hoding back paycheck not legal

Ask a Lawyer

Ask a Lawyer

Question

Country: United States of America State: Michigan A good friend of mine was training someone at work on a forklift.The trainee managed to run the forklift into a barrel of hydrochloric acid, my friend was thrown from the forklift before he had a chance to shut it off. He has lost his job over this, but the company is trying to hold his last paycheck because of the emergency room visit for him and his coworkers.this does not seem right or even legal. Isn't that what workman's compensation is for? Would it make sense for him to get a lawyer over this?

Answer

It is not legal--they normally cannot hold it... You could consult your nearest Department of Labor office to briefly discuss the issue with them first...you may also want to ask the company to put what is happening in writing and explain to them that you may have attorneys review the situation...try speaking to a higher level of management about the issue; they may override the other managers.