Can a manager legally fine (not fire, fine, as in docking pay) an employee for failure to perform a certain outlined task (as opposed to discipline and firing?). I’m thinking it’s possible, provided the parameters are established beforehand and the employee signs off on documentation outlining these parameters, but I’m just not sure. Anyone know any applicable labor laws or resources I can tap into? (PS My state is an at-will employment state)
You cannot fine employees, unless the fine is a ‘reduction’ of bonus, salary, etc and is clearly outlined as a policy of a pay cut as a performance review, or well established/documented/adhered to policy.
The associate would be on probabtion, put under review again and the salary would be returned to a new level, or stay at the cut level. If he stays at a cut level, the action was one of salary adjustment…if returned to the old level, you essentially ‘fined’ him/her.
It’s not practical, because it couldn’t really be a ‘fine’ in the traditional sense.
You can bill employees for damage to property, but that isn’t exactly a fine either.
Military: A commander can impose a fine to a service member as punishment.
Could he give an employee a choice between fining and firing?
If the employee had deliberately (accidently??) lost the company money they might be able to be sued, I suppose. That could be similar.
I personally know of one case where an employee was suspended without pay for three days. The company made him take Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off so as to deprive him of making a long weekend or mini-vacation of it.
Suspension without pay is common at my place of employment. Get caught inside a robot cell without putting a padlock on the disconnect? At least a day off without pay. Ever since my immediate boss got caught and punished this way, he’s vigilent about everyone else. 
Uh, I meant a “common disciplinary practice,” not that it’s a common occurance!
What’s a robot cell? Is that where they put robot criminals?
In Wisconsin, once had a boss who decided to “deduct” a fine from your paycheck for every mistake you made on the line. I called the local labor board and asked if this was legal and was told that it was!
It happens all the time in pro sports.
It’s the work cell where industrial robots work. You’re not supposed to go inside of the robot’s work area without turning off the robot’s motors and putting a lock on the disconnect. Otherwise the robot can hit you. HARD.
Several companies use a negative incentive approach – the employee starts with a certain bonus (for instance) and an amount is deducted for every customer complaint. That’s sort of “fining”, I suppose.
Labor laws in different states and different countries would, of course, be different. Union agreements would probably prevent a company from making the employee pay THEM (I’d guess) but a suspension without pay is effectively a fine.