Quick legal advice: Your employer took part of your wages because of “bad work”

Mgr. Nikola Šedová
2. May 2025
1 minute of reading
1 minute of reading
Legal news

Did you get your paycheck and find that your account is missing a few hundred (or thousand)? Your supervisor justifies it by saying that “your work was not up to par”? Does he have the right to do that?

kritický šéf

The wage is contractual – the employer may not arbitrarily shorten it

Unless your contract or internal rules explicitly state that your pay can be reduced for certain misconduct, your employer cannot just “take” your money. Wages are determined by the employment contract, and changes must be in writing and mutually agreed.

  • Dissatisfaction with performance can be grounds for a warning, not a pay cut. Your employer can use other tools (e.g. a letter of reprimand), but they cannot take money from you arbitrarily.
  • Deductions from wages? Only for lawful reasons – For example, because of a garnishment, a debt owed by the employee to the company, or damages. And even then, only with court approval or a written agreement for deductions.
  • Written documentation is key – If your employer tells you that you disagree with something or that they “explained” something to you verbally, don’t let it go. Demand written justification and specific calculations.

What can you do?

Start with the payroll accountant – ask why you received less money. If you don’t get a reasonable explanation, write to the employer asking for extra pay.

If you can’t reach an agreement, you can contact the labour inspectorate. The employer can order the employer to make amends or impose a fine.
As a last resort, you can take legal action to recover your wages – often with interest for late payment.

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