Wages not paid on time

Sterland

Not sure if this is the right section to post this or not? Looking for some advice though if anyone can help.

Our contracted pay date is the first Tuesday of every month. Tomorrow is the 1st of May and therefore the first Tuesday of the month! However our company have told us today less than 24hours before that the 1st of May isn't convenient for them and they will pay us a week later on the 8th instead! Surely they can't do this right??

scooby088

Why isn't it convenient, surely they have BAC's set up to go into your bank account. Think they need to give you more notice rather than 24 hours. If it's in your contract wages are paid on the first tuesday of the month then questions need to be asked why it isn't being paid rather than the lame excuse you have been given.

Googlewhacker

They can do what they want, whether its lawful is another matter.

As above you need to talk to them. They can change the dates but obviously less than 24 hours is not long enough to give notice.

Also, short term you need to prepare yourself in that the company will likely pay on the 8th so if you need money start looking for a short term overdraft etc.

Also, is this the first time they have done anything like this and whats the chances that they are a bit strapped for cash?

Russe11

they are liable for any expenses you incur for late payment of your wages, such as overdraft charges, direct debit returns etc.

as to enforcing this you would prob unpset your employers, if its going to inconvinence yourself then i'd approach them and let them know what the situation is, though they would most likely not to want to make any exceptions as it would seem they are favoring particular workers.

The only thing I could put it down to with the limited information in your post, the business is having cash flow problems and they can not get any short term borrowing to cover the wage bill, you need to know why the money will actually be there in 7 days. Is it a customer paying an invoice? if its already late how do they know it will be there in 7 days, are they trying to get some secured borrowing or selling assets?

I'd be discussing the situation with colleages and be demanding answers collectively... if it was genuine reasons i'm sure they would tell you, if not its likely the ship is sinking and i'd be hoping I don't have lots of holiday owing/months notice.

Sterland

They claim it isn't convenient because the 1st is just to soon for them and wages for the previous month could not possibly be calculated in time.. This is not the first time they have done this, they quite often mess with our pay dates never this much before though. I have worked for them for 3 years now and have worked out that in this time due to them changing dates, "typing errors" on pay slips and general confusing behaviour regarding money they have actually not paid me for nearly 6 weeks work... Not an awful lot in a period of 3 years but it's the principle of the thing surely?

Sterland

Cash flow problems are possible, they turnover a lot of money and have hardly any expenses but the money seems to vanish into the owners pockets.. We also have a problem this sort of time every year regarding P60's they constantly fail to send them to us and the tax office... Last year the tax office chased them for months until finally getting our P60s in July

Russe11

Sterland wrote: »

They claim it isn't convenient because the 1st is just to soon for them and wages for the previous month could not possibly be calculated in time.. This is not the first time they have done this, they quite often mess with our pay dates never this much before though. I have worked for them for 3 years now and have worked out that in this time due to them changing dates, "typing errors" on pay slips and general confusing behaviour regarding money they have actually not paid me for nearly 6 weeks work... Not an awful lot in a period of 3 years but it's the principle of the thing surely?

you are owed 6 weeks pay over the past 3 years, I take it you have proof?

at average wages thats 3k gross you are owed, if it was me i'd be putting that one in a grivence and ET, saying that though if the business is going under you prob wouldn't get your money at the end of it.

Every time I got a error on my pay i'd be chasing it up the next day, if you have let the issues go in the past it my be the reason they think they can walk all over you.

Sterland

Yes it only came to light the other day when i was going through wage slips and i noticed there were some months when we should of been for 5 weeks where we only received pay for 4 weeks etc.. I've put all these together and will be putting in a grievance

Acc72

Sterland wrote: »

Yes it only came to light the other day when i was going through wage slips and i noticed there were some months when we should of been for 5 weeks where we only received pay for 4 weeks etc.. I've put all these together and will be putting in a grievance

Ok, from your posts it sounds as though you are paid on a monthly basis but do not receive the same basic pay each month (as it depends on how many working days / weeks there are in that particular month) ?

That sounds unusual ?

Either way, if I were you I would put all the information together and go through it with your manager/HR/payroll (depending on size of company) to fully understand what has happened.

If there has been an underpayment you can then request payment - much better than jumping in with a grievance straight away.

MissSarah1972

If you are salaried it takes 1/2 a day to run a payroll and they can do that now and pay you for tomorrow, simple!!!

Sterland

Yes my wages vary month to month.. Some months we get 4 weeks pay some months 5 weeks some months 6 weeks it depends what they feel like really.. the whole set up is extremely strange! And as for a payroll department we have a mobile number we can call which goes to the managers wife who is in charge of payroll apparently! The last time i called she said she'd have to call me back because she was in Tesco.. Professional eh?