Alucid

When an employee leaves without returning company equipment — like a laptop, monitor, or phone — it’s tempting to withhold their final paycheck until it’s returned. But is that legal?

It’s a common and frustrating situation: an employee leaves your company, and the laptop, monitor, or phone you issued never comes back. Naturally, you might wonder — can we hold their final paycheck until they return the equipment?

Under federal law, employers can deduct the full cost of unreturned company equipment from an employee’s paycheck except . . . .

Yes — there are important differences!

Several major companies have announced significant layoffs and return-to-office mandates, reflecting ongoing shifts in the global workforce landscape.