It depends on a few things.
What state are they in? Some states do not allow this sort of deduction at all.
Can the uniforms be worn outside of work as “street clothes”? If so, they could be considered a benefit to the worker instead of solely benefiting the employer.
If they are deducted, the agreement should be in writing. Many states consider this activity to be to the benefit of the company and while they may be able to charge the employee for the uniforms, deducting them from the paycheck may not be allowed.
Also – is the employee truly “exempt”? Uniforms are not worn by exempt as often as non-exempt. If the worker is misclassified and down the road this is uncovered, the deduction may have been illegal for MW and OT concerns as well as other.
October 2018