...to feel cheated out of £1000?

[TotalWhittle]

Hello all. Looking to consult some wiser heads than mine please. and for all, with thanks.

My problem is short (and probably the solution will be too: I think it's probably "tough luck")! My manager verbally promised me a pay rise from the date I took on a new role when a colleague left, saying we would sort the paperwork later and backdate my pay increase. As the months went on, whenever I asked her about it, she would tell me not to worry because whenever she got around to doing the paperwork, I'd get all the pay.

After six months, she then told me she'd spoken to HR and I'd have to apply formally for the job, which I promptly did and got it. The day I got it, she told me she wasn't going to pay me at the higher rate I'd been promised after all. It would have been about £1000 extra over the 6 months.

Here's the kicker: she did everything verbally. I haven't anything in writing as proof, only the fact that I took over a job two pay grades higher with no change in my pay for six months.

I'm stuffed, aren't I?

[TotalWhittle]

Thanks NewIdeas. Thought I'd keep the thread updated in case anyone with a similar problem happens on it one day. I found MN when googling about a random legal issue years ago so you never know.

[NewIdeasToday]

Glad youre getting some support from HR. Good luck with this.

[TotalWhittle]

Small update for the interested: I have spoken to HR today and they are looking into it. The chap I spoke to was very pleasant and said that he would follow it up, as I clearly hadn't been fairly treated, and it didn't sound right to him. I know that's no guarantee of anything but it's nice that he took it seriously. Thanks again everyone

[TotalWhittle]

So many people have had this happen! In fact my friend recently had a similar problem. Friend joined a new company and was told there was a £300 bonus for staying with them for x number of years. Years go by, the company is losing staff and money left and right but my friend stuck with it and helped them pull things through, taking on double the workload for the same pay.

Finally my friend hits x number of years - bonus time! Except it didn't show up on the pay slip. A phone call to HR reveals that they quietly cancelled the bonus policy, didn't bother to tell anyone and hoped no one would notice. (And yes, it was in the contracts in writing but they refused to honour it.)

Friend is now job hunting too.

[Wrinklesandspotstoo]

Similar happened to me. I want told once I'd reached a certain level I'd be entitled to a bonus scheme which would have effectively been a several thousand pound pay rise. I hit the level and they changed their mind. I left, they tried to persuade me to stay but I didn't trust them not try to screw me over again. So pleased I did.

[missymayhemsmum]

Go to someone senior in HR. Explain what has happened. Make it clear that this breach of trust is why you have sought jobs elsewhere and they are now likely to lose you.

[TotalWhittle]

I think I will have a word with HR as well as ACAS, thanks.

[TotalWhittle]

Yes, it's common knowledge in the region that I took over directly from the previous post holder, and that I took on extra responsibilities beyond that too.

[fascicle]

Ok. Is there any chance of you having a quiet word with HR about this? Presumably they are well aware from your formal interview for the role (if not from your manager) that you have effectively been working in your new position for the last six months?

[TotalWhittle]

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate all the comments.

Fascicle - she said "I'm not going to be able to do that", if I recall rightly. Previous posters saying she had promised what she couldn't deliver are probably right, and it's that thought which has kept me from investigating my options really, as I suspect I don't have any and didn't want to generate bad feeling for no gain.

[Astella22]

When you do leave request an exit interview with HR and tell them exactly why your leaving.

[fascicle]

TotalWhittle When your manager said you wouldn't be paid retrospectively for the additional work, did she give a reason? Have you mentioned the back pay to HR and to your knowledge, are there any examples in your company where people have been paid retrospectively for additional duties (i.e. that could be used to help your argument)?

[Viviennemary]

I think it's a total cheek and you have my sympathy. But this has happened to folk I know. Promises of promotion for doing extra work. taking on more responsibility and so on and then nothing forthcoming.

She probably hasn't acted out of malice and probably fully intended that you should get the pay rise but has been stopped by HR. If you have actually done extra work unpaid then you could raise a grievance. And at least they'd think twice about doing a similar thing again as I reckon your manager would be in trouble unless she denies all knowledge.

[hula008]

To address a PP: this can and does happen at large companies, unfortunately. It happened to a colleague of my DPs at a large retailer. 2 managers started: one a current employee of the company, only given £500 a year more than the bottom rung of her banding, and a very similar salary she was on in her previous role, the other from a different company, earning £10,000/year more.

The first colleague was told she would be on a similar salary to the second employee, so moved house to be closer. When she got her first pay check she questioned it, to be told "The person who said that didn't have the authority to say that (they were her direct manager and controlled salaries ) so we will only give you the £500 extra"

[HarryPottersMagicWand]

I'll be mentioning some of the ways in which DH can try and get this sorted, that are mentioned on here.

Problem is, DH is very much of the stance that his manager said "if possible/if the budget is there" so he's reluctant to do much because he doesn't see it as something that should have happened. I've had to really push him to get him to talk to anyone about it in the first place. He wouldn't have said a single thing if I hadn't made him. It drives me mad tbh. He is doing a course which gives him a very decent qualification in his industry, and there aren't too many with this qualification around. He was also told this course puts him up a pay bracket, but hasn't been told he is actually getting this higher pay bracket wage. Also recently become the site auditor, again, no mention of extra pay. He had a pay rise this year, the usual one in line with his performance review, which is always good, but it doesn't work out to much a month. Certainly doesn't cober anywhere near the amount of money we are about to lose. Problem is, with Brexit, it's not the best time for DH to look for another job in the industry he is in.

[Sunnyshores]

As you're leaving anyway Id write a letter to your manager, copied to HR, explaining what you had verbally agreed.

At least HR will know about her and perhaps she'll get a warning

[Nettletheelf]

And the same thing has happened to Harrypotter'smagicwand's husband too.

[Nettletheelf]

This sort of thing happens all the time. The OP's line manager, suffering from delusions of grandeur, has promised something she can't deliver (in most organisations, pay rises, temporary or permanent, have to be cleared at a very senior level. It's cost control 101).

The OP innocently starts work, then the line manager realised that she's overstepped the mark and can't deliver. What does she do?

Well, she might come clean and take the consequences (this very seldom happens, although it's the best way of doing the right thing by the OP, because the line manager will have to admit her mistake).

She might rage a bit at some of the junior payroll people because they won't just raise the OP's salary without proper clearance, then realises it will get her nowhere, so she kicks the problem into the long grass. The OP is filling the role and her team is delivering, so she's OK for now, and she doesn't want to create trouble for herself. This is the sort of response I see most often.

Or, she might realise quickly that she has messed up by offering the OP more money and decide to keep quiet about it because she never wrote anything down. Her word against the OP's, right?

I see all three of these things happening over and over. In my role you truly see the worst of human nature! But the grievance, real or threatened is the magic solution. The OP's line manager won't want to go through a grievance: the OP will need to raise it with the line manager's manager, since her line manager is the subject of the grievance. Things like this can always be fixed if the business wants a problem to disappear. Good luck, OP.

[TotalWhittle]

Oh gosh that sounds familiar HPMW. I do hope you get it sorted quickly.

[TotalWhittle]

Perfect Megatherium. I've learned my lesson and will use that in future.

Olympia, I'm pretty confident she'll just deny promising it.

Slinky, yes, I mentioned it to several people. But my manager could just claim I'd misunderstood/lied, I guess.

[HarryPottersMagicWand]

My DH is in a similar situation and I'm fuming.

Over a year ago, tbey split the department he was working in and told him they wanted him to be manager of the new, split part, wages rising to X then after a year, as long as they had the budget, he would get a 4k pay rise.

A month before the year was up, I reminded him to chase it up, he did, was told it has to be approved. The year came and went, nothing, we are now 3 months later, DH has mentioned it to his manager whomtold him this in the first place, been told it has been put in but needs signing off, hasn't been told how much it is, he has gone to HR about it, twice, being told they are chasing his manager, who is still saying he is waiting for it to be signed off (which means agreed, we still don't know if he is even getting it).

DH has gone above and beyond in this role. He only has 2 employees, there is far too much work so he has had to do a lot at home, often until midnight. He gets phonecalls and emails from others in work all the time as he is the only person on his site who can deal with what he does. He has had to cover shifts because one of his employees get suspended. They still have fucked up that money from nearly 5 months ago and it took them 3 months to even tell him he would get a shift premium.

DH is the sole earner. I am on disability beneftis which are about to end, I'm trying to find a job but having no luck. We really really need this payrise as him taking the manager job ended our tax credits, which ended up overpaid and we will need to pay back, and pushed him over the student loan threshold so he is now paying back £165 a month for 5 years (really old style student loan).

His company have been good to him and clearly recognise he is a good worker and have put a lot of faith in him and sent him on courses. He started as a temp worker on the factory floor. It just pisses me off that they think they can fuck around like this. The company has a lot of money.

[Megatherium]

Learn from this always to create a paper trail. Should you ever be in a similar situation again, after a verbal promise from a manager bang off an email to them saying something along the lines of: "Dear Manager, Just confirming our discussion just now when you agreed that I would take on ex-colleague's role with immediate effect at a salary of £X. I understand that this may not be paid immediately but that you will be contacting HR to ensure that I will receive back pay to today's date at that rate."

Then if she doesn't come back to you to say she agreed nothing of the sort, she would be in great difficulty denying it later. And if she does deny it now, you know where you are.

[Olympiathequeen]

Legally a verbal contract is binding. You don't need a witness. Of course if the person involved is prepared to perjured themselves then it may not be binding, but perjury is a criminal offence.

[shinynewusername]

You could legitimately ask that your salary is reviewed in light of your new responsibilities, regardless of any previous promises.

[SlinkyTink]

Did you speak about it with anyone else in the office?