Nordstrom Employee Theft

I recently worked at Nordstroms and two weeks before I quit I decided to return items that I have bought through the system and onto a personal credit card (about $700). Today, about two weeks after I stopped working, I got a call from the regional LP telling me that they did an investigation and that it would be in my best interest that I meet with them and have a talk with them. I am 19 and have no criminal record living in San Francisco, California.

My questions are:

1. What will happen when I go into the meeting with LP and the store manager?

2. What should I do when I go to the meeting? Should I admit to doing it or deny everything? And how do I know what evidence they will have on me?

3. I am currently employed with a bank, if they do have enough evidence and I get charged, will this affect my current job? What about future jobs?

I look forward to some advice. Thanks

If you get charged and convicted, it will show up on your criminal record. It would definitely negatively impact your ability to get a job in retail in the future... As for your current job, find out if your bank's policy is to run regular background checks on their employees?

How much time do you have before the meeting?
Maybe you can go see about getting a consultation with a lawyer.

It's this thursday 10/19

They would not be requesting a meeting if they didnt have something on you

Here's an online database where you can search for offices.
http://lawyers.com/find_a_lawyer/am/am_aop_list.php

Even if you can't make it to a meeting, you could possibly try to do a phone consultation.

Why not? You start out with a suspicion, hold a meeting and... what? If they know what they're doing, nine times out of ten end up with a confession?

The question, "Should I admit to doing it", is quite telling. You should consult a criminal defense lawyer before you do anything more. If you confess, your goose is cooked. If they have sufficient evidence to have you charged, you're not going to talk yourself out of charges.

Check out this thread
http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7654

I work LP and have conducted many internals I even made my store number 1 for district ininternal they would NOT call you in unless they had something and planned to charge you! Get a Lawyer!!

"I recently worked at Nordstroms and two weeks before I quit I decided to return items that I have bought through the system and onto a personal credit card (about $700)."

This is not really clear jameshua, 'return items you bought through the system', are you saying you paid cash for them then did a charge credit for $700?

First things first - do not admit to any wrongdoing on this forum if you are not going to when you go for your meeting. Many companies have employees who monitor these sites and they can use things against you.

Also certain LP's will try to get you to do the moral thing instead of the best "legal" thing. For you, doing the best "legal" thing is what just might save you from getting charged etc.

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Quoting jameshua

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1. What will happen when I go into the meeting with LP and the store manager?

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They will interview you and try to get you to state/sign a confession. They will present you with stories and events and try to make you feel comfortable so that you can admit without feeling too bad about the act itself.

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Quoting jameshua

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2. What should I do when I go to the meeting? Should I admit to doing it or deny everything? And how do I know what evidence they will have on me?

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I would not go to the meeting. If I did go to the meeting, I would make sure that one of two things happened. First, I would have legal representation. Second, I would make sure that they are paying me for sitting down and talking to them. Technically, you are not their employee and really don't have to comply with their requests to a talk. If you were working for them, then you would be getting paid for the meeting. Remember, they have evidence against you - a story about what you did - they just want it to come from you. They want you to incriminate youself. So, get representation and remember, just like the police, you have the right to remain silent and not say anything.

You will not know what evidence they have against you unless they tell you or take you to court. Even then, your lawyer will only get to see the evidence they are going to present in the courtroom.

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Quoting jameshua

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3. I am currently employed with a bank, if they do have enough evidence and I get charged, will this affect my current job? What about future jobs?

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Most likely not your current job unless they do background checks every year. It will affect future jobs if convicted and even might affect if you get a promotion with your current company.

Nordstroms might not allow a lawyer in the meeting with you. Walk out. You have no obligation to them. Do not be intimidated by them. The most they can do is call you and request a meeting - and that is exactly what it is - a request. Another thing you can do is tell them to contact you through your lawyer. That will stop all calls to you. Once you have this in writing and they call you - it is pretty much over for them.

In conclusion, have representation, do not go in admitting wrong doing and if you feel uncomfortable, say so and leave the meeting.

If you walk out of meeting or refuse to show up they can still prosecute you with evidecne they have. Its very unlikely they would call you in for meeting without enough to nail you. Your confession will not ice it for them they have enough. Not showing up will not save you. They may not be leanning toward prosection but ano show will gurantee it. Its very possible they might prosecute anyhow but not showing up will make matters worse especially of Police who will have to arrest you after warrant is issued. Your best bet is to show up with Lawyer!

If a prosecution is guaranteed, showing up won't change a thing. If not, then they're trying to get a confession. They're not holding the meeting because they like to waste their time - they're trying to round out their case for prosecution.

Show up and confess? You get prosecuted. Show up and lie, and should they have evidence to contradict you your lies can be used against you when you're prosecuted.

There's a reason you have a right to remain silent even when the police want to talk to you. I can't even begin to count the number of people I have represented who were convicted because they confessed, or because they thought they could "talk their way out of" possible charges.

No prosection is NOT guranteed on occasion (I have done so) the interview is just to round off some rough edges and maybe get a statement. This would also be point (if still employed) that firing would occur. If the LPM/DLPM can round off rough edges and have either retrived loses or willing to overlook them simple firing may occur. Its hard to say for sure as I am unfamilar with Norstrom internal policy! I still say not showing up is worst thing you can do. Yes you have the right to remain silent although you will not get miranda rights. Bring legal defense is good plan as they cannot refuse you this as they will have a witness present to protect them. If you give a written statement which you can without admitting crime watch your wording. I have gotten many statements from internals that did read as confessions! You can acknowledge what happened without admitting to a crime!

Are you even reading what I have written?

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Quoting panther10758

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........ You can acknowledge what happened without admitting to a crime!

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Panth, you need to have at least a second (large) cup of coffee before you start posting this early! ;)

Hate to break it to ya, but once you acknowledge, you admit. Just that simple.......

I have had this very same conversation with a DA and because subject acknowledge an event took place but still denied intentionaly wrongdoing it did not count as confession according to DA I spoke with and yes i ran out of coffee this morning but have been to store since feeling much better thanks

Nordstrom needs a written confession to go forward with prosecution.

The information they most likely have is an associate refund to a personal credit card report. This means, your associate number refunded monies to your personal credit card. Being a high dollar amount, this is considered suspect coupled with the fact that you quit your job soon after the transaction occured.

Nordstrom LP are trying to put two and two together, but in order to do this, they need to get a verbal/written confession along with a restitution note signed by you.

What good can come from going in and sitting down with them? If you are going to be prosecuted, you will be prosecuted regardless of whether you sit down and "explain - (read put the nail in your own coffin)" the situation. My hunch, and it is only a hunch, is that they want you to confess so that they CAN take your case to court. Do you really think that these guys "care" about you? Hell no, they want another stat so that they can be promoted.

Whatever you do, let them make the first move. Force them to take you to court. Remember, even if they don't prosecute you immediately after the written confession you give (I Strongly advise you don't write anything), they still have time (Statute of Limitations).

Ignore them, you don't work for them and retain legal counsel. If you don't believe me, ask a criminal defense lawyer - they will tell you something very similiar to what I and aaron have.

You want a career in banks (maybe) so don't do anything stupid to jepordize it. If you did steal, don't do it again. Live and learn. BTW you commited a fraud not a simple theft. Fraud carries higher penalties and can result in a more severe outcome.

"Do you really think that these guys "care" about you? Hell no, they want another stat so that they can be promoted."

Sometimes when you work for a "Class Act" like Nordstrom's, they actually care about their employees. It's fair to say they may want to give them a chance to make things right before going through the legal system. This sounds more like the Target approach to internals and promotions. I still wouldn't go down there, let them come to you if in fact there is a case. If they call you, why not ask out right what they want?

Did you go to the meeting?

If you did go to the meeting, what was the outcome?

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Sometimes when you work for a "Class Act" like Nordstrom's, they actually care about their employees

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They only care about turning a profit - that is the basis for retail. Take Retail 101 and then come talk to me.

Target's "Retail 101" may involve basic training in crappin on your employees but, HAPPILY, such is not the case everywhere. Some actually care about their employees, and turning a profit.

The last time I was in a Target I really can't recall seeing any happy looking employees. Yesterday at Nordstroms I saw virtually all of them with smiles and nice greetings.

Must be a different "Retail 101" at Nordy's. ;)

Retail is retail. You are naive to think otherwise. They would not be in business if they weren't turning a profit.

If they really cared about their employees, they would blow off this $700 alleged theft and "take care of their employee". No, they are investigating it because it came off their bottom line. Any reasonable person can figure that out.

Put your hand in a bucket of water and then remove it. Now tell me where the hole is. When anyone leaves a company, life moves on. People come and go and companies have no loyalty to their employees. Look at the grocery stores for example. For years, they have given (Kroger Co) their employees FREE health insurance. This is unheard of anywhere. Now Kroger is trying to charge its employees for the insurance. Does Kroger care about their employees?

I know, I know - you guys are the end all be all of LP. Your stores are like Fort Knox, you work for mega bucks, your employer really cares about you and gives every single employee what they need when they need it. In fact, the CEO of your company would rather be in the red and not turn a profit, while helping out his bottom line workers.

Keep dreaming. Yes, aaron, we move this to the banter thread come Monday.

If you've never worked for Nordstrom's or even worked WITH them how would you know? Oh yeah I for got you know everything....you spent 4 long years in LP while working your way through "Retail 101". First off their pay scale is way higher than Targets, even the LP's make more than you probably do. I've seen Nordie's bend over backwards for their employees, so I wasn't making something up but stating a fact.

So, what happened? If you are even on this site anymore I am sure many of the members including myself would like an update.