Can an employer decrease your hourly pay just becauseit wants too?
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Can an employer decrease your hourly pay just becauseit wants too?
Asked on October 14, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Georgia
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Actually, your employer can do this. That is unless this pay cut violates existing company policy or you have a union agreement or employment contract that prohibits such a decrease. If not, you are an "at will" employee. Accordingly, while you have the right to work for this particular employer or not, in turn this employer has wide discretion in setting the terms and conditions of your employment. This includes increasing/decreasing salary, with or without notice, with or without cause. The is true so long as such action is not the result of any form of actionable discrimination.
You need to be aware however that this pay cut can be enforced only for wages going forward. Therefore, any hours worked prior to this salary change going into effect, must be paid at your previous pay rate.
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