Cashing Cheques on work time??

mkdon05

Just wondering if anybody knows if you are legally entitled to time off ( say a half hour) to cash a wages cheque?? Surely its nearly impossible to do it if you work in a nine to five job.

L5

yes, afaik you are entitled to "banking time" or something, 1/2 hour per week i was told

BaZmO*

But only if you're paid by cheque by your employer. If your wages are paid into the bank your not entitled to time off.

BC

I'm fairly sure you are not legally entitled to it. It has been standard practice in the public sector to give a half hour banking time but its only for employees who are paid by cheque.

BaZmO*

Just spoke to the girl that does the wages here in work and she said that she's fairly certain that you are not legally entitled to time off. It should have been sorted out in your terms and conditions of employment.

Some places will actually give you the time off, but it's under their own discretion. The only exceptions are if you are normally paid into your bank account and for some reason it didn't happen and you were given a cheque instead.

matthew111

Can you do it in lunch time,i mean you do have a lunch time don't you

MrPudding

Can you not post the cheque to your bank?

MrP

Stephen

I can't believe that some employers are still paying people by cheque in this day and age.

qwertz

Quite a few public sector companies (or whatever they are called) get paid electronically but still get their half hour for cashing in the cheques. Talk about wasting the taxpayers money...

BC wrote:

I'm fairly sure you are not legally entitled to it. It has been standard practice in the public sector to give a half hour banking time but its only for employees who are paid by cheque.

mkdon05

Of Course i get a lunch break Mathew111, but its not uncommon for a trip to the bank to last over a half hour at lunch time, then the time it takes to get to the bank and back to work, not only are you hungry but your late back from lunch. Not the brightest of ideas.

MrPudding

mkdon05 wrote:

Not the brightest of ideas.

He was just making a suggestion. Most people would go to the bank at lunchtime if they need to.

What about posting the cheque?

MrP

The Muppet

MrPudding wrote:

What about posting the cheque?

You can't be serious. How about asking to be paid in cash if the company can not facilitate time off for cashing his check or payment directly into his account.

Gandhi

What is wrong with posting a cheque? On the (rare) occasion that I have a cheque to cash, I will post it or deposit it through an ATM. I can't even remember the last time I actually walked in the door of a bank.

The Muppet

Gandhi wrote:

What is wrong with posting a cheque? On the (rare) occasion that I have a cheque to cash, I will post it or deposit it through an ATM. I can't even remember the last time I actually walked in the door of a bank.

Each to their own, If i were paid by cheque there is no way I would post it. IMO if an employer wants to pay by cheque they should facilitate the employee with time to cash it. (I am assuming that the op has not been offered any other way to recieve payment).

qwertz

One reason I can think of why some companies use cheques is to buy themselfes a few more days before they have to part with the money...

seamus

As others have said, no you're not entitled to the time off. Use a quick lodge to lodge your cheque. Takes 2 minutes (I assume all banks have this now?)

Our man in Havana

and wait 1 week for the cheque to clear!

Jonnie_Onion

Quick lodgements are processed in the branch on the next working day.

Our man in Havana

That may be, but cheques take a week to clear so you can actually spend it. Hence the reason people wish to take their cheques to the issuing bank to obtain value there and then.

Litcagral

Stephen wrote:

I can't believe that some employers are still paying people by cheque in this day and age.

Under The Payment of Wages Act, Section 3, Sub Section 2, Part (a) an employer cannot change an employees method of payment without the consent of that employee or a representative of that employee (i.e. Trade Union). If an employee was originally paid in cash or cheque, they are entitled to continue to be paid like this.

A previous poster bemoaned the practise of some staff, who are paid electronically, still getting time off to 'cash their cheques'. There is a very simple explanation for this:

An employer wishes to change from cheque to direct bank account system. It approaches employees or their representatives. They agree to the new system but only if they can retain their hour off. Take it or leave it - they can't legally be forced to change. Employer weighs up options and decides to accept.

It is the duty of a trade union to always put the interests of it's members first by utilising situations to negotiate and bargain to the benefit of its members. Do people realistically expect employees to accept a different payment method and a longer working week for nothing in return.

BC

qwertz wrote:

Quite a few public sector companies (or whatever they are called) get paid electronically but still get their half hour for cashing in the cheques. Talk about wasting the taxpayers money...

Obviously i don't know the situation in every public sector organisation so there may be some that do this, but thats unusual. I work in the public sector and i know from my organisation and other similar ones that I have worked in and dealt with that only employees paid by cheque get the half hour. Also any 'new' employees don't get a choice, they are told they are being paid electronically. Employees who have been in the public sector for years and were originally paid by cheque have the right to insist that it stays that way and so they still get the half hour off despite best efforts to move them to electronic pay methods.

MrPudding

Litcagral wrote:

Do people realistically expect employees to accept a different payment method and a longer working week for nothing in return.

Sorry, this is where I always have a problem with the internet. Are you actually being serious here?

MrP