Right to search staf?

[Jibergrt]

My son works for a company that has a concession (a cafe) in a major supermarket. Today he, and all the staff were searched by the supermarket manager for cash. They are not allowed to have cash on them according to the rules of the company they work for. Unfortunately a couple of them (including my son) did, however it was all acounted for by receipts etc. My point is, does the supermarket have the right to search the staff of the cafe without the cafe manager being there? His contract of employment doesn't mention it, and I think the supermarket were acting illegally.

[Salas]

It will be in his employee handbook that he would have received when joining

[pink-kittens]

Can only speak form experience but the large chain of supermarket I worked for randomly searched us - it was in the handbook. It's to ensure no one is stealing property, of course, but we were allowed to have cash on us, in our bags, not pockets. I think it is unreasonable of the supermarket to tell their employees they cannot carry money in their bags.

When we were searched, the manager was not present only security staff but there had to 2 of them and the searcher had to be the same sex as the searched. All perfectly legal and above board

[dzug]

hang on - the 'Staff Handbook' is for employees of the supermarket. The person in question is not employed by the supermarket but by an independent contractor.

So that leaves the answer to your question rather more open. Did the contractor sign up to it with the supermarket or not? If he did what steps did he take to pass the requirement on to his employees?

It does seem unreasonable to be unable to carry cash. How do you pay your bus fare home for example? Not everyone (particularly male) carrys a bag.

[Jibergrt]

Thanks for the answers so far - yep, the point is, I wouldn't have a problem had it been the company he works for, the fact that it was the supermarket manager I thought was a bit off. He is a teenager and wouldn't say boo to a goose - I would have questioned the managers right to search the staff of another company. No one has ever told him he was liable to be searched by the supermarket.
They can take money in, they have to put it in the lockers though. I can see the logic, and I don't have a problem, but surely without permission (which I am not aware them having) the manager searching the staff would be like him searching a member of the public.

[Ethel]

I assume your son consented?

[Goodsoulette]

Oh are you saying that he worked for a company like Starbucks but the Sainsbury's manager searched him. If so, it sounds a bit fishy to me. I'd get him to ask his manager when she gets in and she can then get on to her HR find out. Probably a grey area and possibly a condition laid out in there sub-letting contract. I got sent to such a store within a supermarket and as far as I could tell everything was treated as totally separate. The supermarket manager could intervene if he though our employees were commiting gross professional misconduct that would lose them business or if the cafe wasn't visually up to standard.

[Whickerman]

A further question - as he works in a cafe, I assume from timne to time he may get a tip? What happens in that case (no receipt etc)?

[Jibergrt]

Thanks whickerman, no, they don't get tips - they tend to get abuse more often! He did consent, he hasn't a problem with it - but I am stroppy so and so if I think that someone is pulling a fast one. He has said that next time he will ask for me to be his representative (which they did ask him if he wanted - which makes it all the more bizarre, sounds like they thought he was guilty of something - which he isn't) and if I turn up there they will have a lot of explaining to do.
Thanks for all your help. I love this place!!