What is the law regarding thelegality of payroll deductions from an employee’s pay?

Get Legal Help Today

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

What is the law regarding thelegality of payroll deductions from an employee’s pay?

As an OH business owner. If I supply my staff with items they are to use on the job should they quit or be fired can I legally recoup the cost of those items if they are not returned? Example: T-shirts with company logo to be worn at work events. Follow up: Can I legally deduct their pay if I have them sign a contract stipulating they have to return the items or face the penalty of having the cost of the items deducted from their last pay check?

Asked on July 26, 2011 Ohio

Answers:

FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 12 years ago | Contributor

Potentially you could have a written agreement with your employees signed by each one of them and you where items provided to them by you such as shirts with company logos would be returned by them at the end of their employment, but why would you want a used shirt back? Would you give the used shirt to a new employee or would you be more inclined to give a new shirt to a new employee? How would the new employee react to getting a used shirt as opposed to a new shirt to wear at a company event to be a representative for your company?

The cost of deducting unreturned items' costs from an employee's last paycheck is fraught with problems. Most states do not allow such a practice and it would be illegal. Even if legal, it does not look good for you as an employer.

Suggestion: Give the shirts to the employees to wear at any time with no expectation for their return. If the employees wear the shirts with your company's logo on weekends and off work, you are getting free advertising and exposure for your business.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

Get Legal Help Today

Find the right lawyer for your legal issue.

secured lock Secured with SHA-256 Encryption