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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Company messed up salary- unsure what to do

100 replies

ThatLovingNavyLion · Yesterday 12:23

Applied for a job which was a step up, seemed like a good company to work for and so on. Went through all the checks, DBS, references, gave my 5 weeks notice in my old job and got a start date. Had an offer letter, contract was given to me on day 2 of the job (today)
About an hour before I got it HR advised me of an 'error' that my salary was actually X amount lower than what was advertised on TES, but said 'oh but it's only about £15 a month less after tax'

I can live with that so I said ok no problem. Then I checked later and it's more like £140 a month less, which is a lot for me as I'm still living month-to-month and trying to build up savings.

However when they gave me the contract it demonstrated the same amount as what they originally displayed on TES. I signed it, I should've disputed it really. So was the 'new' pay actually correct or did they forget to update the contract? (They'd told me they'd put the revised pay on the contract)

I'm unsure whether to look for another job as I don't think it's good enough to reveal a new salary after I've started. I'm going to speak to ACAS, I know I've also maybe messed up here I just panicked on the spot.

OP posts:
ThatLovingNavyLion · Yesterday 12:24

They sounded quite sure about the '£15 a month less' too.

OP posts:
ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:25

So you signed a contract with the expected salary in it but they are paying you less? Did they tell you about the pay reduction in writing?

ThatLovingNavyLion · Yesterday 12:29

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:25

So you signed a contract with the expected salary in it but they are paying you less? Did they tell you about the pay reduction in writing?

No, HR said it verbally. I'll speak to them today, I don't understand why they said they'd revise the salary on the contract but then displayed the original salary.

OP posts:
saveforthat · Yesterday 12:29

So you (and they) have signed a contract with the salary as the higher figure? That should stand. How on earth could you think the difference is £15 not £140 a month, could you not just divide by 12?
What is TES?

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:30

Why didn’t you ask before signing? If they said it verbally I’d just be informing them they’ve paid you incorrectly and asking them to rectify it

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:31

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:29

So you (and they) have signed a contract with the salary as the higher figure? That should stand. How on earth could you think the difference is £15 not £140 a month, could you not just divide by 12?
What is TES?

It’s not always that easy to predict what tax and national insurance will be with a new salary!

ThatLovingNavyLion · Yesterday 12:32

I panicked a bit on the spot as it was all in person, which I know is my fault. when they said oh it's only £15 a month i took their word stupidly. It's making me concerned whether they'll be a trustworthy company.

OP posts:
Crusttt · Yesterday 12:32

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:29

So you (and they) have signed a contract with the salary as the higher figure? That should stand. How on earth could you think the difference is £15 not £140 a month, could you not just divide by 12?
What is TES?

TES is jobs related to education.

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:34

Crusttt · Yesterday 12:32

TES is jobs related to education.

I hope op is not a maths teacher

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:34

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:31

It’s not always that easy to predict what tax and national insurance will be with a new salary!

I know but to be nearly 10 times the amount out is ridiculous

Stompythedinosaur · Yesterday 12:36

Of course you need to challenge this. You accepted the job on the basis of the higher pay. Get your union involved if you need to!

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:36

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:34

I know but to be nearly 10 times the amount out is ridiculous

Such a pointless thread to be trying to insult the OP on.

WhereAreWeNow · Yesterday 12:38

If the job is in education, are you in a union? If so, please contact your union helpline.

Bjorkdidit · Yesterday 12:40

They have messed up haven't they? And now you've signed a contract based on a salary they're now reneging on.

Assuming the salary posted on TES is reasonable and they can't argue must be an obvious mistake, I'd try and hold them to it. Get your union and/or ACAS involved.

Although of course they could use it as an excuse to dismiss you while you have limited employment rights, but I'm sure that, unless you're an awful teacher, you won't be out of work for long.

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:40

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:36

Such a pointless thread to be trying to insult the OP on.

I'm not trying to insult just struggling to understand how such a massive mistake could have been made. Anyway the employer sounds completely chaotic, op has signed a contract with the higher salary. Definitely try ACAS.

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:42

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:40

I'm not trying to insult just struggling to understand how such a massive mistake could have been made. Anyway the employer sounds completely chaotic, op has signed a contract with the higher salary. Definitely try ACAS.

You are, you said it was ridiculous that she worked it out so wrong and that you hope she’s not a math teacher. Clearly trying to insult her/imply she’s stupid. It’s the employer that has messed up here.

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:46

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:42

You are, you said it was ridiculous that she worked it out so wrong and that you hope she’s not a math teacher. Clearly trying to insult her/imply she’s stupid. It’s the employer that has messed up here.

FFS, are you the op and have name changed? Of course she needs to take some responsibility for not checking the figures. She has already admitted she was stupid.

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:48

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:46

FFS, are you the op and have name changed? Of course she needs to take some responsibility for not checking the figures. She has already admitted she was stupid.

Why would anyone name change for that? And why disagree with me saying you were trying to insult her just to then admit it again in the next post? Weird and unhelpful.

Enoughofpeopleenough · Yesterday 12:49

Why can't people just be nicer these days? It's hard to find any posts where people aren't snapping at complete strangers.

Enoughofpeopleenough · Yesterday 12:50

Op could it be lower because you haven't done a full month?

PeterRabbitsWhiskers · Yesterday 12:51

saveforthat · Yesterday 12:46

FFS, are you the op and have name changed? Of course she needs to take some responsibility for not checking the figures. She has already admitted she was stupid.

Except that it appears to be the employer who messed up. They advertised a salary, offered a job in writing and a contract at that salary, which has been signed. Then said verbally £15 less a month and as soon as OP checked, she found it was £140 less. Where was her mistake here? She is looking for advice on who and how to approach resolution, not to be called stupid.

AlohaRose · Yesterday 12:52

So your contract says a gross figure and now HR have told you this morning that the amount you will be paid is - what??? Presumably they gave you a new gross figure and not just told you that they are paying you "about £15 a month less"? If they gave you a new gross figure, it should have been fairly obvious, even without you working it out, from looking at that figure whether their amount of £15 less was in any way accurate. However, even if they gave you a new gross they can't tell you how much less you will receive per month as they have no way of knowing what your deductions are for student loan, CMS etc might be. It all sounds very unprofessional but as it has only happened this morning you can take some time to work out exactly what is going on and how best to respond.

I hope this is an established company?

Likeiloveyou · Yesterday 12:52

Speak to your union.

HangryBrickShark · Yesterday 12:52

ToKittyornottoKitty · Yesterday 12:31

It’s not always that easy to predict what tax and national insurance will be with a new salary!

Yes it is. Go onto salary calculator. It tells you to the penny what your take home pay should be.

Comtesse · Yesterday 12:53

It’s rubbish you didn’t have the contract before you handed in your notice - I would want to see it before quitting. I wonder is this common these days?

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