The spelling of "pay check" in American English can sometimes cause confusion, as the word "check" is spelled differently in other English-speaking countries. In IPA phonetic transcription, "pay" is pronounced as /peɪ/ and "check" is pronounced as /tʃɛk/. The reason for the difference in spelling is because in American English, "check" refers specifically to a written document, whereas in British English the spelling "cheque" is used for both the document and the act of verifying. Regardless of the spelling, the importance of a reliable paycheck remains the same.
A pay check is a written, printed or electronic document given to an employee by their employer as a form of payment for work completed. It serves as a tangible record of the employee's wages or salary for a specific period of time, typically on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.
The pay check typically includes important details such as the employee's name and address, the employer's name and address, the pay period covered by the payment, the employee's rate or amount of pay, the total hours worked, deductions made from the employee's gross earnings, and the net amount the employee will receive after deductions.
It is considered a legal document that functions not only as a proof of payment but also as a means to track and document income for both the employer and the employee. Paychecks are used by employees for various purposes such as budgeting, taxes, retirement planning, and loan applications.
The amount written on the pay check is usually derived from a combination of the employee's fixed salary or hourly wage, additional overtime or bonuses earned, and any applicable deductions such as income tax, social security contributions, pension contributions, health insurance premiums, and other withholdings as mandated by law or agreed upon between the employer and employee.
The word paycheck is derived from two separate components.
The first component, pay, comes from the Old English word pægan, meaning to give or present. This word evolved over time to payen in Middle English, eventually becoming pay in Modern English.
The second component, check, originates from the Old English word cecce, which referred to a written bill or document. This term also evolved over time, and by the 17th century, check was commonly used to mean a document that served as proof of payment.
The combination of pay and check came into use in the late 19th century, denoting the document or voucher that an employer would give to an employee as proof of their wages or salary. Over time, it became more common to refer to this document as a paycheck.