Each time you pay wages, you must provide a statement of deductions listing the gross and net wages and all individually itemized deductions (such as taxes). This statement can be provided electronically or in hard copy.
You may not make a deduction from an employee's wages for shortages or breakage and you may not make a deduction from an employee's wages if the employee has damaged company equipment. You also may not make deductions from an employee's last paycheck for failure to return company property such as an ID tag, cell phone, tools, etc?
You cannot require an individual to pay for drug or other pre-employment testing or make a deduction from their paycheck for these costs, unless you are hiring security guards. You cannot deduct the cost of drug testing, medical examinations, visual exams, etc. from the employee’s pay or require the employee or prospective employee to pay for this cost. However, the 2004 Security Officer Registration Act (N.J.S.A. 45:19A-1 et seq.) allows applicants for security guard jobs to be responsible for the payment of any registration costs with the State Police, which includes drug testing, fingerprinting, criminal background checks, etc.
In most cases no deductions can be made for make deductions for uniforms or uniform maintenance. However, such deductions are permitted if the payments are authorized by the employees and their collective bargaining agents for rental of work clothing or uniforms or for dry cleaning and laundering of the clothing or uniforms.
An employee can be required to wear a uniform and if the employee pays for uniforms in cash and the cash payment brings the employee below the minimum wage, the employer is required to make up the difference for the minimum wage for that week.
In addition, an employer may not require an employee to purchase a uniform that contains a company logo or cannot be worn as street wear.
No payroll deductions can be made for a license, certificate or certification that is required to do the job. The employee can be required to pay for the license, certificate or certification if it is the property of the employee, not exclusive to one employer, and is required to perform the job. However, payment cannot be made by payroll deduction.
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