to think my work should make an emergency payment?

[Stinkle]

My company cocked up my May pay and I was paid nearly £500 short.

It's taken forever to sort out, but they've finally admitted it's their mistake however, they are refusing to pay the shortfall until the end of this month.

We're not talking a few pounds, I only work part time so £500 is a big wedge of my wages to go without for a month, so I want, well need actually, them to do a transfer today.

They are refusing and will add it to June's payroll.

Is it really that hard for companies to do ad-hoc bank transfers?

Is it reasonable/normal to wait until the next payroll when there are mistakes with pay?

I'm really bloody annoyed, I've got lots on this weekend and next weekend and I had budgeted to ensure we had cash and this has really fucked everything up

I know the idea of a sit-in is attractive (and might work, too!), but please keep the paper trail up, too. This cockup plus the cockup over half-term holiday pay are points to complain about in writing, and if you phrase it as a moan, she might not realise what you are doing, and admit it in writing by return of e-mail.

Enough evidence, perhaps, to get her retrained (at worst) or sacked for incompetence (at best ) so none of you in the company have to put up with this financial aggro any more.

Has it happened to anyone else?

Do you know any suppliers, who might be able to tell you whether the external payments are timely?

Livvy, definitely not the same in small companies. Often there aren't that many people to sign off a payment!

I do a lot of payroll for clients. Since HMRC changed the system, you have to file every week/month. It may be that your person thinks that she cannot make any changes once it has been filed, but she could amend yours and it will be picked up when it is next filed.

OR, she could give you an advance on this months wages and correct it then.

The best thing to do is to take it up with your boss.

My company is small, my boss is the owner. He's the cheque signatory, but the finance lady has access to online banking and can, and does, make ad hoc bank transfers on a regular basis - for example, sometimes we need to order parts urgently and may have to order them from companies we don't have accounts with so we just go down with a pro-forma and she'll make the transfer there and then

There's been a few cock ups with pay and holiday entitlement - she's never cocked up my pay but others have had mistakes, expenses not paid on time, etc and we ended up in a stand off over holiday entitlement once. As far as I know suppliers we have accounts with are paid ok, no one has ever complained when I've ordered anything anyway

She's not replied to my email yet

really ACAS told me the same thing - they confirmed it was breach of contract, that it was illegal, but they didn't really have any authority to force them to make the payment. Any action I can take would take longer than just waiting for June's pay

Thanks!

I used to work for a care company who regularly cocked up people's wages - hours were variable so wages were different every month.

They used to start by saying that all they could do was add the missing pay to next month's payment - but did produce a cheque on a couple of occasions - once when a carer staged a sit in in the Manager's office & once when a carer told the Manager that she could either sort out her wages there and then or phone her mortgage company, electricity supplier, council re: council tax etc. and explain why they wouldn't be paid this month & see how understanding of the "simple error" they were.

It may be difficult but it is possible. And, quite frankly, I wouldn't care how difficult it is for the payroll person to put the mistake right. Why on earth should you go without a significant part of your wages because they cocked it up?

skye that's what I'm hoping she can do. I know there's going to be paperwork, tax, etc implications, but as it's her mistake, I think she should just make the payment and then sort out the rest next week with the accountant/my boss

She may not know how to amend the payroll/tax/paperwork part of it, but right now, I'm £500 short

And, quite frankly, I wouldn't care how difficult it is for the payroll person to put the mistake right. Why on earth should you go without a significant part of your wages because they cocked it up?

Pretty much this!

Her cock up, I don't care how much work it is to sort out.

We bought DD2 One Direction tickets for Christmas, it's tonight, she's waited 6 bloody months for it, she's beyond excited. Right now I don't even have the money for the train fare.

I don't care how much hassle it is for the finance lady to sort out, I'm just about ready to string her up to be honest

Maybe you should ask her how you should explain the lack of train tickets to your DD? Seeing as how her mistake has put you in that position?

I'm not an unreasonable person (believe it or not), I would understand that mistakes are easy to make - but I definitely would expect it to be put right straightaway.

Good luck, let us know how you get on.

I had this with Cheshire County Council when I worked for them. Nothing would get them to pay what they owed me on time.

I would understand that mistakes are easy to make - but I definitely would expect it to be put right straightaway.

I totally agree.

Mistakes are made, we all make them, she didn't do it deliberately to piss me off, but her attitude and refusal to out it right has really pissed me off.

I first discovered it, on holiday, in Spain, with a mobile phone that refused to work and dicky wifi. Managed to get an email through to her but she flat out refused to accept it was wrong.

Then when I got back she still wouldn't look at it, very reluctant to give me my payslip so I could actually see what the deductions were for, and then I had to get my boss involved to sort it out as she just wouldn't admit she'd made a mistake and blamed me

She's now admitted her mistake, but won't do a bank transfer for the difference - she has access to online banking, she's just being awkward

It isn't difficult to rectify at all, even with monthly filing to HMRC. You pay an estimae of the shortfall immediately, add that to the next month's payroll which then does the tax and NI for you. If you overpaid by a bit on the one-off payment, then you claw a little bit back in the next month's salary payment and if you underpaid you pay a little bit more.

FFS. I'd be absolutely tamping OP - and the other poster who hasn't had any pay at all. Raise a grievance immediately, both of you. I'd also be considering charging them interest on the unpaid debt as well.

I know this doesnt help get you the money, but in the meantime could you phone your bank, explain the situation, and ask them to give you an emergency 500 interest free overdraft for the month? Or if they'll give you an overdraft but not free you could charge the interest yo your employer?

I stopped teaching aerobics for a big national chain of gyms as they constantly messed up payments and I was always merrily told I'd have to "wait for next month". Awful way to treat people.

The woman you are dealing with sounds like an awkward cow. I would give her until 3pm today and then go to more senior staff members about it. Consider too raising a formal grievance about her overall attitude towards the mistake. To not even want to give you your payslip is appalling!

I agree with notaflamingclue they should be able to rectify this without making you wait 'til next month. On the few occasions this has happened to me in my current job, they have been virtually falling over themselves to sort it out.

Even if ACAS can't actually do anything, I have found mentioning that you have spoken to them can help. It sort of let's them know you mean business.

Thanks all!

My boss has just replied to my email. It's in hand.

reallyshakenup I really hope you get sorted ASAP too! It's a nightmare

Is your boss going to make sure you're paid today, Stinkle? I hope so!

I hope so too.

I thought he was out all day but he's back in the office now and is going to do the transfer straight away, it should be in my account later.

They're usually pretty instant aren't they? When we pay suppliers they are

Yes I think they go in the recipients account very quickly. Fingers crossed for you!

I could not leave my staff without their pay. It's really not hard. You may need a second authorising signature or a second person to authorise the transfer but it isn't rocket science. I am a GP and taught myself to do the payroll by reading the "help" pages on the payroll package. Disgusting and inhuman behaviour to leave you without pay.

Great news! Hope you're paid by close of play and get to go to the concert.

Cross post sorry, glad you are getting it sorted. I hope your boss disciplines the other person about this.

This is a contractual issue. If they do not pay you correctly in accordance with your contract, they are in breach of contract.

Hooray!

Yes, our bank (Barclays) says that the money will be in within 2 hours but it is usually much quicker than that.

Enjoy One Direction!

Don't let them add it to June's payroll, you'll get taxed more on it and you'll have to pay more NI contributions. Can you go higher up? £500 is a lot.

Sorry! Hadn't ready the whole thread - glad it's being sorted :-)