Old employers owe me money

[Rosebel]

Back in April I took 2 weeks leave due to a family death. This leave is supposed to be paid.
Payments were messed up in April but I still haven't received my money. My line manager kept saying it would be in my next pay check.
I have now left the company and have got in touch with my line manager and head office but haven't heard back.
Would I be able to take legal action?

How have you contacted them so far? And have you been issued with your P45 yet?

Yes you can make a claim but there is a tight time limit for employment tribunal. Speak to ACAS tomorrow.

www.gov.uk/employment-tribunals

You'll have 3 months to claim. Look at acas.
www.acas.org.uk/making-a-claim-to-an-employment-tribunal#:~:text=A%20claim%20to%20an%20employment%20tribunal%20must%20usually%20be%20made,ended%20to%20make%20the%20claim.

I spoke to my line manager in person and emailed head office.

Just to say, I had this with money owed and I later realised my employer had been stringing me along saying they were dealing with it. They were well aware that if the three month limit was passed they wouldn't have to pay me.
Don't let the clock run out.

Can you clarify what "supposed to" means? Two weeks is a lot of fully paid leave for a bereavement. I'm not being mean, just saying that it isn't a legal entitlement. So is it contractual? Do you have evidence that you are entitled to it? If you do, great, you can submit a claim. But "supposed to" isn't legal grounds. What are your legal grounds?

It's in our contract 2 weeks paid leave for close family. The family member was included in the list

That is an unusual thing to put in a contract, are you absolutely sure? I agree that it also seems far more generous than norm as a policy too. Is there any way you can double check.

Well if it is a contractual entitlement you need to send them a letter before action telling them what they owe, pointing out that they have failed to make the payment despite your efforts, and that you will begin legal action without further notice if you do not receive payment in 21 days. If you are out of time for a tribunal it isn't a problem as you can make a small claim and add the costs of the claim to what you are asking the court for.

The poster may not be in the UK, she prefers to pay check and jumping to legal action

I'd put everything in writing, actual letter not email, quote the contract terms and give them the time by which they must reply before yu move to the next stage

I'm not jumping to legal action. I have asked and waited. I have emailed and waited. What else do you suggest I do?

My first action would be to contact payroll directly. Line management and head office in general is not enough depending on the size of company. Make sure you put a receipt on it so you can prove your email was received.

There are a few companies in the UK who pay two weeks bereavement leave when a family member dies - I worked for one (ASDA) and they listed all the relations in the contract!

It was something like two weeks fully paid leave for parents, children and full siblings, and one week for step-relatives, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

It was my first job and received the leave when one of my grandparents died. Fully paid from the day I called to let them know. I was really surprised when I went to other companies and they didn't offer that kind of thing!

Taking them to small claims court is significantly easier than a tribunal and most of it is online.

(I had to do it when I wasn't paid once).

I would call ACAS and see what steps they recommend at this point.