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Original poster

New work delayed start date after I left previous role

30 replies

Steppymum · 04/10/2022 08:49

I accepted a new job and received an email from them confirming my agreed salary and start date. I handed my notice with my previous job and finished up the week before I was due to start the new role.

The week prior to starting I contacted recruitment as I still hadn't received my contract or IT equipment. I got an out of office message from woman I had been dealing with stating she wouldn't be back until the week after my start date. I contacted her ooo colleague and he was really helpful and assured me he'd get things in place for me starting on time.

Well that didn't happen. The communication from the company was terrible and I was the one having to call for updates. It turns out they got my dates mixed up and had me starting the following month. I explained that I had already left my last job and could afford to go a month unpaid. They said they would try and fast track it. I was also told that they has contacted payroll to ensure I would be included on that months pay as by the time I started I would likely have missed the cut off. They seemed sympathetic to my situation.

I finally get started 3 weeks late. I asked on my 2nd day if I was still getting paid for the 3 week delay since it was their mistake. I was told they'd follow it up. The following week there's still no update and payday is approaching. I asked for an update and also for confirmation that I would at least be paid from when I started. They said they would follow it up.

Pay day comes and I don't get paid. I let them know. All they say is "yeah you missed the cut off".

So basically I'm left short and won't be able to pay my bills this month.

Where do I stand with this legally? I've tried googling and it seems they can't just change the start date after they've agreed. But I feel like they're just not really doing anything to help me or give me answers.

This is a multibillion pound company with 10s of thousands of employees.

They also shipped my computer equipment to my old address from over a year ago despite me confirming my current address twice. My tenant received a 2nd package yesterday despite them confirming my address had been updated. I've asked where they even got my old address and no one can tell me. They just keep passing the buck to other departments.

I hate to start any job on the wrong foot but they way they've been so far doesn't fill me with confidence and I'm already looking elsewhere to get out ASAP.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

OP posts:
Blowthemandown · 04/10/2022 09:18

Who was the email confirmation from? I wouldn’t have handed in my notice until I had a contract. Also it is common when starting new job to find you may have missed the cut off for payroll, but the first thing I do is find those things out and chase up from day 1 so it doesn’t become an issue. Sometimes you can ask for an advance or there will be a late salary BACS run you can get on …

VeridicalVagabond · 04/10/2022 09:29

Legally I don't think there's much you can do really, unless you've got something in writing saying they'd agreed to pay you the three weeks, they're not really obligated to. I had my start date pushed back a month in my new job and it's a nightmare, but I doubt there's much anyone can do regarding getting the money for the three weeks - you might be able to request an emergency advance, or push for them to at least pay you the three weeks on next month's payroll as a goodwill gesture, or submit it as paid leave without deducting any of your actual leave allowance, something like that. You'll likely have to be really bull headed with them to get anything. But I don't think they're legally bound to do anything, especially while you're in a probation period (which I assume you are?)

All that aside, they sound like a completely incompetent company - I'm not sure I'd want to work for them.

minipie · 04/10/2022 09:35

Sounds like you’ve been dealing with admin staff. They won’t have the authority to put things right.

You need to go more senior. What does your manager say?

If all else fails I would find out who is the UK head of personnel, and email them with all of this. “Apologies for bothering you with this but my experience so far…” etc. They will act.

lickenchugget · 04/10/2022 09:37

Notice shouldn’t have been handed in you got a contract. In my organisation, contracts can be pulled right up until the last minute, if they don’t get top level sign off etc.

It’s your issue, not theirs.

PutUpSTFU · 04/10/2022 09:40

Did you not get a contract? Never hand your notice in until the contract is agreed and signed. Do you even have a contract now?

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 09:47

Blowthemandown · 04/10/2022 09:18

Who was the email confirmation from? I wouldn’t have handed in my notice until I had a contract. Also it is common when starting new job to find you may have missed the cut off for payroll, but the first thing I do is find those things out and chase up from day 1 so it doesn’t become an issue. Sometimes you can ask for an advance or there will be a late salary BACS run you can get on …

The email confirmation came from the recruitment person who'd set up the interview etc.

When I spoke to my manager for the first time I brought this up. She said she'd follow up and get back to me but didn't. I asked again a week later and still no update.

OP posts:
HoppingPavlova · 04/10/2022 09:50

What is the start date in the contract though? That’s the date they need to pay you from.

MarmiteCoriander · 04/10/2022 09:55

Is it the civil service my any chance???

Due to security checks and them dithering about pay, it took 3mths after my interview before I actually started. It was several weeks after the initial, agreed start date, and due to missing the payroll cut off- wasn't paid till I'd been working over 6 weeks!

I don't think you can legally do anything. If your manager now back? What do they say? Have you asked for an advance?

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 09:59

MarmiteCoriander · 04/10/2022 09:55

Is it the civil service my any chance???

Due to security checks and them dithering about pay, it took 3mths after my interview before I actually started. It was several weeks after the initial, agreed start date, and due to missing the payroll cut off- wasn't paid till I'd been working over 6 weeks!

I don't think you can legally do anything. If your manager now back? What do they say? Have you asked for an advance?

No not the civil service.

I've asked my manager about it 3 times now and still haven't gotten any further. She keeps saying she'll check or she'll follow up.

My next step is to go to HR but I'm worried that I'm just in the door and going above my managers head will make me look bad.

OP posts:
PutUpSTFU · 04/10/2022 10:14

I wouldn't chase op. You'll look foolish in front of your boss for not bothering to get a contract, sorry

Mckeeverr · 04/10/2022 10:29

Also agree you should never quit a job until you’ve received a contract. An email from the recruiter is not the same as a start date confirmed by your manager.

Why do you think you would be paid for the 3 weeks you didn’t work?

I moved roles within the same organisation years ago and had a 2 month gap because I handed my notice in before getting a new contract. I wouldn’t have dreamed of asking for the company to pay for this.

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 10:35

They didn't send me my contract until just before I actually started despite me chasing it up a few times. The date they wanted me to start originally, if I'd waited any longer my notice period would have overlapped.

Maybe naivety on my part taking an email confirmation as gospel.

OP posts:
LIZS · 04/10/2022 10:41

The email was provisional, from the recruiter, not the company itself? Sorry but think you jumped the gun and won't get paid.

Mckeeverr · 04/10/2022 10:43

Steppymum · 04/10/2022 10:35

They didn't send me my contract until just before I actually started despite me chasing it up a few times. The date they wanted me to start originally, if I'd waited any longer my notice period would have overlapped.

Maybe naivety on my part taking an email confirmation as gospel.

It doesn’t matter if there would have been an overlap - it’s not a potential employees problem when a contract is sent out.

You wait for the contract, tell them you have a 2 months or whatever notice to give, give them a new date and then go from there.

Im sorry to say this, but I think it’s really naive and unprofessional to ask for 3 weeks pay for time you didn’t work.

From what you’ve written, it sounds like admin suggested you could have an advance on your wages this month which would be taken out of future salary.

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 10:44

LIZS · 04/10/2022 10:41

The email was provisional, from the recruiter, not the company itself? Sorry but think you jumped the gun and won't get paid.

The recruiter works for the company and had agreed the date with management also.

OP posts:
EfficientDynamics · 04/10/2022 10:47

You've had a glimpse into the company you've just started to work for and it's not good

I started a job once where I twice had to ring up and chase the contract of employment. That was an alarm bell I should have listened to. I was looking for a new job within weeks, the place was absolute chaos

Pollywoddles · 04/10/2022 10:49

I’m afraid this was your mistake. You never give notice until you have signed your contract. If the dates overlap then you push it back on the hiring company by telling them you’ll be unable to meet the start date because you can’t give notice until you have a contract in place.

It’s a hard lesson to learn but one you’ll never make again.

Dougieowner · 04/10/2022 10:51

How was equipment sent to an address you haven't lived in for over a year, how did they even know of that address or was it a very long, drawn out recruitment process?

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 10:59

Dougieowner · 04/10/2022 10:51

How was equipment sent to an address you haven't lived in for over a year, how did they even know of that address or was it a very long, drawn out recruitment process?

I honestly don't know. I provided my address at the start of the recruitment process. No one can tell me where they got my old address. IT said my manager, my manager said Recruitment, recruitment confirmed they only have my current address and referred me back to my manager. I even check the voters role in case they got it from there but its up to date. I've provided my current address 3 times and they've still sent equipment to my old address. I'm a bit worried that they have info on me that I haven't provided.

OP posts:
Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 11:01

EfficientDynamics · 04/10/2022 10:47

You've had a glimpse into the company you've just started to work for and it's not good

I started a job once where I twice had to ring up and chase the contract of employment. That was an alarm bell I should have listened to. I was looking for a new job within weeks, the place was absolute chaos

I've already started looking. Thankfully within the probation period I only have to give a weeks notice.

OP posts:
EleanorRavenclaw · 04/10/2022 11:35

If you’ve had an email it’s written confirmation and they should stand by this regardless of the contract. A lot of places now have 3 month notice periods so what did they expect you to do wait weeks for the contract then hand your notice in? It sounds as if their processes aren’t great I’ve worked in large organisations including as part of recruitment in a Shared Setvices environment and it’s easy for mistakes to be made depending on how good their systems are. They can pay a BACS payment if needed. It sounds like you e fallen through the cracks a number of ways with the recruiter, line manager, out of date address etc. honestly I’d go to HR it’s not undermining your manager they should be sorting it out for you as a new starter. Its fairly appalling the way you’ve been treated but could just be onboarding issues so might be worth holding on if it’s a job you really want.

Dougieowner · 04/10/2022 11:42

There are flags that it may not be a very organised place to work however I wouldn't rush into any hasty decisions. If you like the place, the work and the people then stick it out but never let up about the missing money. You have more chance to get it back from within than as an ex-employee who stayed just a few weeks.

mrsbyers · 04/10/2022 11:48

All these people saying never leave til you have contract , joining the civil service or at least HMRC you are given your contract on first day so that’s not always the best advice

Original poster
Steppymum · 04/10/2022 11:55

mrsbyers · 04/10/2022 11:48

All these people saying never leave til you have contract , joining the civil service or at least HMRC you are given your contract on first day so that’s not always the best advice

From what I've read online even a verbal agreement is still a contact between both parties although I'm not sure how you'd prove that. If the employer wanted to change the originally agreed date surely they should have notified me ASAP?

OP posts:
Laurdo · 04/10/2022 11:59

Dougieowner · 04/10/2022 11:42

There are flags that it may not be a very organised place to work however I wouldn't rush into any hasty decisions. If you like the place, the work and the people then stick it out but never let up about the missing money. You have more chance to get it back from within than as an ex-employee who stayed just a few weeks.

Yes, I'd prefer to get this resolved while I'm still an employee.

The number of cock ups and lack of communication from management has just left a sour taste. I don't have much confidence in them dealing with other issues that may arise during my time there.

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