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I posted last week about my parent company not paying employees on time and not providing us with a pay schedule. Today, I drove 44 miles round-trip to get my check that we should have received on Jan. 16, but they did not print them because they claimed they didn't have to as it was a federal holiday (MLK Day). When I got to the office, the comptroller (or whatever her title is) has issued THIS LETTER to ALL EMPLOYEES of the company.
NOTE: It's dated Dec. 13, 2011.
"Beginning January 1, 2012, pay periods for both XXX (parent company) and XXXX (my place of employment) will switch from biweekly to semi-monthly with the 1st and the 15th of each month as period ending dates. Checks will follow 3-4 working days after each period. This means 24 pay periods a year instead of 26. There will not be any month with 3 payrolls again.
Following is a schedule of pay periods with approximate check dates. This schedule is based on 3 working days following the 1st and the 15th."
After that, there is a list of when the pay periods end for each month and the "approximate" pay date. However, each date is listed as such:
pay period: 01/01/12
check day: 01/04/12
and it goes on like that through December "2012."
In some cases, assuming these dates are even CORRECT for 2017, checks will come anywhere from 3 to 6 days after the end of a pay period.
Also, they have stated in the letter there will be NOT be 26 pay periods, but 24, which means I do not make my annual salary a year. I'm short a month's worth of checks (two checks), meaning my salary is, in effect, being cut.
WHAT IS THIS?! They have been doing this since I started here in November, but just now are issuing a letter? And "approximate" pay dates? I have NOT FOUND anywhere where it says it's legal for an employer to post "approximate" pay dates. Harkening back to my earlier post about this, everyone said not only do the pay dates have to posted conspicuously in two places, but employees are supposed to be given notice of when paydays are. I suppose they think this suffices?
And to also go back to my earlier post, yes, I am looking for another job but I have not found anything yet. In the meantime, I know for a fact if I say something to the parent company about this being illegal, they may fire me.
ADVICE?? (I have already contacted a labor and employment attorney about this, but that was before I received this letter today.)
Also, they have stated in the letter there will be NOT be 26 pay periods, but 24, which means I do not make my annual salary a year. I'm short a month's worth of checks (two checks), meaning my salary is, in effect, being cut.
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Re 24 vs 26 pay periods, it evens out by the end of the year.
26 periods = bi-weekly = nominally 10 working days each and every check of equal amounts.
24 periods = bi-monthly = 9, 10, 11 or 12 working days per check, depending on # of days in a month ( 28, 30, 31) = varying amounts per check.
In each case the hourly wage or weekly salary is the same.
For instance, this January, from the 16th thru the 31st should be a 12 day check.
Last February 2016 from 16th thru the 28th would have been a 9 day check.
You should get paid the same over the year, but your checks will be slighter more for 24 vs 26 pay periods, i.e. each check out of the 24 will be slightly more than the check out of the 26 pay periods so you get paid the same amount for the year.
If not, and you are getting the same check amount, but only 24 times vs the old 26 times, you are getting screwed.
I agree with MikeBear, run, find something else. Once a company starts messing around with payroll, especially with late checks, it is usually only a matter of time before bad things happen.
Don't bother with a 2 week notice. Just announce your resignation and walk out of there. Loyalty isn't deserved with those clowns. Any and all potential employers will understand your situation.
As I read it, your payroll accountant forwarded a letter from 2011 to let people know that this is a long standing policy with the company. Standard policy is to pay 3 business days after the 1st or 15th. Since the 15th was a Sunday, and the 16th is a holiday, and therefore not a business day as defined by your company, payroll checks will be issued on 1/19.
This isn't an approximate schedule, but a clearly defined one.
As for the 24 check vs 26 check thing, it depends on your gross pay per check. Look at the gross, multiply by 24. Does it match your salary? If so, not a problem. If it doesn't, you have a legitimate question.
Now, is this a fair pay schedule? Maybe. If they are paying you for work done from Jan 1-Jan 15 on the 19th, that is incredibly fair. They are taking three working days to record timesheets, adjust PTO, and issue checks. Irritating because the payday varies, but it isn't an unreasonable time for HR/payroll to do the work necessary.
On the other hand, if the check issued on 1/19 is for work done 12/15-12/31, that is not as quick a trurnaround, and the variability of the pay dates is problematic given the time they available have to issue the checks.
As I read it, your payroll accountant forwarded a letter from 2011 to let people know that this is a long standing policy with the company. Standard policy is to pay 3 business days after the 1st or 15th. Since the 15th was a Sunday, and the 16th is a holiday, and therefore not a business day as defined by your company, payroll checks will be issued on 1/19.
This isn't an approximate schedule, but a clearly defined one.
Based on the info, the OP probably raised some stink over the payday issue and asked about it and maybe even brought up the requirement to have a pay schedule posted. So, HR simply resent the pay date sheet everyone most likely was given earlier or at time of hire but never actually took the time to read it.
Based on the info, the OP probably raised some stink over the payday issue and asked about it and maybe even brought up the requirement to have a pay schedule posted. So, HR simply resent the pay date sheet everyone most likely was given earlier or at time of hire but never actually took the time to read it.
Yes, I agree. OP, in this thread and the other she started, seems to have a lack of understanding of the company's payroll processes, and payroll practices in general. It is possible that they are exceeding state requirements by paying sooner than required.
The complaints to the owner in Florida, as well as driving to get a check that wasn't ready, don't inspire confidence in her judgment.
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