A reader has inquired as to whether or not an employee wage deduction can be made if an employee fails to return company property upon termination. Unfortunately, both Minnesota and Wisconsin law are clear that an employer cannot make a deduction for lost or stolen property (or any other claimed indebtedness) unless the employee, after the debt has arisen, voluntarily authorizes the deduction. In the case at hand, a different approach would seem to have the same result and be applicable to many cases of employees having employer property at termination. For example, in the case of security cards, an employer might charge an employee a specific amount to obtain their keycard, but with the understanding that the money will be returned to the employee when they leave. This might also be helpful in cases of limiting lost cards in general.