Not been paid

[Mmmcheese89]

I work in the public sector and my pay slip is released a few days before I am actually paid.

This month I noticed my overtime payment due had not been processed, equivalent to more than 10% of my expected wage. I'm on a low grade so not well paid and this 10% is going to severely effect my budget for the month. (I'm currently buying my first house).

Managers who got it wrong don't care. Payroll don't care. Financially I don't know what to do. These are the options as I seem them.

1)pull out of my house purchase that I've already sunk lots of money into because I won't be able to pay needed fees for another month.

2. take out personal credit which could risk my mortgage and cause the whole house purchase to fall through anyway.

3. sell my late mother's jewelry, the only thing I have left of her.

I feel my employer has backed me into a financial corner. I'm not in a union and now can't afford one to get help because they've not paid me.

I don't know if I'm asking for advice on how to make extra money fast or how to make my employer fulfill their contractual responsibilities. I'm just so defeated and lost. I've never felt so disrespected and scummy and insignificant as a human with this work as I do now.

Sorry it's a long one.

They absolutely can sort it out. I once didn't get paid at all in the NHS, because my manager wrongly treated me as a new starter and I'd had sick leave. It was authorised sick leave but they didn't apply my length of service. I phoned payroll and after a lot of toing and froing, where they suggested paying my the following month I told them that I would be at the cashier's office at 4pm and I'd expect petty cash. I got it.

This is so frustrating working in payroll and having previously worked for the NHS.

They can definitely sort this for you.

I would look to move jobs once your purchase is sorted.

NHS can definitely put through an emergency payment if they have mistakenly underpaid you.... are you in a union, speak to them for advice

Once payroll has gone through, that isn't that. It can still be corrected by a BACS payment & they can amend your payslip.

Unfortunately, it isn't easy for them to do (a bit of faff, much easier for them just say it will be amended next pay) so you will have to be super pushy & demanding to get it resolved. But if they owe you that money, it should be paid. So be loud about it!

Did they say why you hadn't been paid?

I wouldnt take no for an answer, if I really needed it this month, personally.

My union rep would help out non-Union colleagues in a situation like this.

10% of a low wage for one month is enough to put your house purchase in jepody? How much are we actually talking about?

Push for the employer to make a salary advance, it's not unusual for them to be unable to correct the error and every employer will tell you you shouldn't be financially dependent on over time payment. Yes, I know, real world, but that will be their terms, specially in a large organisation.

However, as it's small amount of money that will be repaid at next payday, I don't think it will affect the purchase, even if you do take personal credit.

Who is the LM of the person who has cocked up in your dept? That's who you need to contact to sort it out with finance/ payroll on your behalf. A BACs payment can be actioned after this, it's a bit of a palaver for payroll to sort and they'll try to get you to accept in next month's pay instead but stick to your guns.

@OrangePowder as I already said, it's a few hundred. The purchase is due to exchange and complete this month (there's no chain so should be rather quick). I have been chasing this all week with seemingly no change.

I've been making my way up the hierarchy trying to get someone to sort this all week. I've asked for a BACS payment. They said no. I asked for it from petty cash (as that's how they did it last time) they practically laughed at me.

I will try and speak to my dept. Union rep tomorrow. She's lovely so hopefully she might be willing to help me get it sorted even though I've not paid dues (I was planning on joining this month but without the money I'm in a catch 22).

OP, I hope you get sorted.

Very gently, if 10% of a low wage for one month causes such issues, are you comfortable that you can afford this house without putting yourself under undue stress? Will you be able to save for emergencies/repairs etc?

Buying a house certainly is expensive, but so is owning one.

What’s your living situation now? Are you due a rental deposit back or anything?

Can you work a second job? A few hours cleaning offices etc in the evening or pub work and ask to be paid weekly?

@LKnope

OP, I hope you get sorted.

Very gently, if 10% of a low wage for one month causes such issues, are you comfortable that you can afford this house without putting yourself under undue stress? Will you be able to save for emergencies/repairs etc?

Buying a house certainly is expensive, but so is owning one.

What’s your living situation now? Are you due a rental deposit back or anything?

Have to say I totally agree with this

@LKnope I'll definitely be ok once I'm in. It's just the expenses of moving. I've been putting roughly 30% of my salary into savings for deposit etc. for an extended period. It's just with surveys, solicitors, movers/hiring a van, the few hundred is needed. It should have been there. I did the hours. Just some slack numpty input it all wrong and now I am having to Google black market organ donation (jk...ish).

It just irks me. If I screwed up like they have I'd be raked over the coals. But he just grins his dumb ass through it and takes home double my basic.

I'm in NHS management. If you were in my trust or would issue you a salary advance if payroll error left you in financial hardship. I thought that would be standard practice. We have nearly 10000 staff and mistakes do happen. It is in the organisation's interest to keep staff happy, especially at the moment. I would expect my line manager to deal with it directly.

Another option in my trust is that you could borrow from a local credit union via as nhs staff if you needed a short term fix to get your house move through.

You are definitely over reacting
It will get sorted if you are owed it!

Sounds like you already have the mortgage in place? So what’s the problem? What can’t you afford to pay?

Ah sorry see you answered my question

Do you have a credit card? Just use it !

I’m sorry if this sounds intrusive (or that I’m suggesting you breach your privacy) but have you spelt out in email cc’ing all involved exactly what this loss of pay means to you? And saying how disappointing it would be if a long term employer is reluctant to fix something easily in their power knowing the situation you are in?

@Umbongoumbongo999 bless you. I feel like the managers I'm dealing with aren't as helpful. I do completely understand that mistakes happen. They just don't seem inclined to rectify it in a timely manner which leave me paying for their mistake. We don't have a linked credit union.

Trying to stay hopeful for tomorrow. But them maybe what others are implying above are right. I'm kidding myself. I couldn't possibly be budgeting properly and have been let down by my employer.

Did it get sorted, OP?

Not yet. Gonna speak to our union rep on Tuesday and chase up some big wigs.

Also practiced saying 'no' in a way that won't get me reprimanded when they beg me to stay late.

Ok so before you do anything, I would ask payroll for a copy of their overpayment/underpayment policy. This would detail say an amount or a % of pay short that would trigger a payment. They’re changing it as it’s a pain the balance it all the following month tbh. If they don’t have one, then use the lack of policy to push for a supplementary run and a BACS payment of what’s owed. Also ask them to send you anything they respond with in an email, forward said email to your manager and ask him to approve. More often or not, if you do the legwork and make it easy for them they step up.

It’s a pain in bum tbh, you shouldn’t have to chase for money you are owed, but so many lazy folks about.

Another angle to throw into the mix - I assume your contract states when you will be paid? Therefore they are in breech on contract I guess? Also you could make a grievance against the person who missed it.

They can sort it. One year I got paid about 20% of my salary the week before Christmas...

I had to got up 2 levels of payroll before I finally got someone who didn't parrot the "next month" line. The money was in my account within 24 hours.

Keep at it.

Can you get an advance from work? There are sometimes options in cases of financial hardship. I think you would need to go to HR and/or have a good look at your HR policies.

Also if you are a civil servant ( it isn't clear if you are) can you try the charity for civil servants as they do have financial support provisions I think (again hardship cases). Good luck op x

You might want to use the words "unlawful deduction of wages". Late payment of wages counts as an unlawful deduction. Point out to them that, if you take this to tribunal, they will have to pay the missed overtime payment and may also have to pay any loss you have suffered as a result of their failure to pay overtime on time. They will also have to pay your court fees.

I agree with another poster that you need to contact the HR person's boss. Payroll are saying they need the HR person's authorisation and they are refusing to give it on spurious grounds.

You might want to use the words "unlawful deduction of wages"

I came on to say exactly this @prh47bridge! There fobbing you off, but you need to show them you're serious using the right terms to kick them into action.