Exempt Employee’s Pay Can Be Docked

Q As an exempt (non-overtime) management employee, is the company required to pay me my full weekly salary even if I occasionally take one or more non-vacation days off during the workweek to engage in non-job activities?

--C.D., Hollywood

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A As a general rule, exempt employees must be paid their full salaries in any week in which they perform work.

There are, however, several exceptions. Deductions may be made from salary if an exempt employee is absent for a full day or more for personal reasons other than sickness or an accident. Thus, your employer can legally deduct a day’s pay for each day in which you take a full day off during the workweek to engage in non-job activities.

--Joseph L. Paller Jr.

Union, employee attorney

Gilbert & Sackman

If you have a question about an on-the-job situation, please mail it to Shop Talk, Los Angeles Times, P.O. Box 2008, Costa Mesa, CA 92626; dictate it to (714) 966-7873, or e-mail it to shoptalk@latimes.com. Include your initials and hometown. The Shop Talk column is designed to answer questions of general interest. It should not be construed as legal advice.