Pat-Down Searches In The Workplace

[Maxima Lover]

My dad works as a salesman for a liquor distributor. All the employees recently received a written notice in their mail boxes about the large amount of product and money that has been stolen. They also warned all employees in this letter that everyone will be subject to being searched when leaving the building. If the employee doesn't allow the search, they will be disciplined up to termination.

The letter doesn't make clear who will be doing the searching or how often it will take place.

First off, can they even do this when they haven’t visually seen a person take something, and secondly, can they fire you for refusing the search?

[mlane58]

My dad works as a salesman for a liquor distributor. All the employees recently received a written notice in their mail boxes about the large amount of product and money that has been stolen. They also warned all employees in this letter that everyone will be subject to being searched when leaving the building. If the employee doesn't allow the search, they will be disciplined up to termination.

The letter doesn't make clear who will be doing the searching or how often it will take place.

First off, can they even do this when they haven’t visually seen a person take something, and secondly, can they fire you for refusing the search?

Perfectly legal for the employer to do so. As to your second question, the answer is yes too. The employer is instituting a new condition of contiued employment and being an at-will employee the employer can fire you because they like color or your tie. This is the employer's business and they get to set the conditions not the employees