Can an employer enforce a pay cut?

Uniscots97

As it says above can an employer enforce a pay cut (due to downturn) without your permission?

pania

**rushes off to google to check..**

beecher

unixgirluk wrote: »

As it says above can an employer enforce a pay cut (due to downturn) without your permission?

Yes. Councils have imposed pay cuts on many employees in the last year or so. Mine is cut by 12% and I certainly didn't give them permission to do so!

immoral_angeluk

Noone can cut your pay or hours without your permission UNLESS there is a term in the contract called a variation clause. Otherwise this is classed as an illegal deductions of wages but you MUST tell them that you don't agree to the change. If they continue then you must follow the companies grievance procedure and you then have 3 months to take it further to an employment tribunal to recover the lost wages although there is no guarantee you'll win and obviously isn't practical if you want to remain in the job. You need to check your contract for an variation clauses.

lush_walrus

Yes, I am pretty sure they can (in the name of saving jobs). We have had both, redundancies and pay cuts...15% cut. Their arguement was they have been paying us the going rate from the peak rate of our industry, if they were to employ a whole new staff now then it would be cheaper...Lovely isn't it!

immoral_angeluk

beecher wrote: »

Yes. Councils have imposed pay cuts on many employees in the last year or so. Mine is cut by 12% and I certainly didn't give them permission to do so!

Unfortunately in this case it is normally the union who are responsible.. for example if due to economic downturn the union on behalf of all the employees accepts a paycut to prevent redundancies etc.

Uniscots97

We don't have the variation clause. I'm sat here nearly in tears.

immoral_angeluk

unixgirluk wrote: »

We don't have the variation clause. I'm sat here nearly in tears.

Then I'd take a trip to your local CAB with a copy of your employment contract and any letters you've recieved, or alternatively give ACAS a call on 08457474747

:grouphug:

RAS

Hi

contact ACAS - see here http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1461

HallamLad

unixgirluk wrote: »

We don't have the variation clause. I'm sat here nearly in tears.

Hey it could be worse, you could have no job at all. I know it's not a great situation but you can start looking elsewhere and probably find and even better job, better money. Hope everything works out for you!

Uniscots97

They've done this before and there isn't many jobs around where I am. I'm still in shock I think. Feeling like life just wants to kick me in the teeth repeatedly!