Where’s My Money? What to Do When You’re Not Getting Paid on Time?

It’s payday—but you haven’t been paid! This is a serious problem since you need your weekly income to pay bills and keep your landlord happy.

One of the main reasons to work is to receive a weekly paycheck or salary, but sometimes employers drop the ball when it comes to timely payments.

Although stressful, the good news is that you don’t need to live with late paychecks. If you’re not getting paid on time, keep reading to learn how you can solve the problem.

If You’re Not Getting Paid on Time, Talk to HR

When you’re worried about a late salary, the first step is to speak to your manager or HR department. Explain calmly that you haven’t been paid and that you’re concerned.

Then give them time to explain. Hopefully, it was an honest mistake or payroll glitch, and the company will make amends as soon as possible.

If so, you may want to ask what steps the company is taking to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

Always Keep Your Own Records

Sometimes, you might be underpaid by your employer. If your pay stub doesn’t match the numbers of hours you worked, then this is a problem.

To know how much you’ve worked, always keep notes or records of your hours each week, including overtime. You can even use a check stub generator to keep accurate records of your income.

This is particularly important if you think your company’s records aren’t accurate.

File a Complaint

If you’re sure that the delay in getting paid is intentional, you need to file a formal complaint so that it’s on record.

Employers face serious legal penalties if they don’t pay their staff. So, for many companies, the threat of a formal complaint might be enough to encourage them to pay up.

If you feel comfortable, you may also want to speak to other employers about it—if you’re not being paid on time, chances are they aren’t either. Then, you can file a complaint as a group, which may carry more weight.

Consider a Lawsuit

If the complaint didn’t help, it’s time to take more serious action. You can even file a lawsuit against the employer you want to recover your lost wages from.

This can be complex, so you’re probably best off working with a lawyer to file your case. Before filing, just make sure you have all the evidence to prove your case.

Protect Yourself from Wage Theft

You work hard each day, based on the trust that your employer will compensate you. If you’re not getting money on time, use the steps above to get your well-deserved income.

No one wants to have to deal with such a terrible experience, but know that you’re legally entitled to your income, so you’re sure to get it if you follow the correct legal steps.