Legal Question in Business Law in New York

Resignation Requirements

My employer has just instituted a policy that staes we must give 4 weeks notice if we intend to resign. If 4 week notice is not given they will deduct any monies due us when we do leave the job. For example if we only give two weeks notice they will deduct our last two weeks pay or not pay us for two weeks vacation time that may have been due us upon leaving. Can they do this?


Asked on 7/31/03, 8:28 am

3 Answers from Attorneys

Norman Nadel Norman Nadel, Esq.

Re: Resignation Requirements

Sounds stupid and of questionable legality.

Check with the New York Department of Labor.

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Answered on 7/31/03, 8:36 am
Michael Markowitz Michael A. Markowitz, PC

Re: Resignation Requirements

No. The employer cannot deduct the salary.

First I refer you to NY Labor Law section 193 which states:

1. No employer shall make any deduction from the wages of an employee, except deductions which:

a. are made in accordance with the provisions of any law or any rule or regulation issued by any governmental agency; or

b. are expressly authorized in writing by the employee and are for the benefit of the employee; provided that such authorization is kept on file on the employer's premises. Such authorized deductions shall be limited to payments for insurance premiums, pension or health and welfare benefits, contributions to charitable organizations, payments for United States bonds, payments for dues or assessments to a labor organization, and similar payments for the benefit of the employee.

2. No employer shall make any charge against wages, or require an employee to make any payment by separate transaction unless such charge or payment is permitted as a deduction from wages under the provisions of subdivision one of this section.

There is a criminal penalty for violation of the law. Pursuant to NY Labor law section 198-a, "Every employer who does not pay the wages of all of his employees in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, and the officers and agents of any corporation who knowingly permit the corporation to violate this chapter by failing to pay the wages of any of its employees in accordance with the provisions thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor for the first offense and upon conviction therefor shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than twenty thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year, and, in the event that any second or subsequent offense occurs within six years of the date of conviction for a prior offense, shall be guilty of a felony for the second or subsequent offense, and upon conviction therefor, shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than twenty thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than one year plus one day, or punished by both such fine and imprisonment, for each such offense. An indictment of a person or corporation operating a steam surface railroad for an offense specified in this section may be found and tried in any county within the state in which such railroad ran at the time of such offense."

Mike.

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Answered on 7/31/03, 8:59 am
Stephen Loeb Law Office of Stephen R. Loeb

Re: Resignation Requirements

They may be able to deduct unused vacation time, they definitely cannot deduct wages for time actually worked.

Should you like to discuss this or any other legal matter, you can call my office to schedule an appointment for a consultation or in the alternative, I can be reached for on-phone low-cost legal consultation at 1-800-275-5336 x0233699.

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Answered on 7/31/03, 9:02 am


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