Page 3 | Work refusing to pay me

Winedrinkerbynight · 2022-09-29T18:13:37+00:00

They say I haven’t updated my bank details in the system but I have! HR are saying they can’t pay me until I’ve updated my details in the same, so I updated my details in the system again and HR are still saying they can’t pay me! This is all because I want it paid into my account and not the joint account with my ex that it was being paid into

MrsPinkCock · 30/09/2022 10:24

Don’t refuse to work. You would be in breach of contract and they could dismiss you for gross misconduct. That “advice” is insane.

If they have breached YOUR contract regarding when you should be paid, then yes, you could theoretically pursue them for any charges/interest accrued as a result.

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 10:33

My God what a shit employer. I had a missed paycheque one time under very similar circumstances and my boss was tripping over himself to apologise and get me an advance. As he should have been.

Email HR with a copy to your manager and show that you did in fact advise them of the change in time so please effect payment by the end of the day.

And then spend the whole day in the office checking your online banking and saying loudly, "Is the company in trouble? Did you get paid this month? Because I didn't. Did anyone else not get paid. Oh hi boss, I haven't got paid yet, have you?"

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 10:34

And then if you're still not paid by 4:30, ask in an email whether you've been made redundant.

OurChristmasMiracle · 30/09/2022 10:38

I would also be asking for an emergency payment of wages and be explaining that without this you will be unable to get to work as you won’t have the funds.

Motnight · 30/09/2022 10:43

Aprilx · 30/09/2022 07:06

Getting ACAS involved in what sounds like a simple system input issue is truly ridiculous. Did your relative really do that or was there an actual pay dispute?

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ACAS can give generic advice to people without becoming 'involved'. I have used them specifically to get advice of this type.

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 11:22

Don't just refuse to work, but ostentatiously take time off for urgent phone calls with your mortgage provider, Council, utilities etc to sort out late payments. After your initial email setting out that you've done everything in time, follow up with HR and your manager every hour or so. "Council says there's a fee for late Council Tax payment, do you want to just pay them directly?"

Brefugee · 30/09/2022 11:31

ACAS can give generic advice to people without becoming 'involved'.

yes. Likewise unions. I think people don't realise this and as soon as they see ACAS or Union think it's going to a defcon 1 style escalation. They can tell you what would be a reasonable time-frame to get it sorted out, etc.

CatchMeIfYouCanCan · 30/09/2022 11:36

DappledThings · 29/09/2022 19:57

This is far, far more likely than them refusing to pay you. It may well be that there is a glitch in the system and it looks to you like you've updated your details but it hasn't actually gone through. They will be wanting to sort this out as much as you do, it might just need some IT input. Talk of going on strike and calling ACAS is bonkers.

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Yep @Boxowine and @DappledThings are correct here.

Whatever you have inputted clearly hasn’t worked OP otherwise they’d be able to pay you, agreeing with the above, they aren’t refusing to pay you, they actually can’t.

Also agree that the talk of unions, not working etc etc is nuts. Be calm and polite as frustrating as this is and you’ll get it sorted.

Note for future, never have your pay go into a joint account. Transfer over to joint account once paid.

CatchMeIfYouCanCan · 30/09/2022 11:38

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 10:33

My God what a shit employer. I had a missed paycheque one time under very similar circumstances and my boss was tripping over himself to apologise and get me an advance. As he should have been.

Email HR with a copy to your manager and show that you did in fact advise them of the change in time so please effect payment by the end of the day.

And then spend the whole day in the office checking your online banking and saying loudly, "Is the company in trouble? Did you get paid this month? Because I didn't. Did anyone else not get paid. Oh hi boss, I haven't got paid yet, have you?"

Oh dear god, do NOT do this.....yikes.

DappledThings · 30/09/2022 11:51

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 11:22

Don't just refuse to work, but ostentatiously take time off for urgent phone calls with your mortgage provider, Council, utilities etc to sort out late payments. After your initial email setting out that you've done everything in time, follow up with HR and your manager every hour or so. "Council says there's a fee for late Council Tax payment, do you want to just pay them directly?"

Hopefully the lack of update from OP means she's been busy talking to HR and screen sharing her updating of bank details or seeing them in person so she can get this sorted out like an adult rather than following this or any of the completely ludicrous advice.

GloriousGlory · 30/09/2022 11:53

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 10:33

My God what a shit employer. I had a missed paycheque one time under very similar circumstances and my boss was tripping over himself to apologise and get me an advance. As he should have been.

Email HR with a copy to your manager and show that you did in fact advise them of the change in time so please effect payment by the end of the day.

And then spend the whole day in the office checking your online banking and saying loudly, "Is the company in trouble? Did you get paid this month? Because I didn't. Did anyone else not get paid. Oh hi boss, I haven't got paid yet, have you?"

Dear god.....

What a bat shit crazy idea....

Brefugee · 30/09/2022 12:01

yeah - all the "don't do any work" stuff will just get you rightfully fired.

The only issue i see here is that HR/payroll should have engaged brain and helped you the very first time you queried it, not brushed you off. I can't imagine they have hundreds of employees changing their bank details every month.

but i stand by my plea to everyone to join a union.

Dragonskin · 30/09/2022 12:19

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 10:33

My God what a shit employer. I had a missed paycheque one time under very similar circumstances and my boss was tripping over himself to apologise and get me an advance. As he should have been.

Email HR with a copy to your manager and show that you did in fact advise them of the change in time so please effect payment by the end of the day.

And then spend the whole day in the office checking your online banking and saying loudly, "Is the company in trouble? Did you get paid this month? Because I didn't. Did anyone else not get paid. Oh hi boss, I haven't got paid yet, have you?"

And then you would just look like a total knob in front of the rest of the office.

Aprilx · 30/09/2022 12:42

Brefugee · 30/09/2022 10:19

A union really isn't going to help when you've been paid a few days late and the company are saying they'll pay you as soon as they've confirmed your bank details.

a union will give you advice on how to approach this. It is always worth being in a union for times when you need good, reliable information.

Where i am (not UK) assuming you have given the correct details at the right time the company is obliged to pay you within (I think) 3 days of the agreed payment date. If that doesn't happen you are perfectly entitled to claim back any related costs including overdraft fees and late payment fees. In some cases you are, indeed, perfectly entitled to charge interest and admin fees.

A union can give you advice on this. They handle things like this every day.

I agree that it is odd that you can remove the data and the system doesn't flag up that there is a blank field. And i also think that HR and/or payroll shouln't just ignore it, but go through the process with you.

Hope you got it sorted, OP

Most of us do not need a union to assist with a clerical error around providing bank details. A majority of us can and do manage all our employment issues without a union in actual fact.

Brefugee · 30/09/2022 16:20

Good for you.
I see dozens of posts, this one included, where help from a union with wording a mail to the HR/Manager/Payroll or whoever, would get the problem solved at the first go. Some people have no clue

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 17:38

Never mind, OP should apologise immediately for needing a paycheque and for inconvencing her bosses by pointing out their mistake.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 30/09/2022 20:15

The suggestion wasn't pointing out their mistake though. All it would do is make the OP look like an idiot.

And then if you're still not paid by 4:30, ask in an email whether you've been made redundant.

This doesn't sound clever.

Hopefully the OP has ignored these strange suggestions and spoken to HR & Payroll to resolve the issue.

GloriousGlory · 30/09/2022 20:18

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 17:38

Never mind, OP should apologise immediately for needing a paycheque and for inconvencing her bosses by pointing out their mistake.

It's he not her bosses!

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 20:50

Her bosses should be pushing HR with her!

Yes I was being sarcastic above but honestly if someone I supervised didn't get their salary, it'd be my number 1 priority to

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 20:53

Oops sorry

...it'd be my priority to help fix it.

Most people would need to make urgent arrangements if their paycheque didn't come through. I would.

TimeForMeToF1y · 30/09/2022 21:29

Coffeetree · 30/09/2022 20:53

Oops sorry

...it'd be my priority to help fix it.

Most people would need to make urgent arrangements if their paycheque didn't come through. I would.

If it was a pay cheque she wouldn't be in this situation though, the problem is because it's not a cheque it's a bank transfer. Do you still get paid by cheque?

Coffeetree · 01/10/2022 05:31

Of course it's not a paper cheque! Monthly salary let's say. I still call my monthly deposit my paycheque, shows how old I am.

UnderCoverFieldAgent · 01/10/2022 06:28

Any union won’t do anything for 30 days and won’t look into any issues that were happening before you joined the Union. The Union is
no good to you right now, definitely for the future though.

Hayliebells · 01/10/2022 06:57

Inputting the bank details in front of someone from HR is a good idea. There’s also no harm in explaining to HR why you need the money now (it should be obvious, but hey ho), explain what bank charges you’ll accrue etc if you don’t get paid within a few days. No need to be formal about it, just mention it in passing, but hopefully they’ll realise that it’s them who would be liable for those charges if you pursued it, and it will spur them into action. If all that doesn’t work, and you’re still not paid very soon, then they have some sort of IT problem that they’re unwilling to fix, so I’d then call ACAS for advice on how to get payment of your wages by another means. They do have a contractual duty to pay you within 3 days, if their system has a problem (and HR have evidence that you’ve done everything correctly), they contractually need to find another way to pay you.