...
Summary of differences between federal and state regulations
Federal regulations restrict the types of deductions that can be made from an employee’s wages or salary. Deductions can be made in certain cases, but the legality often depends on the nature and purpose of the deductions, as well as the status of the employee as exempt or non-exempt.
Under Maine law, an employer can not require anyone to work without compensation or give back a part of compensation for any reason other than for:
- the payment of a loan, debt or advance;
- the payment of any merchandise purchased from the employer;
- sick or accident benefits;
- life or group insurance premiums, excluding compensation insurance, which an employee has agreed to pay;
- rent, light or water expense of a company-owned house or building.
The word “debt” means a benefit to the employee. Debt does not include items incurred by the employee in the course of the employee’s work or dealing with the customers on his employer’s behalf, such as cash shortages, inventory shortages, dishonored checks, dishonored credit cards, damages to the employer’s property in any form or any merchandise purchased by a customer.
An employer may not require an employee or applicant to:
- bear the medical expense of an examination when that examination is ordered or required by the employer.
- bear the expense of an eye examination ordered or required by the employer which is performed by a person licensed to perform the examinations, except that if an employer orders or requires the eye examination to be performed by a specific type of eye care provider, or specific provider, the employer must pay for the examination only when performed by that specific type of eye care provider or specific provider.
State
Contact
Regulations
Maine Revised Statutes Title 26, Chapter 7, §592, Charge by employer prohibited
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/26/title26sec592.html
Maine Revised Statutes Title 26, Chapter 7, §629, Unfair agreements
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/26/title26sec629.html
Federal
Contact
Regulations
For non-exempt employees:
29 CFR Part 531, Wage Payments under The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
For exempt employees:
29 CFR Part 541, Subpart G, Salary Requirements