The company has admitted to dipping into tip jars in the past.
Popular Mexican restaurant Boojum has issued a response to claims that money in the tip jar for employees was being used to make up cash shortages in Boojum outlets.
Accusations were made over the weekend claiming money in the servers’ tip jar at the restaurant was used to make up till shortages at the end of the day.
The allegations sparked fury online, with many taking to social media to express their disdain at a perceived disregard for Boojum staff and some suggesting an intention to boycott the restaurant in future.
This prompted the burrito bar to release a statement addressing the issue, where it was acknowledged that, as per a Boojum employee handbook from 2013, it stated that cash shortages “will/may be deducted from wages salary”.
“Any cash shortages at the end of the shift/day will be the responsibility of the individual/shift on duty and must be made good by that individual/shift. Any such shortages will/may be deducted from wages/salary,” the handbook read.
“You will be given a written statement of the amount of the deduction, date when the error occurred and the reason for such a deduction. This is an express written term of your contract of employment in compliance with current legislation.”
In the statement, the company did claim that “in five years, not a single deduction of wages occurred as a result of this policy. Nor were there ever any plans to start”. The statement also went on to acknowledge, however, that “a practice did develop in stores whereby tips were used to make good shortages”.
It’s understood that the issue was brought up by staff members.
Included in the statement was a commitment from Boojum to spend upwards of €340,000/£300,000 feeding and providing refreshments to staff members in 2018, claiming that other brands have “removed this benefit or asked for a cash contribution”.
The statement added that, in the past, Boojum has extended maternity pay, invested in employee assistance programmes, invested in programmes that entitle staff to discounts, funded cycle to work schemes, has promoted from within, paid under 18’s above industry standards and paid 100% of all uniform costs.
Boojum also stated that when storms ravaged the country earlier in the year, Boojum paid every single staff member for every single scheduled hour when staff could not make it to work due to snow at a cost of £50,000+ “because that is what being sound is all about.”
The statement concluded with the words “Boojum is sound”.
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