Employees in Idaho deserve to be treated fairly and receive the pay that they are due. Unfortunately, sometimes, employers withhold pay from workers if they believe that they owe them money.
Laws against not paying employees
There are state and federal laws that regulate how employers must handle paying their workers’ salaries. Most businesses are subject to state and federal laws and must not withhold pay.
Per federal law, employers are not permitted to withhold pay from workers. State laws are usually even stricter regarding paying employees. For example, nonexempt workers are entitled to overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours per week or eight hours per day. Employers cannot avoid paying overtime.
Idaho employment law states that employers cannot withhold pay from employees because they believe that they owe them money. For example, they can’t fail to pay a terminated employee who doesn’t return equipment. The employee must still be paid their final pay.
When employers can deduct from employee pay
There are only certain times when an employer can legally deduct pay from an employee’s paycheck. Social Security contributions and state and federal taxes are normal deductions from pay.
In some cases, an employee might have a wage garnishment judgment against them from creditors for significant debt. This is legal and is ordered by the court as a way to satisfy the debt.
Other legal deductions include contributions toward health insurance, pension, lodging and meals. If an employee is a member of a union or makes charitable contributions, those amounts may also be deducted from their pay. However, all of these must be agreed upon in writing.
If an employee is accidentally paid for hours that they did not work, the employer can legally withhold money from their paycheck to rectify the mistake.
Employees who don’t receive the pay that they’re rightfully due may have the right to hold their employers liable.
