong.

 

[soyaxo]

In my experience at Target, gossipy leads don't surprise me. We definitely had them at my old store. I'd bring this up to HR ASAP if I were in your shoes.

 

[The Dude Abides]

It's not even the gossiping that is the problem. Leadership calling a team member "retarded" is completely against Target policy and may potential violate workplace anti-discrimination laws.

 

[GoodyNN]

Another vote to talk to HR about the insults, if nothing else. Nobody, in ANY employment situation, should ever have to deal with that sort of treatment from a coworker, and especially from a supervisor.

 

[can't touch this]

To me the name-calling thing sounds like something that would be considered hearsay, and even if leadership or corporate looks into it I can see it turning into a he-said-she-said thing where there's no proof to make it actionable. Nobody is dumb enough to fess up to anything like this if confronted, and the company can't go around coaching or terming people based on one "I overheard someone say ____ about me" complaint because otherwise the hotline would get flooded with BS complaints against leads by TMs who were butthurt that they got written up or didn't get the day off they requested or any number of other petty reasons

 

[oath2order]

 

[Miked0292]

I would ignore it, your only job is to make sure their suspicions aren't true.



Fair or not their job is to stop theft. And q4 there is heightened security to watch for internals. Many stores have a seasonal steal every year.

Many AP folks are trained to trust no one. Keep doing you're job to the best of your ability, I would laugh if they are watching you and miss out on some wealthy "put together" blonde back from college stealing to support her drug habit (happened at my store a year ago)

I am going to agree here, can't say what kind of possible internals we have going on, but we do watch seasonal tms closer around this time of year. Sorry but it is true, I really have to have trust with the other AP tms because they are going to help me make the stops during the rest of the year. Other wise I will listen to what someone says but then I will go find out if it is true or not. Prime example, ( going to be broad as I can be as this was something I documented ) was doing a walk around and by where the TMs park found a drug related item, after safely securing it in the correct type of container, I reviewed video to find when the item was dropped there and it was handed over to HR.

 

[Badjedidude]

but we do watch seasonal tms closer around this time of year

Yup.

I don't really know why everyone there would be so open and speaking about possibly internals; in my store, that information remains firmly in the AP room and doesn't get discussed among other TMs, even after someone gets termed due to an investigation, etc.

But yeah, we generally give extra attention to looking into seasonal TMs, simply because they're a bit more likely to do something shady and then just quit in a couple of months anyway.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It sounds like you are being talk to about your performance. Are you leaving your speed id unattended at the register?

 

[buliSBI]

Just make sure you are providing great service and perform to Target's expectations and follow policies. Document any incidents. But I say hold on till the end.

Are these Execs? Team Leads? GSAs? Other TMs?

A lot of stores work have politics. Some look for sneaky but legal ways to push people out. Being seasonal, they could be just looking for an excuse. Make sure they present you documented events if accusations are made official.

 

[REDcardJJ]

I'm really nervous a lot which i'm sure looks bad, I've heard many people say he must be crazy or retarded but anyway do you think I should say something or just ignore it?

I know saying something will probably push them to do something sooner so I suppose I should ignore it but I don't know.

This is not okay. I'd suggest bringing it up to your ETL/SrTL-HR or STL because it's not okay for anybody to speak that way about you, off stage or not.

 

[NKG]

Based on the Op usage of not using target terms and using the anonymous as a name, Id say the OP is just here to fish for answers. Not worth my time If you ask me. No way any one of leadership would openly talk about TM in regards to AP related issue. Ive been chased out of rooms whenever these conversations happened.

 

[REDcardJJ]

Based on the Op usage of not using target terms and using the anonymous as a name, Id say the OP is just here to fish for answers. Not worth my time If you ask me. No way any one of leadership would openly talk about TM in regards to AP related issue. Ive been chased out of rooms whenever these conversations happened.

now that you mention it,

what's a "manager" and is it anything like a team lead?

 

[On6]

Based on the Op usage of not using target terms and using the anonymous as a name, Id say the OP is just here to fish for answers. Not worth my time If you ask me. No way any one of leadership would openly talk about TM in regards to AP related issue. Ive been chased out of rooms whenever these conversations happened.

It shouldn't happen. But I have see some leaders openly talk about internals.

My thought has always been "what happens in the AP office stays in the AP office."

 

[buliSBI]

I have seen Execs freely discuss sensitive internal matters at lunch with other TMs present.

 

[anonymous]

Based on the Op usage of not using target terms and using the anonymous as a name, Id say the OP is just here to fish for answers. Not worth my time If you ask me. No way any one of leadership would openly talk about TM in regards to AP related issue. Ive been chased out of rooms whenever these conversations happened.

Why would I post just to "fish for answers", I have nothing to gain by making up a post.

If it matters it's mostly been the ETL'S that I've overheard but I've heard AP a couple of times as well.

 

[anonymous]

It sounds like you are being talk to about your performance. Are you leaving your speed id unattended at the register?

I do early morning stocking in market and have never touched a cash register so it can't be anything related to that.