Q: can my boss legally give me a pay cut without notifying me first?
my boss has told me a lot of different things since I started this job, but he's continuously harassed me and now I was looking over my pay stub and realized that my pay has gone down. so legally was my boss able to give me a pay cut with any notification?
A:
Really an employment law question here, and a popular one!
Salary and other work condition stability may be protected if you were hired under conditions-certain contract, or depending on employer's policies or related laws that may cover its government contracts that provide the money to cover your services, for example. In these cases, you may be protected against changes in employment conditions without certain process and/or justifications.
However typically employment is "at will" so that the relationship can be terminated (by employer or employee) without advanced notice or reason given. But it is unusual to see such a slight decrease in pay without a change in role, as you appear to describe. Because paychecks should itemize all deductions, you should review a paycheck before and after and/or ask your payroll team.
Harassment is typically a separate legal domain, for which you need to provide more details the explain the harassment cause (ther are many prohibited bases) and harassment manner and frequency (for example, sexual harassment of certain kinds or after clear "No"). why you believe thast you are being harassed unless you think that the pay change is retaliatory.
If the harassment is prohibited, and it caused a pay decrease, this could raise the issue of retaliation. Employers seek smooth sailing for their businesses, I have found in most of my work assisting companies. So, I know that they typically respond well to Clarification Letters from an attorney, once you have more facts. Research additional details, then reach out to an attorney for this letter.
We are here to help.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
