Overtime and expenses payments being withheld

Overtime and expenses payments being withheld

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Discussion

martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
I work as an HGV driver and do a basic of 40 hours per week plus overtime and overnight expenses as and when required

Time sheets for the previous week must be into the office by Monday evening at the latest for processing and payment on the Friday. I handed mine in last Friday (8th June) before finishing for the weekend, it had 40 basic + 18 hours overtime, 2 overnight allowances, and £35 of parking and bridge tolls with receipts for both.

As we work in arrears I was due to be paid this yesterday, except I have been paid a bare 40 hour week as an irrelevant piece of the previous weeks paperwork wasn’t handed in until Tuesday afternoon. I wasn’t told I wouldn’t be getting my overtime payments nor my expenses prior to finding this out yesterday morning when I went onto my online banking. I was furious as the total amounts to over £400.

After a heated “discussion” with management they pretty much shrugged their shoulders and said “its to teach you lot a lesson that we are fed up of paperwork not being in on time”

I’m due to be paid the outstanding amount on Friday 22nd

Now, after their rather diabolical attitude I have tendered my resignation and before I look to take it further, if I can, are companies actually allowed to pick and choose what they want to pay and when they want to pay you?

Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
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Hi, just leaving the attitude to one side for a moment.

The company has an established process and deadlines. You say the paperwork you needed to give on Tuesday was irrelevant, but I am guessing the company don’t see it that way.

Plus I can imagine it is pretty annoying trying to run a weekly payroll and repay expenses without signed, completed forms with expenses and receipts.

So yes companies can choose there own process and yes they can move dates.

I can understand the ‘being taught a lesson’ attitude would get up your nose though, seems a bit schoolyard.

martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
The item of paperwork was a working time directive form, something that has absolutely nothing to do with payments

All my receipts, expenses were handed Early and listed on my time sheet as per standard practice.


Gargamel

14,958 posts

260 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
Annoying, however I think you are over reacting. Is waiting another 10 days really worth resigning over?

Appreciate you feel you have followed the process.

Jasandjules

69,825 posts

228 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
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What would you take further? Your loss will be the money they are due to pay you?

You can argue that it is constructive dismissal but your losses are not likely to be high. Unless you will struggle to find another job?!? And you would need to take the matter to Tribunal after ACAS.

Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
The item of paperwork was a working time directive form, something that has absolutely nothing to do with payments

All my receipts, expenses were handed Early and listed on my time sheet as per standard practice.
If it's irrelevant why do you need to hand it in? What I mean is there must be some purpose in the company asking for that piece of paperwork otherwise they wouldnt ask for it.

Suspending payments actually creates more work for payroll, not less.



Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
Now, after their rather diabolical attitude I have tendered my resignation and before I look to take it further, if I can, are companies actually allowed to pick and choose what they want to pay and when they want to pay you?
It depends on what it says in your contract. The fact that you omitted to submit a piece of paperwork would weaken your case but that is dependent on how important that piece of paperwork is, what the expenses policy says, whether or not the company has issued warnings about staff not submitting these previously.

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Saturday 16th June 2018
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
The item of paperwork was a working time directive form, something that has absolutely nothing to do with payments

All my receipts, expenses were handed Early and listed on my time sheet as per standard practice.
Our company simply had us sign the working time directive form, and it's a case of always in or always out (change when you want however)

Frustrating but sounds like they have messed you around a little, but you may have missed some paperwork, at least you will get it next week as a brucey bonus smile

martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Sunday 17th June 2018
quotequote all
Countdown said:
martin mrt said:
Now, after their rather diabolical attitude I have tendered my resignation and before I look to take it further, if I can, are companies actually allowed to pick and choose what they want to pay and when they want to pay you?
It depends on what it says in your contract. The fact that you omitted to submit a piece of paperwork would weaken your case but that is dependent on how important that piece of paperwork is, what the expenses policy says, whether or not the company has issued warnings about staff not submitting these previously.
The expenses policy is nothing more than hand in receipts along with your time sheet or prior to the Monday evening cut off. Mark expenses in the appropriate column on the time sheet and that’s it. All my receipts were handed in with other paperwork on Thursday 7th some 4 days early


martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Sunday 17th June 2018
quotequote all
xjay1337 said:
martin mrt said:
The item of paperwork was a working time directive form, something that has absolutely nothing to do with payments

All my receipts, expenses were handed Early and listed on my time sheet as per standard practice.
Our company simply had us sign the working time directive form, and it's a case of always in or always out (change when you want however)

Frustrating but sounds like they have messed you around a little, but you may have missed some paperwork, at least you will get it next week as a brucey bonus smile
I have already opted out, I did this when I started, this is the first company I’ve ever worked for that requires a separate sheet filled in to break down your days activities. When I was inducted I was told it was only paperwork excercise.




martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Sunday 17th June 2018
quotequote all
I just want to re iterate, my grievance isn’t with the not being paid correctly, i can stomach that no problem, as I don’t work wage to wage like some people.

We have TomTom sat nav/pdas in the trucks, there are regular fleet wide messages sent out informing us of road closures, which fuel cards to use, and personal messages such as job info etc

Had there been a fleet wide message sent out on Wednesday for example, informing us that those who hadn’t handed in all paperwork on time were to be paid a basic week on Friday it would came as less of a surprise to myself and the others affected.

It was certainly the icing on the cake for me there, it’s possible that it’s one of the worst jobs I’ve had, but the money is good, money isn’t everything.

Countdown

39,690 posts

195 months

Sunday 17th June 2018
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
Had there been a fleet wide message sent out on Wednesday for example, informing us that those who hadn’t handed in all paperwork on time were to be paid a basic week on Friday it would came as less of a surprise to myself and the others affected.
Had management issued warnings to people previously about the need to hand these bits of paper in or was this an "out of the blue" sanction?


hairyben

8,516 posts

182 months

Sunday 17th June 2018
quotequote all
How many employers have you had in this field? In my experience the majority of employers of blue collar/manual jobs like to mess you around on your wages/expenses at least occasionally as part of the eternal power play.

I was once disciplined for ASKING if a telephone kiosk prepay card could be exspensed

martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
Countdown said:
martin mrt said:
Had there been a fleet wide message sent out on Wednesday for example, informing us that those who hadn’t handed in all paperwork on time were to be paid a basic week on Friday it would came as less of a surprise to myself and the others affected.
Had management issued warnings to people previously about the need to hand these bits of paper in or was this an "out of the blue" sanction?
No prior warnings had been given, this was very much out of the blue.

martin mrt

Original Poster:

3,768 posts

200 months

Monday 18th June 2018
quotequote all
hairyben said:
How many employers have you had in this field? In my experience the majority of employers of blue collar/manual jobs like to mess you around on your wages/expenses at least occasionally as part of the eternal power play.

I was once disciplined for ASKING if a telephone kiosk prepay card could be exspensed
I’ve had 5 or 6 employers in this line of work, and this is the first time I have had an issue with payment for overtime or expenses, in the manner they haven’t been paid at all.



Steve H

5,224 posts

194 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
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It was pretty poor of them, probably a reaction to other drivers who are poor at handing in their paperwork each week.

However, resigning is top level flouncing and pretty pointless when the late payment makes zero difference to your life.


valiant

10,068 posts

159 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
quotequote all
When I was a young manager just starting out my boss at the time gave me one great piece of advice; "if you want good people to stay, never ever fk about with their wages"

I guess your (ex)firm is still struggling to remember this little gem.

Robertj21a

16,475 posts

104 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
quotequote all
martin mrt said:
I just want to re iterate, my grievance isn’t with the not being paid correctly, i can stomach that no problem, as I don’t work wage to wage like some people.

We have TomTom sat nav/pdas in the trucks, there are regular fleet wide messages sent out informing us of road closures, which fuel cards to use, and personal messages such as job info etc

Had there been a fleet wide message sent out on Wednesday for example, informing us that those who hadn’t handed in all paperwork on time were to be paid a basic week on Friday it would came as less of a surprise to myself and the others affected.

It was certainly the icing on the cake for me there, it’s possible that it’s one of the worst jobs I’ve had, but the money is good, money isn’t everything.
So it's done you a favour really then ? As you say, money isn't everything.

They might have been a bit sharp on you about the paperwork but life isn't perfect all the time, otherwise we'd have nothing much to moan about. Just another bit of life experience.

hairyben

8,516 posts

182 months

Wednesday 20th June 2018
quotequote all
valiant said:
When I was a young manager just starting out my boss at the time gave me one great piece of advice; "if you want good people to stay, never ever fk about with their wages"

I guess your (ex)firm is still struggling to remember this little gem.
prompt payment will get you far in life. Its amazing how many assholes think messing you around is a good idea.

I work for myself, I'm far from someone who worships the $ but I know in my head all the people who paid promptly - it's a respect thing. And guess what, when someone calls me when my plates eleven tenths full already and I want the world to just do one, who do you think I make the extra effort for and who gets to go play chance your arm with the yellow pages bandits?