Potentially not being paid -HELP!

Bazey

I really hope someone can help.

I am writing this on behalf of a freind.

Girl F has been working for a company for over a year. Business reportedly booming and she is very busy at work constantly taking on new clients etc. New staff recently been taken on.

Anyway, the company over the last month or so is only paying expenses under duress. She is owed around 200 quid, from 2 seperate claims. Usually they are paid within the week. This money has been outstanding now for ( the first one) for a month. The accounts team have said that due to a banking error payments cant be transferred. F has seen the accounts team loking very worried and whispering in corners. Other colleagues have also heard bits of rumor that the financial landscape not looking good. F has heard that some of these expenses can bne paid from petty cash, but not all of it.

F is expecting to be paid salary this week, however, worried this might not happen.

Can anyone advise what to do if they dont get paid? Can she go out and temp straight away? Ie walk out of the job? Or is she contracted to notice period as per the contract? Would it be a small claims court case- or something else? Does anyone have any good links I can show her ?

Hope someone can help

thank you.

ceridwen

Best of luck - I'm sure someone will come along soon that can help.

Is there any way she can refuse to spend any of her own money on "expenses" type items until she gets what she is owed already? I don't know how these things work - but maybe getting the bill for petrol/hotel bills/whatever it is sent direct to her employer - rather than paying it herself and claiming it back.

It is possible for firms to go bankrupt still owing salary and/or expenses to their employees. There are ex-employees of a bankrupt firm that years later have still not received the money they are owed - and obviously never will. She must do all she can to protect herself from being in that position.

Re the contractual notice period she has to give - errrr....how could the employer force her to stick to it? The only "hold" they would have over her on that would be as regards the reference they would provide for a possible future employer.....of course if they weren't in business anyway, they wouldnt be a possible source of a reference anyway.......

Bear in mind its not unknown for firms to tell people their job is safe one week - but then vanish in a puff of smoke the next week. The charitable explanation there is "left hand doesnt know what the right hand is doing" - there are others.....

If I were her - I would not just be seeking to re-route any future expenses and looking for another job (and blow the notice period) - I would be giving them a Recorded Delivery letter stating the expenses were to be paid to me by such and such a date or else a small claims court claim would be coming through. If there is any money there at all - then that will get them to get a move on and hand it over....so what that the dilatory firm concerned are her employers? It doesn't sound like they will be much longer anyway - so I wouldnt concern myself about what they thought of me if I were her. The trade union route would be to "raise a grievance" I guess - but I'm thinking that it doesnt feel to me like a Union is involved - I may be wrong?