Market Mad House

In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. Friedrich Nietzsche

Finance

What to Do When You’ve Not Been Paid at Work (Easy Guide)

daniel , , , , , ,

At any job, it’s normal for disputes and problems to occur. However, some disputes are more severe than others, such as not being paid – whether it’s for your standard working hours or some overtime you’ve done.

If you’ve fallen into a situation where you haven’t been paid by your employer, it’s important that you take action so that you can resolve the issue quickly. By letting the issue drag on, it will only worsen and become more complicated.

This handy guide is a must-read for any employees who have not been paid by their companies. It will ensure that your situation is handled efficiently and that you will no longer have to worry.

1. Speak to your manager

After realizing you haven’t been paid, you should:

  • Request a meeting with your manager
  • Attend the meeting and be polite and concise with your points
  • Listen carefully to what they have to say

In an ideal scenario, your manager will inform you that there’s been a mix-up and that you’ll be paid immediately. However, they might also inform you that they cannot pay you due to particular circumstances, such as cash flow problems. Whatever the case may be (providing you’ve worked the hours), they are legally required to pay you.

If they refuse to compromise (i.e., coming up with a plan to pay you your wages the following week), then you will have to consider taking legal action.  

2. Get legal help

Every day, thousands of employers seek legal help due to work disputes. Unfortunately, it’s part and parcel of the modern working world.

But don’t worry – getting legal help doesn’t mean you have to break the bank and spend tons of time worrying. Baird Quinn are expert employee representatives who will be able to be the face of your case and get you the result you deserve. Therefore, if you have an ongoing pay dispute with your employer, don’t hesitate to contact them.

3. Collect evidence

When a pay dispute arises, it’s vital that you collect all the necessary evidence; from bank statements to work you’ve produced. Without evidence, your case will be significantly weaker. So, spend a couple of hours gathering your evidence so that it can be presented to your manager, the HR department, and your legal team.

4. Check to see what other co-workers have been paid

In some cases, employees do get paid but they notice that a certain amount seems to be missing. For example, they’ve been underpaid by $200. If this happens to you, it’s worth checking with co-workers to see if they’ve been underpaid to. If they haven’t, then it seems likely that it’s not a company-wide pay problem but an individual mistake that must be resolved.

Amazon has allegedly shortchanged employees before, so these types of problems are not uncommon.

5. Remain calm and have patience

Pay disputes can be awful for the employees involved in them. However, throughout the duration of your pay dispute, try to remain calm and have patience. It might take a couple of weeks (or months) before you get paid the money you are owed – but justice should prevail in the end.