TA Pro Rata Pay Query

[Bodiedog15]

I have just received my first payslip as a new TA and I thought I understood how my pro rata pay was calculated; it is based on 190 working days, 32.5hrs a week and is to be paid in 12 equal monthly instalments. However they have only paid me 27/30th of Septembers pay as they deducted 3 days pay as I started work on the 4th Sept, the first day of term. Surely the pro rata calculation has already taken account of this i.e.. Day 1 of 190 days is the first day of term...... I have queried this but the answer has come back as its because I started part way through the month!!!! Can anyone explain this as I'm now £126 down this month and will never get it back again and as we all know £126 is a lot for a poor TA ! Btw, the next 11 months will be 1/12th of my annual pro rata salary.....

Hi OP

It's a complete bummer isn't it! It's a public sector only thing I think. Your daily pay is calculated by dividing your monthly salary by the number of days in the month (not just the working ones) and you are paid for the days you are in employment not the days you have actually worked. I came a cropper with it many years ago when I started work at a County Council. I started on a Monday 3rd so was there for all the actual work days but lost 2/30ths of a month's pay. It's even worse if you start in February as you lose 1/28th per day.

I was told at the time that it was something the unions had negotiated so that you lose less money if you go on strike - only 1/365th of your salary per day instead of 1/260th. I'm wondering now if it is also something that works in your favour if you take unpaid parental leave.

I recall selecting my leaving date very carefully to get maximum pay, ie not a Friday!

That doesn't help you get your £126 back though does it! Hopefully someone will be along who can help on that score. Only thing I can suggest is that you see if you can get your start date altered to 1 September but I am no expert.

For that very reason we start all contracts 1st September if the staff are new at the start if the school year, speaking to your office staff might sort it out it may be that He/she has put 1st and some jobsworth in HR has put 3rd..putting 1st is easiest way to correct it.