Can You Overdraw a Bank Account with a 0 Balance(no Money in the Account )?

i had no money in my account and a couple of weeks ago i signed up for direct deposit but it didn't go through because when i went to work my manager told me and he hand me my check anyway i did not know it didn't go through. the day before i found that out i used my debit card and brought something thinking i had money in my account from my job and now i have a overdraft fee but there was no money in my account why didn't it decline

Suggestion:

As a rule of thumb, banks will let direct debits overdraw your account (up to a certain amount) but will not allow you to withdraw cash from a zero balance.

Because the direct debit process falls into the category of financial transactions, they are legally allowed to charge penalty rates, without consumer consultation, for allowing the overdraw.

Cash withdrawls, on the other hand, are placed in a different category and banks are not entitled to charge penalty rates without the consumers consultation and permission. Hence why they don't let you overdraw cash, they don't make money.