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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Not paid for 5 weeks

55 replies

YanTanTethera01 · 15/11/2021 14:41

I started work at a new job on 10th Oct. From then until 8th Nov, I was on casual hours but now I am contracted to work a fixed number of hours a week. The company pay day is the 15th of the month when they pay 2 weeks in arrears and two weeks in advance for the month and they had my payroll details way back in October. I was therefore expecting to have my casual hours and my pro-rata Nov pay today.

My supervisor 'forgot' to approve my casual hours so I was informed I would not get paid for them until 15th Dec but that I would get my salary pro-rata on 15th Nov. I have received neither. The casual hours have not been submitted to payroll and apparently the rule about contracted hours is you have to start by the 1st of the month to be paid in that month, otherwise you don't get paid until the next month.

Essentially, I have been working for them since the 10th October and they won't pay me until the 15th December. I have bills to pay and am beside myself with worry. I would leave but need time to find another position.

I don't want to create a fuss or a bad atmosphere at work where I am relatively new and not sure what to do next. The HR department said they would look into it but that was at 9am this morning and I've heard nothing.

OP posts:

Original poster

YanTanTethera01 · 16/11/2021 06:49

Thanks everyone. I came into work super early to be there when my manager gets in so I can discuss it face-to-face. I would be like you Merryoldgoat and would be up at the crack of dawn to make sure the payroll went through correctly.

My DM said she'll cover my bills and anything I need until it's sorted which I'm grateful for. It's really put me off working here and I loved it too but will need to look for something else as I can't risk this happening again which I'm sure it will.

I do have a formal contract. It says nothing about the salary cut-off requirements, just that I'll get paid in advance/arrears on the 15th. I also signed it and provided my payroll details way back in October so there's no excuse for it not being on the system.

OP posts:

violetbunny · 16/11/2021 06:53

Is there any chance the company is having cashflow issues?

Belledan1 · 16/11/2021 07:11

I had this at a previous job Well someone in hr put my sort code in wrong and bounced back. Said would double up next month but I said I would leave if didnt sort it. Big risk as needed the money. They did sort it about a week later. I left though after a month as it was a general horrible place to work. Hope you get it sorted

Original poster

YanTanTethera01 · 16/11/2021 12:18

Latest update is my manager agreed to submit my timesheet to pay me for my overtime in October that amounts to less than a third of what I was expecting i.e. no November salary.

I asked him if he would support me asking HR for an advance to make bring the amount up to my Nov salary. He said no.

I've gone over his head to his manager but tbh I think it's just best I ask them myself and hope they don't need to get him to authorise it.

I can't even bear to look at him at the moment but I do know one of my colleagues is about to call in sick so he'll be asking me to cover for her. Erm ... no.

OP posts:

Sparklfairy · 16/11/2021 12:21

I asked him if he would support me asking HR for an advance to make bring the amount up to my Nov salary. He said no.

Did he give a reason? This is so disgusting.

gogohm · 16/11/2021 12:25

I've worked in payroll. If it's a mistake then it should be rectified with an interim payment/advance. But it's not uncommon to have a 5-6 week wait eg our cut off was the 14th (or previous Friday) to be logged onto the system so if you started on the 17th for instance you wouldn't be paid until the 31st (or previous Friday) of the following month. We were open to giving a flat £500 advance where needed (a few years ago)

Oblomov21 · 16/11/2021 12:28

This is poor. Payrol can make a payment today but are choosing not to.

Lampan · 16/11/2021 12:43

Sounds to me like the company is having cash flow issues and are fobbing you off cos they don’t have the money to pay you. It will probably happen again and again (speaking from experience)

gabsdot45 · 16/11/2021 13:21

I work in HR and do payroll and I'm so upset on your behalf.
The very least they can do is issue a salary advance for you. You have a contact with them that you work and they pay you.

Document everything and figure out what you are actually owed and then demand payment. Don't leave the HR office until you have a firm plan. Be reasonable to polite but firm. Bring a friend with you for support

You can't wait a month. Do they expect you to live on think air.

StrapOnSallyChasedMeDownTheAli · 16/11/2021 13:42

Hmmmm, this sort of scenario happened to me. I never received payment when it was expected. A few weeks later, still nothing so I refused to go back in until I was paid. A few months later the business was bust. I would start looking for work asap. Being paid for your work is a basic expectation from employment, payroll can, and should, intervene when the mistake is the businesses. Sorry, OP, I'd be wary of them going forward.

SolasAnla · 16/11/2021 14:16

@YanTanTethera01

Latest update is my manager agreed

to submit my timesheet to pay me for my overtime in October that amounts to less than a third of what I was expecting i.e. no November salary.

I asked him if he would support me asking HR for an advance to make bring the amount up to my Nov salary. He said no.

I've gone over his head to his manager but tbh I think it's just best I ask them myself and hope they don't need to get him to authorise it.

I can't even bear to look at him at the moment but I do know one of my colleagues is about to call in sick so he'll be asking me to cover for her. Erm ... no.

Your manager not supporting the basic principle that you get paid on time and in line with the company policy is shockingly poor management skills.

Go back to HR and find out who has the authority to instruct them to pay you for November.

There will be someone in senior management who has can authorise the payment or offer an advance.

Sorry to say it but dust off the CV, I don't think that relationship is recoverable.

Sparklfairy · 16/11/2021 14:19

At this point I would send an email to HR, cc your manager, and say you need a payment of £x transferred by 5pm tomorrow, otherwise you will pursue a claim for unlawful deduction of wages.

Absolutely disgusting how they're treating you.

WickedWitchOfTheTrent · 16/11/2021 14:20

Wow that's appalling. I think I'd go as high as I could at this stage. Is it a large company, can you write to the senior director

What would have happened if you couldn't get financial help? You might have defaulted on essential bills.

If you boss asks you to cover say 'no' I've got it get home to pick the the dc as I can't afford a childminder this month.

cakewench · 16/11/2021 15:05

This is shocking, OP. I'm stunned that this 'manager' is even attempting this. I'm glad you've contacted someone over his head, I hope they can resolve it for you quickly (and yes, unfortunately I'd agree you need to start looking for a new job if this is how they treat their employees.)

LittleOwl153 · 16/11/2021 15:11

ask for the greivance policy. then follow it. then look up the timetable for submitting an employment tribunal for deductions of wages.

Original poster

YanTanTethera01 · 16/11/2021 16:09

Thank you everyone.

I spoke to HR and, surprise surprise, my manager's manager hadn't been in touch with them but the lady I dealt with is going to ask how much advance they can give me. She mentioned something in passing about how they always run all their advanced payments once a week so that tells me it's not just me.

I still haven't been paid but have confirmation that I will be, on Friday. Better than not at all. I'll get my Oct casual hours plus an amount they decide to give me.

My manager avoided me at all costs today but did pay me some money he owed me since mid-October. That was so good of him. I completely forgot as he's owed it to me for so long. He had the audacity to say he had 're-submitted' my time-sheet when I know for a fact he didn't do it in the first place. Can't stand a liar.

On the upside, I got a call about a different job today that I really like the sound of. If I get it, I'm off.

As a parting shot, I might just name and shame

OP posts:

Itsnotallaboutyoubaby · 16/11/2021 16:24

Get that new job. That sounds terrible

Merryoldgoat · 16/11/2021 16:53

On the upside, I got a call about a different job today that I really like the sound of. If I get it, I'm off.

Good luck OP.

My manager would rightly haul me over the coals if I fucked payroll up or left someone without their money.

This is probably not the time to say when I paid someone their entire annual salary one month…

Neighneigh · 16/11/2021 17:06

Go get that new job! I run the payroll as a volunteer for a preschool, we had an issue over a new bank staff members main job and tax free allowance and basically it took me 4 hours to untangle with HMRC and Sage (who were absolutely brilliant, I'd have cried if it wasn't for them). So you can bend over backwards to sort things out when you need to, your manager just chose not to. What a shit. Good luck for the new role

mommybear1 · 16/11/2021 19:46

Good god this is absolutely appalling. If the new job is a go definitely name and shame and frankly if it's not I'd be looking at a formal complaint (not a grievance 😉 ....... yet!).

PrincessNutella · 16/11/2021 20:02

I don't know how things work in the UK, but even in the US, paying people for their work is a first line legal obligation and they need to take care of that before anything else. So go ahead and make HR do their damned jobs.

WhatsTheEffingPoint · 16/11/2021 21:45

I've been in your shoes 3 months without payment....end up being cash flow issues, but the directors could still splash the cash on shite!
ACAS were great and gave me so much info and help, in the end they acted as mediator.
One thing you have to do is still turn up for work though as that acts in your favour (as much as you want to tell them to stick it!)

I now run payroll for a small company and I always make sure everyone I paid on time every week. If I'm going to be away I make sure I run payroll and set up the payments to go out on the correct dates. Only once has it ever not gone to plan but that was a bank fault as their systems went down so now payments were processed.
Good luck op, fingers crossed for that new job.

DancinOnTheCeiling · 17/11/2021 10:15

So sorry to hear this OP, what an absolute joke! Please keep us posted..

Original poster

YanTanTethera01 · 18/11/2021 08:14

Pleased to report I'm going to be paid tomorrow, my casual hours plus most of my November pay. No thanks to my manager who told me it was pointless him trying as "that isn't how payroll works". His manager said she would try to help but did nothing.

He hasn't spoken to me for 2 days except in a WhatsApp (while sitting in his office right behind me) to ask for the name of the "culprit" who told us we would be paid in November. I ignored him but if he's that interested he should speak to his manager because they said it.

Still on the hunt for a new job though because I can't work for an incompetent liar with no management skills and with the risk that the same thing will happen again.

Thanks for your support everyone. I wouldn't have been able to do it without your advice.

OP posts:

DancinOnTheCeiling · 18/11/2021 10:25

Glad you’re finally being paid. Your manager sounds awful. 🤞🏻🤞🏻 you find a new job ASAP!

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