To ask the owner to pay me

[SixPenceNonTheRicher]

I work in a small company made up of 3 directors who are the owner and his 2 sons and 3 staff one of whom is the office manager.

We always get paid on the 28th of each month, so on the 27th or the working day before the 27th the manager loads the payments and gets the owner to authorise them and then they hit our accounts on the 28th.

I checked today and there was no wage in my account, I spoke to the Manager and she said she was too busy to load the payments before today and the owner is in a bad mood she does not want to bother him today.

I have direct debits and standing orders that have come out my account today and I just received a text from my bank saying there are not enough funds to make the payments and I would need to pay funds in by 2pmm_ in order for the payments to be made and to avoid charges.

I told my Manager this and she said there is nothing she can do at the moment as she does not want to bother the owner.

AIBU to go to the owner myself and asked to be paid? I do not want to get charges or late payment strikes, I am not really sure where I stand with this.

I don’t really have much dealings with the owner usually he comes and goes and nods or says hello but that’s as far as communication goes with him and I.

Definitely agree that if you are meant to be paid on a set day each month, you should be paid earlier if the day occurs over a bank holiday or weekend. Sadly, it does sound a bit suspicious. I really hope it was just a mistake for your sake.

It's wise advice to change the date your direct debits come out. I know I like mine to go out as soon as possible so I can see exactly what is 'mine' but I do admit that it is safer to have a couple of days leeway.

The business is short on cash and can't cover the payroll, that's why you've not been paid. The "owner's in a bad mood" is obvious bollocks.

Start looking for a new job.

Whatever happens with this pay packet I would try to look for a new job and also start saving for a possible redundancy. Either the company is completely incompetent or they're in a bad financial situation.

But as for charges being incurred-is it the company's problem that Op has dds going out the same day as wages usually go in?

Yes. It absolutely is their problem. Don't blame the wronged person here. They're (presumably) contracted to pay wages by a certain date, so that's what they must do - and, if they don't, they must make good the losses suffered by the person with whom they've broken their contract. Those losses can also end up being much further reaching if they lead to defaulted payments which are then flagged up on your personal credit file.

If you'd asked if the OP was wise not to have a few days' buffer zone between being paid and having direct debits going out (which isn't always possible to change), I'd have agreed with you, but that in no way exonerates the company which has broken their contract.

If you make your credit card payment an hour off the due date cut-off, they will fine you and charge interest on the whole month's balance, even if you'd previously paid it all off in full every single month. If you call them, they might show mercy and let you off as a one-off goodwill gesture (and it's not like a global bank is going to suffer from your slightly delayed payment), but they contractually have every right to enforce it.

Whole industries successfully make a great many processes work efficiently employing the 'just-in-time' concept. This functions perfectly for them - it's standard. However, if 'just-in-time' should ever become 'later-than-the-agreed-time', whoever was responsible for the chain breaking will be liable for often very hefty penalties and making good the losses by those who did do what they were contracted to do.

I checked today and there was no wage in my account, I spoke to the Manager and she said she was too busy to load the payments before today and the owner is in a bad mood she does not want to bother him today.

I'd be very inclined to tell them that you're having an additional paid day off work tomorrow (and not to count as your annual leave), as 'you're too busy with what you need to get done at home to come in to work'.

What could they possibly say to that? Either you both keep to your agreed contract or you don't.

My contract says the 28th

I spoke to my manager again and she said she has loaded the payments and will get them approved by the end of the day

She said if I call my bank they should be-able to do something to waiver any charges, she said all this to me with the attitude like I was inconveniencing her shes is so bloody rude !

Absolutely go to the owner your manager doesn’t want to bother the owner they are covering up a serious and potentially costly mistake. If you incur any additional charges from your bank for there failure to pay you they need to pay them too.

It’s not your banks responsibility to waiver charges it’s your companies error not there’s or yours. How many hours till the payment clears?

Tell the owner anyway. Their manager is pissing off their staff, they need to know.. if only to reassure you that they are not going bust!

As others have said, paying wages is not anything you can 'not have time for'. The reason she has an attitude is because she is fully aware she has fucked up!

You could be being fobbed off. Speak to the owner

They sound like a shower of shit!

DH once worked for a company that delayed payments for weeks, and when he queried it they couldn't see the problem and said 'do you not have savings?'.

He left shortly afterwards. Then they went bust. Serves them right!

I do the wages for the small company I work for. We are also paid on the 28th and I transferred them this morning and they go straight in the bank. I always make sure they are done before 2 so no one gets any charges.

Oh .

But the bank say 2pm is the cut off for your DD payments.

Someone is lying or being very slack.

I'd call your bank just in case.

Being a business Owen with staff this screams there hilarious s some kind of cash flow issue to me. Staff pay is top priority. Owner in a bad mood, office manger hesitant to say something. Sounds like something is not right xx

This happened to my husband , they were paid a week late. Turned out they had major cash flow problems

No no no no, my staff getting paid is my top priority when it comes to the end of the month, and no matter what else may be put off til tomorrow if I am having a meh day, payroll isn't one of them! Your 'manager' is a dick, and not a real manager - we make sure our staff are paid on time. I'd start job hunting tbh OP.

Sounds like a major cash flow problem. I would go in now.

Sorry this is happening OP.

Happened to me. The company was in trouble. I found a new job ASAP and gave it as my reason for leaving. Company shortly thereafter made everyone redundant!

Would your manager be concerned about inconveniencing you if you didn’t show up to work one day??

The owner has responsibilities towards his staff.

Read your second post. Get yourself another job. They’re not doing you a favour paying you your wage.

Either the company is completely incompetent or they're in a bad financial situation.

I agree. Too busy my arse. Even the shoddiest employers don't just skip payday, unless they want a revolt from all the staff whose credit rating is about to go down the pan.

Cash flow issue I expect, no sensible business person would pay their staff late.

Personally, I would be looking for another job ASAP. I hope you get your pay ok OP.

Completely agree with @Yogagirl123 & the other posters saying similar.

Start looking for a new job, I suspect the owners bad mood and not paying their staff may be related... demand your pay and hit Reed.com hard when you get home!

It happened to me once, over the long Easter weekend. The bank rejected one batch of payroll payments out of a larger number.

We were told immediately that any interest or charges incurred would be covered by our employer.