Finishing a job can be stressful, especially when your employer does not play ball. Finding out that essential things like pay are being delayed unnecessarily has a serious impact on life including your ability to pay essential bills and how you feel about yourself. If your employer is not communicating properly or is delaying your salary for reasons unknown, here are five steps you can take to get things back to where they should rightfully be.
What Are Your Rights?
There is very clear legislation within the California final paycheck Law that determines an employer has 72 hours to pay you what you are owed. If this is not upheld, then you need to move on to legal action and hold them accountable. While there are often perfectly innocent reasons for the delay, nothing is ever straightforward and whatever complications are afoot, you should not face the consequences of missing out on monies owed.
Find Your Payslips and Contract
The first step is to dig out your original employment contract and get the exact figure of your hourly rate or monthly salary. When you have this, join it together with your payslips for the entire time that you have spent in the role and keep these documents lying in wait for the right time.
Calculate the Final Pay Amount Owed
Use your payslips to calculate what money you are owed in the final remuneration package. This is easy enough to figure out, and when you have this figure you can use it in all future correspondence regarding the matter. Your employer will also have this figure at their disposal, so it is important to verify that they match up.
Keep Track of Correspondence
Any time you do communicate with your employer, make sure it is on a completely traceable platform like email. Do not delete anything, and even consider keeping printouts of anything that comes your way. It is essential to keep these things organized so that you don’t get overwhelmed throughout proceedings or misplace something essential.
Get Expert Input
The next step is to consult with an attorney who understands the issue. They will have the most reasonable, direct approach to finalizing the matter and this support will be invaluable.
File a Claim if Still Unresolved
They will also be able to help you file a claim if your employer is not responding to your requests or making things difficult. A legal suit will help you receive your money and get a resolution from the whole ordeal. It may take a little longer, but if your old job is not listening then, what do you have to lose?
When a final paycheck is delayed it can really throw a spanner in the works. You may be relying on that money to tie you over until your next remuneration period starts in a new role or even just the moral point of it legally being owed to you because you’ve done the work and put the hours in. Whatever the case, make sure you stay on top of correspondence and take legal advice where appropriate so nothing is lost in the chaos.
