Is it legal for my employer to deduct the hours I worked I if I made a mistake on the job?
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Is it legal for my employer to deduct the hours I worked I if I made a mistake on the job?
I work for an electrical contractor. If I made a mistake on a job and had to go back and fix it a few days later, is it legal for my employer to deduct the hours worked to fix the problem from my paycheck. There is no provision for this in my employee handbook and no notice, verbal or written, was given. There was no damage done either property or personal, just a matter of redoing some workmanship to comply with electrical code.
Asked on September 22, 2010 under Employment Labor Law, Ohio
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
Technically, under the law, you should be paid for all work done--even when it's work done to fix your own mistakes. Of course, if you don't have an employment contract either guaranteeing employment or at least setting out a process (or definining the grounds for) for discipline or termination, your employer could have fired you making a mistake which effectively cost them money (your salary, for the time to redo a mistake you made) and also which was a code violation. Therefore, while what you employer did was improper, it was more lenient treatment than they had to provide; they could have properly terminated, suspended, demoted, reduced salary, or otherwise disciplined, etc. you.
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