If your husband is covered by the Teamsters Contract, these Article 17 exerpts apply. Just be aware that the vacation must be properly selected, and that the language doesn't clearly say penalty pay applies to late vacation checks, just to "other shortages." And penalty pay would not apply for the week's delay your husband agreed to.
ARTICLE 17. PAID FOR TIME
Wages for properly selected vacations, in all instances, will be paid to the employees no later than the workday prior to their vacation. If the employee does not receive his/her vacation check, the Employer will make all reasonable efforts to provide the check the following day including delivery by Saturday or Next Day Air. Other shortages involving more than thirty dollars ($30.00) for fulltime employees, and fifteen dollars ($15.00) for part-time employees, will be corrected and the payment will be made available to the employee at his/her reporting location on his/her second scheduled workday after reporting the shortage. If the Employer fails to make the payment available on the employee’s second scheduled workday and the shortage was the result of the Employer’s error, the employee will be paid an additional amount equal to one-half (1/2) of his/her daily guarantee at his/her regular hourly rate for every full pay period in which the shortage is not paid after the second (2nd) scheduled work day, until corrected.
All employees must receive their vacation pay in a separate check before taking vacation. Vacation checks for an employee, who is taking a properly scheduled vacation in accordance with the applicable Supplement, Rider or Addendum, will be at the operating center on Monday of the week prior to the employee’s vacation week(s). This is to ensure that the employee receives his/her pay prior to taking his/her vacation. The employee will be shown his/her check upon request, but will not receive the check until the regular scheduled pay day.