Yes, my employer cashed in my vacation time, and said it was because I was working so little, my paycheck wouldn't have even covered to cost of my insurance.

Times are slow right now, and I went two weeks without working. When I came in, my employer said that he cashed in my vacation time. I paused. He then said that my paycheck was so miniscule, he needed to cash it to pay my health insurance. (I pay half of my health insurance premiums, I believe.) This brings up two questions:

1. While I may have wanted to cash in my vacation pay anyway, is it legal for my employer to do that for me?

2. If my employer did NOT cash in my vacation pay, and therefore I could not cover my part of my health insurance costs, what would have happened? Was it the duty of the company to cover those costs, and my boss was unwilling to do that, so that is why he took it out of my vacation pay?

Thank you for anyone who may be able to help!

-Sloppy

1. Yes.

2. No, the company could have required you make the payment via personal check.

Thanks.
I couldn't find any related law information, so I figured it was legal.