The Wages Protection Act 1983

This Act provides that all workers must be paid in cash unless they give their written consent to a different form of payment. It also regulates the deductions that employers can legally make from wages and salaries. Employers can make the following deductions:

• deductions required by statute (such as PAYE tax)
• deductions required by Court order (such as attachment orders issued by the District Court for the repayment of a judgement debt or for child support payments)
• deductions consented to by an employee, provided it is written consent and not given under undue influence or duress
• deductions made for overpayments from times of strike, lockout, or absenteeism. Employers must be able to show it was not practical to avoid the overpayment, and they must give the employee notice that the deduction will be made.

Any other deductions made by an employer from salary or wages are illegal.