What can be done about late pay?

Can employers get away with it?

I’m surprised at the number of enquiries I have about late pay. I’m sure I’m getting more lately and this is probably due to the economic situation we are in. Lack of cashflow is one sign of a struggling business and one of the biggest drains on cashflow is staff pay.

It’s not surprising that restricted cashflow and late pay run hand in hand. I’m sure that in the majority of cases employers look to pay staff on time above all else, but some employers can be cavalier when they have an obligation to pay.

When I was younger, in one of the many jobs I had, if my salary was late on more than a couple of occasions it was time to look for alternative work!

Late pay puts an enormous strain on workers. Many, if not most, have ongoing financial commitments such as standing orders, direct debits and mortgage/rental payments to make on specific dates, usually within a very short period of time after their wages are transferred into their accounts.