Boss doesn't pay on time

Ella108

Hi, I work in a office for a limited company so its just me and the " boss" who owns the office. He said my pay day would be last day of each month. It never happened to me before ( I worked for bigger companies and never had to face this kind of nonsense) I checked my bank to my utter annoyance the salary didn't come through. Last month also it was 1 or 2 days late.

I tried ringing him no answer all day after I went working today. I am feeling so upset, but I want to deal with it as calmly as possible.

Tomorrow is Friday and I am thinking whether or not I should quit, because I don't need this kind of stress. I know it's not going to be easy I dedicated lot of my efforts to this office and work.

I don't know how it is going to affect my future job hunt, references , and so on. On top of all this I don't have supportive network around me. I have difficult marriage as well and my spouse won't listen too about my work problems etc. I feel alone and lost.

I need some practical advice:

Should I text him and say I won't come in to work until he pays salary or should I email or print a letter?

Any ideas on how to deal this as pragmatically as possible?

Mrs OBumble

Focus on finding another job first. Don't quit before you gave one.

SouthWesterly

Joh hunt and then quit you won't get social welfare for 9 weeks if you quit your job.

And whatever you do, don't tell him your job hunting. Just do it and move on.

fritzelly

Start here

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions/pay-and-employment/regularly-getting-paid-late/

Ella108

Long complicated story trying to write it short here: before I joined new work I had been a full time carer and relinquished carers allowance. Now impending Paperwork daunts me if I decide to go back to that... nothing makes sense now financially at the moment.

mrcheez

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122091200#Comment_122091200

You can get social welfare immediately if you are leaving because of "bullying" or other office-related stress.

There are easy ways around the 9 week waiting list and they don't contact the former office to corroborate (don't contact the office in question)

kirving

I agree, that's ridiculous.

However, have you said this to him in person, about how last month your pay was late?

Do you have a contract? What does it say?

It may be that he's doing a manual transfer on the last day of the month (which was a Sunday in March) from Bank A, and it's taking a day or two to reach your Bank B? If the last day of the month falls on a weekend, your pay should be sent early, but I'm not sure how that is looked upon in employment law.

Don't go sending an email or letter. This is a serious conversation you need to have (assuming that the pay is actually being sent late compared to the contract). You really shouldn't have to explain yourself - its none of your employers business, but you need add a level of seriousness too.

Say along the lines of:

"Hi John, I need to chat to you about when my salary is being sent. The contract says I'll be paid on X day, but it's hit my account 1/2/3 days last last month AND this month. My mortgage/car/insurance/loan comes out on the 1st of the month and I've already missed a payment due to it being late. I really need it paid on the contracted date from now on."

scwazrh

agree with others don’t be sending emails or texts.Wait till you see him and ask why your wages are late.If a genuine reason try and find a solution,if he’s just acting up search for a new job .

Ella108

Woke up this morning and no pay, feeling totally put off going to work, and I don't know what to do now

Seth Brundle

As others have said, do not leave your job until you have another one secured - it is easier to get a job if you're already working.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092387#Comment_122092387

Go into work, tell him you're unhappy that you're wages are late again and that you need to get paid on time every month. If possible get this in writing but if you can't at least record the date and time of your conversation

If your boss doesn't take this matter seriously then you can take a case to the WRC for constructive dismissal and he may be fined.

Ideally the employer will cop himself on and pay you on time, but if he doesn't, you should look for a new job and take him to the WRC for compensation after you leave.

Oscar_Madison

How long have you been working there OP?

There could be a simple explanation such as the transfer taking time to get to your bank. If not actual day of the month was agreed that means it could be a number of days after lodgement takes place- sounds like you don’t have a good relationship with your employer. Stay calm, see if it can be sorted and if not look for something else behind the scenes - it’s a different situation than not being paid at all so it’s an inconvenience yes very much- but it’s not so serious to totally stress you out - if the employer wants you, he’ll ensure he puts things right

antimatterx

Happened to me in my first job and the boss said its no big deal it's only a few days. But god forbid you were a few minutes late for work all hell broke lose.

It's a sign that the company is in financial difficulty I'd start job hunting now.

Akrasia

Not getting paid on time is extremely serious if you have direct debits that bounce back and you can't afford to pay your rent

TheChizler

Not a direct solution to the problem but in the meantime can you move your direct debit days a few days later? I've done that to avoid overlap with pay day, most companies are happy to move it in my experience.

Ezeoul

May Day happening this week could have delayed the transfer, but only by a day.

I'd go in and ask him for a sub in cash today to cover you for the weekend (tell him you need groceries) and your salary in your account on a fixed same date every month (e.g. 28th of each month) from now on.

I'd also start job hunting.

Ella108

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092439#Comment_122092439

Something similar is happening, boss is always late, never available when urgent issues arise, and I am left to deal with the office on my own most of the time and when he's on holiday for few weeks and I am expected to be in office, he thinks due to less work ( which it isn't even the fact) he makes me feel like I am paid for free. Office has always been extremely busy, tedious amount of work, the old system wasn't efficient when I joined I made changes to improve and got only verbal praise, and when it gets closer to pay day his mood changes I noticed. I am definitely looking for other jobs at this point.

Ella108

I am currently on my way to office with no answers. See, the reason I'm bit furious is because he has mentioned about my pay being cut few times into the job ( whenever he's upset about something) which I thought he didn't actually mean it. So at this point I'm thinking he's not going to pay at all, but I'll update here id anything changes. Maybe I'm thinking worse because I'm upset

Peregrinus

It's completely unacceptable. Paying the worker what has been earned is literally the most fundamental obligation of an employer, and if he's slapdash about that God knows what attitude he will take to his other obligations.

I understand why the OP is upset. They are right to be upset. But for reasons already mentioned in this thread by the OP and others, simply qutting, though entirely justified, is not an attractive option.

OP should ask themselves "if this problem were solved and I was regularly paid on time, would I want to stay in this job?"

If the answer to that question is "yes", then the best outcome is that the problem gets solved. In the OP's situation, I'd have a sit-down with the employer in which I said, as politely as possible, that, for me, being paid on time is absolutely fundamental; it's the most basic thing an employer has to do and, if the employer can't do it, that's a huge red flag for me. If it happens again, it'll be a quitting matter.

(You don't have to tell the employer about your personal circumstances or your financial issues; they are none of his business and your expectation of being paid when due is legitimate and valid even if you're fabulously wealthy and don't need the money. So I wouldn't even mention this)

If the answer to that question is "no", then the OP's priority should be to find another job. As others have said, do that before quitting.

Ella108

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092526#Comment_122092526

Thanks so much for this perspective, appreciate your response

Ella108

Working for 5 months, and I have 6 months probationary period as per the contract.

Tombo2001

Sounds like there are multiple reasons why you should leave this job, not just the salary.

Personally- I dont know if the best advice here is to 'talk to him' about it = the facts speak for themselves, and if he doesnt know already that its wrong to leave you unpaid, threaten to cut your pay, leave you to do crisis work when you've only just started and so on….I'm not sure that talking to the guy will make things better. Doesnt sound like a font of reason.

I would simply say, I noticed my salary hasnt come through yet, do you know when its coming through.

Also, as there is just the two of you……that accentuates everything.

JVince

Lets cut the excuses that there are delays in bank transfer. That does not happen these days.

Banks here operated as normal on May 1st except for foreign transfers to account sin countries where May 1st is the holiday.

For all banks here, if a payment is made in the morning before 11am, it is in your account that day. For same bank it is instant.

Its either of 2 scenarios.

1 - The boss has plenty of money and simply does not understand the concept of needing to be paid on time so that an employee can make their own payments.

2 - The company has cashflow issues.

If its scenario 1, then a face to face chat explaining that you have bills that go out on 1st week of every month and the importance of being able to depend on the salary being paid on time. If it continues next month, look elsewhere

If its scenario 2 (you'd know if there are calls / letters for overdue bills), then be on the look out for new employment.

I'm guessing its scenario 1 - many small business owners are crap at day to day finance (incl myself - hence I use an accountant to do staff wages) and possibly you could be the first employee and he just hasn't grasped the importance of an employee being able to depend on a payment.

Ella108

Update: Boss let me know he paid this morning. Reason being he just was busy so couldn't on time

28064212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092612#Comment_122092612

Banks here operated as normal on May 1st except for foreign transfers to account sin countries where May 1st is the holiday.

Agree with your other points, but this part isn't correct. May 1st is a SEPA bank holiday, all participants in the SEPA zone (which includes Ireland) are affected. The only transfers in Ireland that aren't affected are ones between accounts within the same bank e.g. BOI to BOI or AIB to AIB. Transfers between banks, like AIB to BOI or vice-versa, are affected by the May 1st bank holiday

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092673#Comment_122092673

that’s a pathetic excuse. Find another job and get out of there. He will use that excuse over and over. Oh i was on holidays etc.

downtheroad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092673#Comment_122092673

Who does the payroll? They can set up sepa bank files when preparing your payslip. Alternatively your boss can use his phone to log into the company bank account and make an immediate transfer. If you're paid the same amount each month he could do a standing order. None of this is difficult.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092673#Comment_122092673

So at least your boss has confirmed to you that you do not matter a bit to him. Thats was nice of him to be honest about it.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092673#Comment_122092673

Its just not good enough.

The last day of the month was 3 days ago.

Good luck with finding something better.

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092673#Comment_122092673

Not good enough. When you're busy, you have to prioritise. This means he is prioritising other issues over the issue of paying his staff.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092810#Comment_122092810

I disagree and agree 😀. He simply does not understand the importance of being able to depend on wages coming in on the date agreed.

Its a one man band business. A simple chat about how important it is for the OP that payment comes when agreed and for him to take that on board, is most likely all that is needed.

A suggestion is for him to put a reminder on his diary/phone on 27th of each month that the wages are to be done.

If other aspects of the job suit you and this is the only issue at play, then try and get it rectified.