I’ve (GM, 34y) recently had two pretty standard “theft by virtue of employment” situations I caught doing comp/void audits before payroll, that resulted in terming several employees - for context we’re a 300 seat upscale casual restaurant & bar opened about 2 weeks ago.

one server watched a kitchen manager clock in, noted their manager number for the POS, and voided off about $40 worth of food she would take home every night after her shift (8 separate instances). About $450 in unauthorized voids.

A very green bartender was just shorting the drawer about 20 bucks every night during the same pay period. Only happened 3 times (that I’m aware of) so it totaled under $80 in cash short.

I have the POS audit and drawer reports from Toast and security cam footage in glorious 4k that beyond a reasonable doubt captures every instance of theft, and when notifying involved staff of their termination I confronted them both with the footage and related reports. All admitted to their actions.

I’m in Wisconsin, anyone have experience withholding a portion or all of a termed employee’s last check to recoup about $600 in losses to the business? Alternative suggests!?

Thanks!

update: all employees were issued paper checks for full amount. They all agreed to pay back what was owed to the restaurant (after receiving their paychecks.) and will do so as a separate transaction. I applied their employee discount. Police were not contacted.