questions & answers

Question: I worked for an AC company and during that time of my employment my AC needed service. They fixed it at a discount price and we agreed that I would make weekly payment until the balance is paid. Well I was terminated before being able to pay off the balance. My question is can they withhold that from my final paycheck? Also they're charging me for a price book that I dont have and some uniforms that were missing but I turned in whatever uniforms I had. Can they withhold that as well?

Answer: Arizona employers can make payroll deductions only under these three situations: 1. The employer is required or empowered to do so by state or federal law. 2. The employer has prior written authorization from the employee. An employer shall not withhold wages under a written authorization from the employee past the date specified by the employee in a written revocation of the authorization, unless the withholding is to resolve a debt or obligation to the employer or a court orders otherwise. 3. There is a reasonable good faith dispute as to the amount of wages due, including the amount of any counterclaim or any claim of debt, reimbursement, recoupment or set-off asserted by the employer against the employee. The Arizona Minimum Wage Law requires employers to pay employees the established Arizona minimum wage. In 2016, the Arizona minimum wage is $8.05 per hour. You should consult with the Arizona Labor Department to determine whether or not the deductions from your final paycheck for servicing your AC, the missing price book, and the missing uniforms are lawful. The phone numbers for the Arizona Labor Department are Phoenix (602) 542-4515 and Tucson (520) 628-5459.