Can an Employer Take Money From My Pay?

[sherric17]

I formally worked for a school district as a student worker. At first I began working for the Career Center Oct. 2006, then I transferred to the main office around a week later. Very soon after that I was tranferred again to the Instructional Services dept where I worked there from October 12, 2006 - September 7, 2007. When I first began to work at the Career Center, I was getting $7.00 an hour. After I was transferred to both locations my pay remained the same, until July of 2007 where it was switched to $6.50 an hour. I didn't realize this until I recieved my September check. I contacted the payroll dept. and was informed that in order for this to be changed I would have to have my former employer contact them. So I talked to my former employer who said that I was supposed to be getting only $6.50 the whole time I had worked for them in the Instructional Services Dept. She also said that if i was to persue this that they would most likely deduct the extra pay from my paycheck. Is this right? I didn't know I was suppose to only get $6.50, so it's their mistake for not changing my pay when I transferred. Can they still deduct my pay if I try to persue them for the last 3 monthes that I was only getting paid only $6.50?
Thanks,
Sherric17

 

[cbg]

They can legally lower your wage unless you have a binding contract that says otherwise.

Whether or not they can do it retroactively depends on your state, which you did not identify.

 

[sherric17]

^^^^Says Location: ATX, this means Austin, Texas.

 

[cbg]

I have no way of knowing what your abbrievations mean. It may be in local use but trust me, those of us in MA do not pay attention to local symbols in Texas.

To the best of my knowledge, TX does require prior notification of a wage decrease. Contact the TWC for confirmation.