employer docking pay for various reasons

[noweyec]

I work for a small company in ohio. Management has threatened to begin docking employees a quarter of an hours wages if the employee does not fill out paperwork at the end of the day describing what he or she has completed. My employer has also been docking employees in a similar way if the employee has been late or absent twice within a month. I would like to know the legality of this practice and any stipulations. My employer also deducts money from employees' checks without their permision and knowledge for such things as money due the company from an expense report. I would appreciate any insight and or a point in the right direction where I can find out.

 

[cbg]

Docking an employee for not completing paperwork is illegal. However, threatening to do so is not illegal. Until he actually makes a deduction, no laws have been violated.

There is not enough detail to determine if the deductions for tardies or absences are legal or not.

 

[Scooterdog]

Docking an employee for not completing paperwork is illegal. However, threatening to do so is not illegal. Until he actually makes a deduction, no laws have been violated.

There is not enough detail to determine if the deductions for tardies or absences are legal or not.

Hu, I guess we can threaten to kill someone, and it's not illegal until you actually kill them.

That's just poor legal logic. I would contact the department of labor, and FIND OUT.

It is not legal to make threats at the workplace.

 

[cbg]

It's one thing to threaten to commit bodily harm. It's another thing to "threaten" to dock pay, or write someone up.

Suppose the employer did not give the employees notice of what he intended, and just went ahead and did it. The poster would be here complaining that the employer didn't give them any notice of the policy, and you'd be agreeing with them.

One person's "threat" of discipline is another person's fair warning.

 

[Scooterdog]

None the less, it's a violation of ones right to liberty.

One person's "threat" of discipline is another person's fair warning.

I'll never agree with that. It's a form of intimidation, and it's BS. Employee's are not slaves, they do have rights.

 

[cbg]

Sure they do. But whether you like it or not, so do employers, and one of those rights is to let employees know when for one reason or other their job is in jeopardy.