Can boss deduct 30 minutes off pay for just 5 mintues late?

My working conditions have become unbearable, I believe my boss is intentionally trying for me to quit, he has taken it upon himself to deduct 30 minutes off my pay if I'm 10 or less minutes late, he has already several times taken this much off my paychecks for just 5 minutes of me being late. If I forget to clock in the morning he has decided he will only start paying me from the hour he notices, this being hours later. He continuously harasses me by telling me that any small mistake I make will end in the result of my termination, mistakes small enough as to forget to turn off the lights at the end of the day, or if I call in sick, this resulting in me having to work today after being injured on the job yesterday and having a doctor's note saying I should stay home. This is leaving me in constant stress. He has also become verbally abusive on an everyday basis and many other things, I would like to know if he's allowed to do any of these things (E.g., taking 30 minutes off my pay) and what I can do about all this if anything. Any input would be greatly appriciated.

Since you didn't put down your State, you are going to have to call your State's wage & hour division and pose your question to them. Usually, 15 minute increments are legal, but it depends on your State's wage & hour laws.

TomS said:

My working conditions have become unbearable, I believe my boss is intentionally trying for me to quit, he has taken it upon himself to deduct 30 minutes off my pay if I'm 10 or less minutes late, he has already several times taken this much off my paychecks for just 5 minutes of me being late. If I forget to clock in the morning he has decided he will only start paying me from the hour he notices, this being hours later. He continuously harasses me by telling me that any small mistake I make will end in the result of my termination, mistakes small enough as to forget to turn off the lights at the end of the day, or if I call in sick, this resulting in me having to work today after being injured on the job yesterday and having a doctor's note saying I should stay home. This is leaving me in constant stress. He has also become verbally abusive on an everyday basis and many other things, I would like to know if he's allowed to do any of these things (E.g., taking 30 minutes off my pay) and what I can do about all this if anything. Any input would be greatly appriciated.

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I worked in a major department store from 1972-1975 in PA and 30 minutes was the norm, back in the Me Decade.

My advice: Your boss is PO'd about your latenesses and failure to sign in (clock in). Instead of seeking legal justice, try to be on time and remember to clock in.

<My advice: Your boss is PO'd about your latenesses and failure to sign in (clock in). Instead of seeking legal justice, try to be on time and remember to clock in. >

Maybe I did make it sound like this was something constant that I do, now if you call being late 3 times in a period of five months constant (as I explain before, we're talking 5 minutes not 30 or an hour), then my apologies, if you call having to work after being injured on the job even though my doctor didn't recommend it, for fear of being fired, no reason to ask what I can do about all this, then my apologies once again, and about the clocking in, in the morning, that only happened once, and he paid me as if I had started work at 11 and when I asked him that's when he told me that if I forgot to sign in this is what he would do, so it also wasn't something I was or am constantly doing.

Thank you for your clarification. It certainly sheds a different light on the subject.

Did you search your state's employment laws?

Unless I am really stupid, I still missed your state.

I hope a real attorney answers you. Good luck.