Again appealing to the collective wisdom of this forum -

I'm subbing (spin instructor) at a local gym. It's one of those high end, expensive, snooty gyms but the spin bikes are great & the clientele seem nice. The owner/manager seems to run rather fast & loose, i.e., wasn't all that concerned about the sign up paperwork (I-9, W4, etc.) He did want my checking account information because he pays via direct deposit. I am hesitant to give out this information simply because they seem pretty casual about things. I need to say - I worked at a major University for over 30 years, so pedantic, cumbersome rules seem comforting somehow. Maybe this is how the real world operates.

He said he didn't know if they could just cut me a check & direct deposit may be the only way they can pay. I was thinking about opening another checking account for this but that seems a bit radical. Something just doesn't smell right here.

Am I being paranoid?