Underpaid at work (for years!) where do I stand?

yffas0810

Hi.
I’m hoping someone can help me. I’ve been unable to sleep tonight from worrying/overthinking about this.
Believe it or not, I’ve just discovered today that I believe I’ve been underpaid at work for the last 7 years!

I worked full time on a salary of 20k per year until 2010 when I left to have my son. I returned to work in 2011 part time (16 hours over 3 days) and believed my pay has been adjusted accordingly and correctly.

My monthly pay since I returned to work has been £622.00 a month.

Correct me if I’m wrong, and I am still hoping that I am, but this is not the right amount of pay pro rata for £20k a year salary is it?

I feel a total idiot but I have worked there for 12 years and just trusted implicitly those I work with and it never even occurred to me to check or query it. It’s only come to light now as I was thinking of asking my boss for a pay rise 😳

I’m not sure if I am actually right so would really appreciate a second opinion. And if I am, do I have a leg to stand on asking for back pay and for my pay to be updated to what is correct? I

I have absolutely no payslips from 2010 or earlier and I’m unsure whether I could get copies ? Also I’ve thoohht about contacting my bank to see if I could get statement but again, I’m unsure whether they would keep them this Long.

The main problem is that the firm I work at had changed hands and unluckily for me, none of the original staff (including my original boss) are there anymore.
It’s a very small firm and I didn’t have formal contract.

If anyone can offer any assistance, it’d be much appreciated.

Thank you.

FBaby

Is this before or after tax and how many hours were you working FT?

yffas0810

Hi.
I don’t pay tax now and haven’t since I went part time in 2011 as I don’t earn enough so £622 a month is my take home pay.

When I was full time I worked 37.5 hours a week.

t0rt0ise

Looks like you're being paid for 14 hours a week. Ask them to confirm. Does your 16 hours include unpaid breaks?

nicechap

How much National Insurance and Pension contributions have been deducted before and since?

Are there any voluntary deductions such a cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan, lease car or extra pension payments?

If you are 100% sure of underpayment, first step would be discussing it with your employer, setting out all the calculations, then issue a letter before claim and and then small claims court for debts of up to 6 years. If, you believe and can evidence, your underpayment was a direct result of your pregnancy then (and not just admin error) then you could consider an Employment Tribunal for discrimination.

marlot

yffas0810 wrote: »

...My monthly pay since I returned to work has been £622.00 a month.
....

It doesn't help with your query, but I have some good news about your pay rate.



You're earning enough to be credited with paying National Insurance (ie. accumulating state pension), but not enough to actually pay any!


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions

yffas0810

Oh I had no idea. Thank you for that info.
Do you know if this is something I will need to speak to my boss about also or done automatically through HMRC?

yffas0810

I have no idea how to navigate this site or reply to individual messages 😬

I don’t have breaks as I work around 5-6 hours a day so am just paid for the hours I work.

LilElvis

How many paid hours were you working each week when you were full time? Did you have any paid breaks then?

Sorry, I can see it was 37.5. But was this including paid breaks?

yffas0810

LilElvis.
I used to work 9-5.30pm with an hour for lunch. I’m presuming that’s like a bog standard working week. And presuming I got paid for my hourly lunch.

I’m starting to think I’m wrong now as I’ve been on these online calculator that works out your hourly pay from your yearly salary and £20,000 dividend by 52 weeks is £384 a week, divided by 5 days is £76 ish a day, divided by 8 hours gives an hourly rate of £9.61 x 16 hours is £153.00 per week. So that works out at £615.00 a month so now I’m starting to think I’ve been overpaid?
Argh .....I don’t know what is the correct calculation.

System

yffas0810 wrote: »

LilElvis.
And presuming I got paid for my hourly lunch.

I'd be surprised if you were, the majority of places don't.