Legal Question in Employment Law in California

Docked wages for accident

I am an auto mechanic at a delearship. While I was at work and on the clock, I was working on a customer's van's brakes. After I did the repair I put the van in reverse and began to drive it to test the brakes. Unfortunatly, I did not do the repair correctly and when I hit the brakes, the van did not stop. I hit another customer's truck. The total damage for both vehicles is estimated to be $4,800. The dealership I work for has an insurance policy with a deductable of $5,000. My boss has decided not to notify the insurance company and has demanded that I pay the $4,800. He originally asked me to pay the entire amount up front, but since I don't have that much money, he has decided to take it out of my paychecks. I have not given him any kind of permission to do this. There is a written company policy that says in the event of an accident, an employee may be tested for drugs. That's all the company policy says about accidents. I was not tested for drugs by my employer and am not on drugs. Is it legal for my employer to take the cost of the accident out of my paycheck?

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