Stolen Bottle of Champagne

That is ridiculous, he is being a child. Club together and get him one of those mini one person portions of champagne! Selfish of whoever took it but he is also being a baby having a sulk because he didn’t get a glass.

Would not pay

Tell your boss you won’t be contributing to a replacement as you won’t be drinking any of the champagne. If the others want to pay and drink their share of the bottle let them get on with it.

Sorry haven't RTFT, I'd tell the boss to f off!

I also think it was the boss that drank it, someone else asked him where it had gone and he claimed stolen to avoid the accusation.

If I could afford to/wanted to leave my job I wouldn't pay. Otherwise I'd probably shell out to keep the peace. But go you.

Your boss is an idiot. Why would anyone pay for something that was given as a gift?

This is totally illegal. Your manager cannot make you pay for something you didn’t take! It’s disgusting they are putting you in this position, I’d be very vocal to the person you think it is about how unfairly you are being treated, see if you can get them to own up. I doubt it as they probably know they’ll get the sack!

I want the update please OP… guessing this will be tomorrow now!

Ask to see the receipt.

Who would everyone be paying the reparation money to?

Suggest a new bottle is purchased with the extortion money and that you and only you will hold the key to the cupboard it's locked in

Shocking. If it was a gift then nobody is out of pocket. If it was for all of you then everyone has missed out equally. Would you all be sharing the replacement bottle?

I would leave if your in the fortunate position to do so and say something like ok I’ll see you at the tribunal bye 🤣

I'd tell your boss two words SOD OFF.

This would definitely be a hill I would die on.

No to contributing towards replacing a bottle of champagne that I had nothing whatsoever to do with in the first place.

Nope.

I'd even get on to ACAS and get their advice and ask them if they could email their response to you - just so you have in writing what the ACAS advice is in relation to being asked to contribute towards replacing something, a gift, that was left in an insecure location in the office and that has gone walkies.

Looking forward to the update op 🤣

This, but put it in writing. All of it. State exactly what has happened, what he's asked you to do and what he's threatened will happen if you don't comply.

Your manager is committing a criminal offence against you and the others. Its extortion pure and simple. You can join a union even in a Mon unionised workforce but if there is HR department they will squash this. And bullying should be reported

Please don't leave and allow him to suggest it was because you were the thief!!! Follow the ACAS route and absolutely disallow this outrageous behaviour!

It was a quarter yours anyway. Tell him you're not that bothered and will just let it go. If the others do that too no problem. If they decide to chip in then they are paying for their share, suggest that they open the new bottle and drink that part that is theirs.

I would think this is illegal , tell them you refuse to pay fir something you haven’t stolen and will speak to acas about your legal rights then ring acas

I think the Manager drank it. Probably took it home, thinking no one would notice that the champagne wasn't forthcoming, but then perhaps someone mentioned it, and he realised he was going to have to replace it, but didn't want to pay out £70, once he'd drunk it, so then claimed it had been stolen, and is now putting pressure on everyone to replace it. I would just say that I'm not paying, and when all the stupid people who are currently putting pressure on you to contribute to a bottle of champagne that they plan to drink between them, have replaced it, you won't bother to have any.

You'd be an absolute MUG to contribute OP!

Shame the rest of the team probably wouldn't be on board..

After confirming he won't be contributing.... I'd try to get everyone on board with chipping in to give themselves whatever their % would be.. using the same note.

Say it's £20 - everyone pass a 20 round to the left til it gets back to the start. Job done.

Then tell him:

' We've all chipped in to cover the loss... and everyone involved has been recompensed for that loss.'

Then watch him bluster and kick off and point out... no one really wanted two mouthfuls of champagne, so financial recompense is fine.

Bully boy boss needs a bag check I reckon! Stick to your guns OP!

If the gift was for all of you, money to cover it should be shared between all of you and so none of you owe the money.

I'd accuse the boss loudly and repeatedly. And talk about wage theft in their presence.

Would paying the money knock anyone below minimum wage for the day? If so also start talking about the hassle of trying to get through to hmrc to report it.

Hope you have fun with it and no one actually pays for it.

I worked in bars a lifetime ago, we got accused of something similar. They started checking our bags at the end of every shift, making threats like yours. The thief was the manager who was eventually caught by top management.

So there has been a theft and your boss has announced said theft and is only looking for everyone else to chip in to replace this bottle? Not chipping in themselves? I see where you are coming from op and I would die on the chair I was sitting rather than pay towards that 'fund' for the next bottle as essentially that seems to be now what it is. I am not in the UK but I would state my case and if threatened with being fired then counter threat for constructive dismissal if I felt I had to leave because of it.