Illegal Payroll Deductions

Only certain items are considered legal payroll deductions. In general, legal payroll deductions include: 1) deductions for taxes or wage garnishment; 2) deductions for voluntary charitable contributions, medical insurance, stock purchase, savings or pension plans; 3) deductions for repayment of loans or advances; and 4) deductions to repay shortages due to a proven theft by an employee. Illegal payroll deductions include, for example, deductions for the cost of uniforms and their cleaning or maintenance; tip deductions for credit card processing fees, deductions for restaurant customer walkouts and deductions for damage to employer supplies or equipment, e.g., glass breakage or meal mistakes.

If your employer is violating these payroll deduction rules, you (and other employees) may be entitled to a significant award of back pay. Please contact us for a free and confidential case evaluation or simply to learn more about what your employer can deduct from your pay.