Get YOUR Money Back! What Cannot be Deducted From YOUR Check.
It’s that time of year again, yes the holidays too, but with the end of the year comes TAX TIME! If you own a business or work as an independent contractor you are probably well versed with your deductions and either can’t wait to add them up are dreading the big bill to Uncle Sam. On the other hand most employees just file what the w-2 says on April 15th and wait for their tax return, BUT are there deductions you can take too. What about your boss are they using you as a deduction where they shouldn’t?
Time to double check your paystub, there are only a few LEGAL deductions an employer can make from your paycheck and it pays to pay attention.
Of course it is the HR department’s job, along with payroll to make sure your check is calculated correctly, but this is easier said than done and you may be surprised at the number of mistakes that go un-checked, mistakes that may be costing you big. The company has the right and in fact, is required by law to make some deductions from your check, such as income tax and social security contributions, but are you sure you know everything coming out of your check each pay day?
Is your company overstepping and deducting additional items from your check? This is essentially stealing; if your company is trying to deduct their cost of doing business from your paycheck you need proper representation as soon as possible. It is best to have a professional help you address this rather than going to the company yourself. The team at UELG can verify if in fact the deductions were made in error and help you collect in a manner that will help ensure you get everything you are owed.
Here are a few of the deduction you may not realize you should NOT be paying for:
These are the most common issues we see with deductions.
-Employer deduction for tips. Your tips are yours, they are gratuity left for you for a job presumably well done and CANNOT be re-appropriated by your boss. You cannot have tips deducted from you minimum wage either.
-Should your employer need or want photographs for interviews or employment , they must pay for them.
-Employees who are required to be insured or bonded must be covered under the employer and/or the policy paid by the employer.
– Uniforms must be purchased or reimbursed by the employer, other that your footwear almost all other REQUIRED apparel is the responsibility of the company to pay for.
-Business expenses are just that, you cannot be required to pay out of your pocket any expense that is a necessity to operate the business in question. This includes entertaining clients, travel expenses and meals anytime you are required to work off-site, phone bills for work use, etc. Your company writes off business expenses even if you are a sales person, if you are an employee and not a contractor, you are not responsible for business costs, that includes the cost of GETTING business.
-All drug or health checks required by the employer or by law for employment are the sole responsibility of the company.
Seen any of these on your check stub? CALL US NOW, we can help you separate the legal from the cheating and help you get what you are entitled to.
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