Visa and Mastercards

Is it legal for employers to pay employees with pre-paid VISA cards?

I worked at the ESPN Zone for a few weeks, and they pay employees with direct deposit or pre-paid VISA cards. I did not want to sign up for direct deposit, so must accept the card as payment. The funds are going to already be loaded on the card, and it can be used just like a regular debit card.

Public Comments

1. I worked for a job that loaded our pay onto cards and if we wanted a check we had to fill out a blank form and take it to our work place and THEN to a pre-approved bank. To use the card at an atm cost fees. I'm not sure about legality, but as long as I received my entire salary, the prepaid VISA wouldn't bother me.
2. wow..that is different!..I have never heard of that.. Call the employment standards to find out..
3. Yes, your being paid. Some companies are choosing direct deposit and other ways to pay there employees. This saves the company loads of money in check preparation. It hopefully makes the company more profitable and more secure for its employees. I know that some companies in other countries like Mexico pay part of its salary in coupons or vouchers to redeem for food or other merchandise as part of their pay. Sometimes these are like company stores that actually make profit off the goods!! God Bless America !!
4. where are you? payday laws vary by state. generally large employers know the labor laws for their respective locations and follow them strictly but...... in many states this is not legal so edit the question if you want an definitive answer.
5. I have seen no regulation that says, "thou shalt not pay cash wages using a debit card," so it is quite legal just like any other negotiable instrument or representation of such (paper checks and ACH transactions for example). You can always take your card to the bank with an ID or two, and get the cash. If the payout is given is corn husks, that's when you bring in the lawyers.
6. It is........social security can be paid that way.....