Utah Contractor Practice Exam

The employer may deduct _____ if an employee is late 20 minutes for work.

1. Deduct a half hour's wage

2. Deduct an hour's wage

3. Deduct for 20 minutes only

4. Not deduct from wages

The correct answer is: Deduct a half hour's wage

The correct answer is based on the principle of rounding down or consolidating time for payroll calculations, which is a common practice in many workplaces to maintain consistency in pay structures. When an employee is late, the employer may choose to round the time deducted, often to the nearest half-hour, depending on the employer's policy. In this case, since the employee is late by 20 minutes, a half-hour deduction would be applied in some businesses as a straightforward method for managing payroll and ensuring accountability. This method simplifies the payroll process and helps maintain clear expectations around punctuality. While some businesses may choose to strictly deduct only the exact amount of time late, practices can vary widely. However, the prevalent approach often reflects the half-hour or hour block system for easier payroll management, which is why the half-hour wage deduction is determined to be the suitable answer in this scenario.