Not been paid by work- is DH right?

[GotMooMilk]

I work a ‘proper’ job 3 days a week and one day a week I’m doing a project for a local university. I haven’t been paid for my uni work this month- should have had about £700 after tax. This is a lot of money and although we can afford the basics without it for Christmas it was being relied on for gifts and expenses.

I contacted uni finance team when payday came and went and was told there’s a 3 month backlog for paying expenses (essentially I complete a monthly form and am paid as expenses from that). I completed and submitted the form miles before the due date. I’ve asked my project lead to chase it up and he’s had a similar response.

DH says I should give them a week and then refuse to continue the project if I’m not being paid. I’m annoyed but don’t want to cut my nose off as I know I will be paid eventually and that money will be helpful. I also don’t know how to push the issue when I keep getting shrugs and ‘hopefully it’ll be resolved within 3 months’. What would you do?

Sounds like you are being paid like a contractor and terms could be up to 90 days depending on what the contract says.

This is what puts small businesses out of business when dealing with bigger companies who enforce 90 days payment of accounts.

Be the squeaky wheel. Just ring up every day until they get fed up of you ringing up. Or ring up the head of HR or the chief exec continuously - squeaky wheel is the way to go x

I would email both your project colleagues and the finance team to tell them you are pausing the project until payment is recorded. Log off, have a nice glass of wine and enjoy your Christmas break. They either want your services or they don't, and they unless they are willing to pay for your time to chase, chase, chase then I would simply inform your colleagues of the situation and leave them all to it. They need to realise your time is worth something.

If they are taking PAYE then you are on a payroll of some sort and I'd think that no, this is not okay.

I do know that big businesses are expected to pay suppliers/vendors/contractors within 30 days but I'm not sure how a university would fit into this.

I personally would absolutely continue to push. Point out that you rely on this money. I think it's also probably necessary to get your internal client involved, "Pete, I really don't want to stop doing this work but this is a lot of money for me, I'm being told I might only receive it in 3 months and I simply can't continue working on a project where payment can take this long. If I don't get paid fairly soon, I'll have to stop working until I receive payment".

Then leave HIM to chase up accounts.

walk into the payroll office (or in their absence - their director's office) pull up a chair, smile and say that you plan to wait until they pay you your wage... There is zero reason why they can't make a payment there and then - they are just choosing not to create themselves extra work / do any work!

Cheeky gets - you need to be a squeaky wheel unfortunately. Point out the obvious their backlog is not your issue - your work has been completed etc and cost of living crisis - treatment of pt workers - Christmas. Copy everyman and his dog who is remotely connected and keep asking every other day for an update.

If you are being paid as if zero hours/associate/bank staff then my educated guess from working in uni projects is that you submitted your claim on time and your project lead didn't approve it before the deadline. Finance usually won't budge on that one.

I work at a uni and our finance team is shit. We have students waiting months for reimbursement after buying materials for projects. I'd kick up a fuss and refuse to work on the project until paid.

Our academics get mad about delays but they really escalate things when a supplier to threatening to end the relationship: that's normally when it gets sent up to the pro-vice chancellor

@HappySammy it’s just ridiculous isn’t it! I’ve had confirmation today it ‘should go through in Decembers payroll’ on the 21st. No apology, no explanation. I don’t hold high hopes I’ll get October and Novembers through but I can only hope.

At least that's something. Email back and ask exactly what is going to go though on Dec's payroll.

Make sure you list it out clearly : I am owed xxx from this month, xxx from that month. Ask them to confirm.