Most Texas workers don't know this, but it's illegal for your employer to deduct cash register shortages from your paycheck unless you signed a very specific written agreement BEFORE the shortage occurred.
The law: Texas Labor Code Section 61.018 states that an employer may only deduct from wages with written authorization from the employee that is signed on or before the payday for the pay period.
What this means:
- If your register is short and your boss says "it's coming out of your check" — that's illegal unless you signed an agreement in advance
- The agreement must be SPECIFIC to payroll deductions, not just a generic employee handbook acknowledgment
- If they already docked you, you can file a wage claim with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC)
How to file a wage claim:
- Go to twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/how-submit-wage-claim
- You have 180 days from the date the wages were due
- No lawyer needed — TWC investigates for free
- If you win, the employer pays what they owe PLUS penalties
Source: Texas Labor Code Section 61.018, Texas Workforce Commission wage claim procedures
Share this with anyone who works retail or food service. Most managers either don't know or pretend not to know.
This is why you always keep your pay stubs. Every. Single. One. Digital screenshots count too.