Eli5 how tax write offs work

Question

So I ordered shoes through my work place and via my paystubs I absolutely don’t understand

So boots cost 200$

First week they took 50$ out of my check (as I expected)

Then the next week my check was 200$ more, on inspection, it showed normal taxes being deducted from, then it showed “Shoes +200$” as if it just paid for the boots from my taxes? But proceeded to give me the money?

Then the following week they took 25$ from my paycheck

So I truely havnt a fucken clue what’s happening rn

In: Other

Answer 1

Writes offs were explained to me like this.. not sure if this is right but seems legit.

If you make 1000 a year, government says hey you owe us X% of 1000 dollars for taxes. Then you say look I donated 50 dollars and spent 150 on all these other things I can “write off”. So here is X% of 800 dollars instead.