How do I get my boss to ... pay me? (employees, bankrupt, owner)

[blossom4792]

I feel so ridiculous asking this, I'm not this passive really! I have a great, flexible job working out of someone's home office. It's kind of a great situation for me as a mom with a child in elementary school and the pay is ... not terrible.

Somehow, I'm supposed to leave my timesheet on my bosses' desk. Then I wait to be paid. Then it's time to be paid again and I'm still waiting to be paid. So now I'm about 2 months late (I keep getting paid, but with each delay it's backed up about 2 months).

She's ultra "all positive all the time" so it's not like you go and complain. At some point I'll send her a message and say "oh, I just realized it's the first of the month can I get paid today?" Once about a year ago I showed up for work, was given a huge list to do, but my timesheet had been sitting there for 10 days, and I just went home and told her to call me when my paycheck was ready. I did it more out of depression than out of strategy, but I thought after that things would straighten out.

And don't get me wrong, just when I'm all bent out of shape, I'll get some big bonus or something collateral (like she's acted as a reference on other things, etc., etc.), or I've had many times when my child has been sick and she's super wonderful about letting me work from home, at least whatever I can do from home.

Maybe what I need is some mechanism for a more automated paycheck (for a very small business)? Or a backbone, I know.

[thebunny]

She is breaking the law by not paying you. There are labor codes that enforce this...and there is the basis of a lawsuit? But you have to tell her.

[a34dadsf]

Not sure why she would do that but sounds like she is very busy or something? She is probably more focused on making money and running the business (impressing clients, getting new clients etc.). The payroll is just minor.

Tell her that she needs to bring the payroll up to date so everything is back on track. Always make sure that you get paid in full for the time you have worked. E-mail her, leave voice mails, and just stay up with it. She isn't going to fire you because you asked to get paid.

You'll want to get that money ASAP. If there is ever some sort of financial difficulties and she goes bankrupt then you are out in the cold.

She is breaking the law by not paying you. There are labor codes that enforce this...and there is the basis of a lawsuit? But you have to tell her.

She probably doesn't even know. That's pretty common for small businesses. These small business people aren't lawyers and they don't have the time to read 153,230 pages of legal regulations. Also legal advisory services are expensive. It is what it is.

[blossom4792]

I'm wondering if I could create a google docs to automatically send her my hours on a regular basis. The last time the accountant was in the office (she comes quarterly), I asked if there was any simple payroll system we could use so that things could get more automated. I just can't live with this instability. And although there's no chance of her going bankrupt, if for whatever reason we had a falling out, it would be rather hard to get caught up on the back pay.

I think the answer is that I am the detail person, she is the strategy person, so something like payroll would normally be my terrain, but trust me, she wouldn't put up with not getting her paycheck, or not getting paid by customers, etc., so I'm getting kind of resentful and that doesn't help anything. She has a housekeeper who comes weekly and recently she didn't leave a check and the housekeeper would not leave until she was paid, made a big scene or something. And there are babysitters who are getting kind of bent out of shape - everyone has their own way of saying "oh I'll be leaving as soon as I get my check" or whatever.

[Pammyd]

Originally Posted by blossom4792

I feel so ridiculous asking this, I'm not this passive really! I have a great, flexible job working out of someone's home office. It's kind of a great situation for me as a mom with a child in elementary school and the pay is ... not terrible.
Somehow, I'm supposed to leave my timesheet on my bosses' desk. Then I wait to be paid. Then it's time to be paid again and I'm still waiting to be paid. So now I'm about 2 months late (I keep getting paid, but with each delay it's backed up about 2 months).
She's ultra "all positive all the time" so it's not like you go and complain. At some point I'll send her a message and say "oh, I just realized it's the first of the month can I get paid today?" Once about a year ago I showed up for work, was given a huge list to do, but my timesheet had been sitting there for 10 days, and I just went home and told her to call me when my paycheck was ready. I did it more out of depression than out of strategy, but I thought after that things would straighten out.
And don't get me wrong, just when I'm all bent out of shape, I'll get some big bonus or something collateral (like she's acted as a reference on other things, etc., etc.), or I've had many times when my child has been sick and she's super wonderful about letting me work from home, at least whatever I can do from home.
Maybe what I need is some mechanism for a more automated paycheck (for a very small business)? Or a backbone, I know.

Gosh, this sounds like me about 5 years ago! I had been working for a small company from home as a "screener". I would run reference checks on contractors who wanted to join perhaps a program a utility company was running or would also check them out for consumers who were nervous about hiring them to work at their homes. I loved the work, made my own hours and met lots of great people over the phone. It was a new and growing company but I simply could NOT get the owner to pay me and ended up half the time BEGGING to get paid. I kept track of all my timesheets and sent them to her electronically plus kept a hard copy file.

One month...the owner totally disappears. I have contractors looking for certifications, contractors looking for checks, utility companies searching for her and more. I hadn't received a paycheck for months so I stopped working and sent her a note as to how disappointed I was with her lack of contact and concern for her business.

Long story short...she was involved with a MARRIED guy who had raked her over the coals had been helping sponsor her "New and Upcoming company" and in the process of all this..she busted him on being married and went into this huge funk..company closed and she didn't tell me. I kept on working. I was so ticked off. I had left a great job WITH a big utility company to take a chance on her little company. We are not longer friends, she hardly ever even says hello on Facebook or email..still think she owes me an apology..not getting it.

You would be far better off to work a part time job outside the home and outside anyone elses home. Work for a company who is well known, who would cater to you having children..they are out there!!

[blossom4792]

Yes, thank you, that's good advice. I promise, this employer checks out, really, and if I leave I really really really want and need to leave on the best of terms because she is very connected and respected. And I probably should soon start planning to move on. But I'm turning into some sort of dishrag. I'm like that guy in the movie Office Space who gets moved into an office in the basement and keeps saying "um, I haven't received a paycheck". Yes, that's me right now.

[nctecchie]

The best thing you can do is be direct and ask her nicely if there is a way to formalize payroll. State that you need to get paid in a timely way to pay your bills. Be direct and polite and hopefully your employer will respond.

[blossom4792]

Originally Posted by nctecchie

The best thing you can do is be direct and ask her nicely if there is a way to formalize payroll. State that you need to get paid in a timely way to pay your bills. Be direct and polite and hopefully your employer will respond.

beautiful. yes. this is what I need to do.

[STT Resident]

Originally Posted by a34dadsf

She probably doesn't even know. That's pretty common for small businesses. These small business people aren't lawyers and they don't have the time to read 153,230 pages of legal regulations. Also legal advisory services are expensive. It is what it is.

That's total nonsense and no excuse at all. I don't care if you're Mrs Puddledunk making pies in your basement who hires someone to chop the fruit or Donald Trump, everyone knows you pay your employees in full and on time!

Originally Posted by blossom4792

But I'm turning into some sort of dishrag.

No, you're not turning into one, you are one. I don't care if this woman is God's gift to the world, you should have been down at your local labor office a long time ago. All you're doing is enabling her crappy and absolutely illegal business practices. Get a grip!

[macroy]

Originally Posted by nctecchie

The best thing you can do is be direct and ask her nicely if there is a way to formalize payroll. State that you need to get paid in a timely way to pay your bills. Be direct and polite and hopefully your employer will respond.

^^ This. In essence, you need to communicate and set these expectations.