HELP! My employer ROBBED ME....

QUESTION: Can my employer to cut my pay?

ANSWER: A complicated yes

Our friend, Mr. At-Will, read Who the hell is Mr. At-Will? is up to his old tricks again, slippery one he is, but one, you must remain acquitted when maneuvering the world of employment.

Can you avoid this from happening?

So, if the answer is a complicated yes, why or how can someone avoid this from happening? Answering the latter first, yes, there is a safety measure. Employment contracts, an example of this is the bargaining unit agreement, go union power, between your employer and the union to which you're a member.

Now for the why. Peruse Suzanne Lucas’s article for the balance careers Can the Employer Legally Cut an Employee's Pay? Love, love, love the opening, “Everyone expects regular pay raises but never imagines that their pay might go down.”

Key takeaways from the article.:

1. An employer must pay you the agreed-upon salary for work you've already done.

2. An employer can cut your pay, but not without your knowledge and approval.

For many employees encountering Mr. At-Will in this fashion, the brutal reality hits you once you finally receive your paycheck.

Of course, your employer won't rat themselves out. They will assume you're too desperate and will go along with their bs., right? WRONG! Dead wrong.

First things first, we've established what they can (reduce your pay) and can't do (they must inform you before you work another hour at the new rate via oral and in some states written communication).

Which category do you fall?

• TEAM I WAS INFORMED, chances are Mr. At-Will smiled and showed you the door.

• TEAM THEY TOLD ME NOTHING, we look once more to Suzanne's handy infographic, When Is It Illegal for a Boss to Lower Pay? for some answers. Don't you just love a good pic.

If your employer dropped kicked you in one of those categories, you have an uphill battle on your hands, but at least you're armed with ammunition.

*If you weren't fired, you should address this issue with HR, especially if you choose to remain employed at the lower rate or take a demotion.

In my opinion, the employer isn't a total cad and probably facing financial issues. Try to gather some optics on how long this will affect you and plan accordingly.

Outside of HR handling the issue, there won't be an easy or fast fix. Contact your state Department of Labor. Understand this can be a frustrating process. Often employees lose hope and find employment elsewhere.

Certainty and loyalty in the world of employment departed around the same time Don Draper did his last ad campaign. Arming yourself with as much information about your company's policies is helpful when out-of-the-blue situations occur.

Finally, try not to get caught in a web of false assumptions. My employer only cut my pay because of greed. Is that fact, or are you speculating? Please throw this thinking away. While that may be true for some employers, it’s not for all. Employers aren’t always the villains. They must also answer to vendors, creditors, the IRS, lmao.