Opinion ID: 1143765
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: unpaid wages

Text: The trial court found that the Gibsons were owed $20,664.93 in unpaid wages, after appropriate deductions. Beaux contends that he paid the Gibsons' income taxes and other labor burden totalling $6,000, and that this sum should be deducted from their wage award. Testimony concerning these deductions was provided both by Beaux and by Bernice Gibson. The trial court held that Beaux had failed to prove that the Gibsons' wages should be reduced due to tax withholding. We are not firmly convinced that this finding is erroneous. The trial court denied the Gibsons' claim that Beaux should pay a penalty as authorized by AS 23.05.140(d) because he failed to pay their wages. Alaska Statute 23.05.140(d) provides: If an employer violates (b) of this section by failing to pay within three working days of termination, the employer may be required to pay the employee a penalty in the amount of the employee's regular wage, salary or other compensation from the time of demand to the time of payment, or for 90 working days, whichever is the lesser amount. (Emphasis added.) The award of a penalty under this section is within the sound discretion of the trial court. The court found no evidence that Beaux intentionally withheld wages due. Therefore, the court denied the penalty claim. We see no abuse of discretion here.