minimum wage & paycheck deductions

[kimberk]

I took a part-time job a month ago (29 hrs. a week) at minimum wage at a check cashing agency. Everyday i work, i am sent to the bank to drop off deposits or pick up more money for the company and sometimes to drop off the owner's payments for her personal bills! I don't mind doing these things but i was unaware of this when i accepted the job. My frustration is that i drive a full size truck that gets horrible gas mileage and have to borrow 20 dollars from employer everyday for gas to be able to run these errands, and they take this money out of my paycheck at the end of the week! Just recently they have started giving me a gas allowance of 31 cents a mile but that only covers half of the money i spend for gas! I have already talked with the owner about this and was told to "hang in there! It will get better eventually!". Is this legal?

 

[army judge]

I took a part-time job a month ago (29 hrs. a week) at minimum wage at a check cashing agency. Everyday i work, i am sent to the bank to drop off deposits or pick up more money for the company and sometimes to drop off the owner's payments for her personal bills! I don't mind doing these things but i was unaware of this when i accepted the job. My frustration is that i drive a full size truck that gets horrible gas mileage and have to borrow 20 dollars from employer everyday for gas to be able to run these errands, and they take this money out of my paycheck at the end of the week! Just recently they have started giving me a gas allowance of 31 cents a mile but that only covers half of the money i spend for gas! I have already talked with the owner about this and was told to "hang in there! It will get better eventually!". Is this legal?

This has nothing to do with being legal, you agreed to do it after you were asked.

You could refuse, but I'll bet if you do, your services will no longer be required.

The employer is under no obligation to reimburse you for something you volunteered to do.

Besides, you're on the clock while running the errands, so you are being compensated for your time.

If you don't like the arrangement, just say you can't do it any longer, unless he pays you $20 a week for gas.

I suspect if you try that, you'll no longer have a job.

Choices, life has so many choices, choose wisely.

If you borrow money from your boss ($20) and he takes it out of your pay, that is potentially illegal.

Yes, you owe the money, but he can't legally take it from your paycheck, UNLESS you have authorized it to be taken.

You could beef that, but I suspect you will make other problems for yourself.

Legally, if he is taking back the $20 you borrowed, without getting your approval in writing, he's violating the law. READ BELOW

Under section 61.018 of the Texas Payday Law, all deductions, other than payroll taxes, court-ordered garnishments, and other deductions either required by law or specifically authorized by statute, must be both lawful and specifically authorized in writing by the employee. There are two main problem areas with deductions under the Payday Law. One consists of cases stemming from deductions that are allowed under the law, such as the ones detailed above that can take an employee below minimum wage, but for which the employer has failed to get written authorization from the employee. The other category consists of claims resulting from deductions that the employee may have authorized in writing, but which violate state and/or federal laws. That would be the case, for example, with deductions that violate the minimum wage or overtime laws, that have to do with debts arising from illegal transactions (such as illegal gambling and contraband), or that violate certain other laws providing limitations on what employers can take from an employee's pay, such as the limitations on the amounts to be deducted for child support garnishments, IRS tax levies, or student loan wage attachments (see V.T.C.A. Family Code Section 158.009, 26 U.S.C. 6334(d), and 20 U.S.C. 1095a(a)(1), respectively).