Why should I feel bad for wanting to get paid on PAYDAY?

[SpazAttak]

I'll try to keep this as short and simple as possible.

I work for a very small office. There's 4 of us, me being the only one who's there M-F 9 to 5. Paydays are the 15th and the last day of the month. We turn timecards in after the 8th and the 23rd so that paychecks will be there on payday. Our hours are called in, usually by my boss's wife. Here's the thing though. She hasn't been working full time every day because she's been pregnant. 2 days ago she gave birth to their first child so I've been the only one in the office. On Friday I noticed that our timecards were still there and that our hours hadn't been called in. I knew that my boss wasn't coming back to the office until Tuesday, a day before paychecks should be at the office. If I waited until then to talk to him about it then chances of us getting paid on time were slim to none. So I called him at the hospital and asked him if he would like me to call in our hours. I felt bad for doing this, since his wife just had their baby and they've had quite a few visitors to the hospital to see them and he's wanting to spend time with his family. But the fact still remains that it's their responsibility to make sure time is called in so that we get paid...and on time. So I get him on the phone and ask him about it and he says "Gosh, I'm sorry about that". WTH? I explained to him that I need my check on time because I have bills to pay and that I have made arrangements with one of my creditors to pay one of my bills in full on the 16th...a day after payday...and that I need to take care of it. I could tell by his attitude and what he was saying that he wasn't pleased (this is not the first time we've had this discussion or that I've had to call him about our paychecks and he wasn't happy about it last time either). He went on to ask me if I was on direct deposit, which I'm not and told him so, but what difference does that make? Regardless of whether I'm on direct deposit or whether I get a paper check the money should still be there on PAYDAY! And I shouldn't have to remind him or ask about it or feel bad if I do have to ask about it. Anyway, he ended up leaving the hospital to come to the office to call in our hours and from the minute he walked in the door I got attitude. Well I'm sorry for bothering you when I want to get paid on time. I've never had so many problems with a company and paychecks before in my life. This is just totally unacceptable and I was so pissed off at him I didn't even want to say a single word to him for fear of going off on him and saying something I would regret later. So I sat at my desk and told myself to calm down and decided that I would write him an email telling him how I felt about it. His mother ended up calling the office from the hospital to find out when he was coming back there and even though she's normally pretty friendly this time she wasn't at all. I'm sure his family all thinks I'm a total bit@h for calling up there, but I don't care. I don't think it's unfair of me to expect to get paid on payday.

[mjh341]

I agree. I know a birth is a special a time, but it does not excuse him from making sure his employees are paid. How mad would he have been if you had not shown up at work? You have your responsibilities and he has his. He needed to be with his wife when the baby was born, but he also needed to make sure his employees were paid.

[momfromTN]

And the GRANDMOTHER called the office to whine about him getting back up to the hospital? For cripe's sake, what a needy bunch of people! I mean, she already had the child, and barring any real problems, why not let the man take care of his business, which, BTW, takes care of HIS bills too, I am sure!

[jobrick]

I don't blame you for being upset. I do the payroll at our small office, being on direct deposit does make it easier for the employer. It would even benefit you also. I can call the numbers in and everything is done electronically. It appears in the employees accounts I believe on midnite of payday.

When you have to get checks they have to be received by mail and then signed, You should be paid when they say you will be paid.

I also do know for a fact (we use paychex) that if you have direct deposit and the employer does not have enough funds to cover the payroll, the payroll company(paychex covers the payroll, so you will always get paid,nothing will bounce) The employer then gets hit with the insufficent funds charges.

[SpazAttak]

Well, I'll find out if I still have a job next week lol. I sent him an email explaining how I felt and basically saying that regardless of how I'm getting paid, whether it be on direct deposit or a paper check, the money should still be there on payday. In order for that to happen someone needs to turn our hours in on time. More importantly I shouldn't be made to feel bad for asking about it. It's not my responsibility to remind him that he needs to take care of it. He only gets paid once a month, at the end of the month, so I get the feeling that's the only time they're worried about making sure it's done.

We used to go thru Paychex, but now we're with Costco. I had just switched banks and had given his wife a copy of a voided check to get me set up on direct deposit again, but because she's never in the office I didn't know if it had been done in time for this paycheck. Both of them are very self centered and if something doesn't directly affect them or involve them in any way they really could care less. I know that sounds terrible but it's true. He's well off, and doesn't know what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck. He made a comment the other day about one of our insureds not being able to pay their premium on time since it's due after they get paid and said they should just suck it up and go without the previous month so that it wouldn't be a problem and then they'd be on time. Yeah, whatever :rolleyes: Not all of us are able to do that.

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

I am dealing with this now, Holly (BF) and I were laid off, Bill (owner) lost his ass on the concert in Sept. so he cut hours and laid us off. Now, when you lay someone off shouldn't you have their pay ready? or within 3 days? I was layed off Sept 23 and still have yet to get my last check which includes my vacation pay. I went to get on Friday,but no money in payroll (funny I saw the Amish working at his house) so hopefully Monday :D

[zitra]

Originally posted by mjh341
I agree. I know a birth is a special a time, but it does not excuse him from making sure his employees are paid. How mad would he have been if you had not shown up at work? You have your responsibilities and he has his. He needed to be with his wife when the baby was born, but he also needed to make sure his employees were paid.

I agree

[schsa]

Sorry, but your boss has an obligation and regardless of whether he has a baby or not, he has to pay his employees. And that is the fastest way to get into trouble with the Labor board. If this results in your being fired, I would go directly to the labor board and file a complaint against them.

He should have made arrangements knowing that he had a staff to pay and his wife was having a baby. He was being a martyr by coming in rather than letting you do it. That's his problem, not yours.

[Unicornmom77]

I agree with ya hun, when you run a business you have responsabilities that cannot go unatended!

Hope all gets worked out for ya!

[twinkiesmom]

yeah, if the shoe was on the other foot, he'd wanna be paid. No matter if u were the one responsible for payroll or not and if u were in a hospital bed or not. Good for u for putting pepper in his butt.

[SpazAttak]

It wouldn't be so bad if this were the first time this has happened, but it's not. It's happened when they've gone on vacation, when they've been gone on business trips, when his wife doesn't come in to the office, or when they've just plain forgotten about it. And everytime it's happened and I've had to call them I've been made to feel like a bit@h because I've asked about it. Then they get back to the office and I get attitude. I'm just sick of it. I've never worked for another company and had this many problems with payroll. It's utterly ridiculous!

I don't know what will happen when he reads that email. If he does let me go I'm sure he'll say it was for another reason. They just happen to have placed a want ad to hire another agent for the office so maybe now wasn't the best time for me to say what I did. Oh well :mad:

[twinkiesmom]

Let you go on what grounds? Cuz u wanna get paid? Better Business Bureau his butt if that happens.

[laughsalot]

I agree with everyone else~ DO NOT feel bad about calling him and reminding him about it, he ought to be ashamed of himself anyways for not being responsible enough to seeing that it was already done!

[Maeryn]

Don't know if this is covered under Federal labor laws (I think so, but not sure). But in CA, a business can get in MAJOR trouble if the paychecks aren't ready on the scheduled payday. You might want to do some research on the labor laws around this issue. That way you can show your boss in black and white what his legal responsibilities are!

[SpazAttak]

Wonderful. So now I'm an ungrateful schmuck.



"You mentioned that you "shouldn't have to worry about being paid on time." I couldn't agree with you more on that. I feel like we've taken necessary steps to make sure that doesn't happen... matter of fact, I feel like we've done some things above and beyond the "normal" payroll processing to adequately meet your needs, but it doesn't seem like you think so. Have we been late a lot Donna? Let me know if we have. If we've been late on payroll, I apologize, but I don't believe that's the case. I do think that it's something you shouldn't worry about and I will continue to do my best to have you not worry about being paid."


"I didn't know what alternative you wanted from me... the best I could do was come in and do the payroll that day."


What I wanted was for him to make sure payroll got turned in on time so that I get paid ON PAYDAY. If I hadn't said anything to him about it it wouldn't have happened, and now I'm being made to feel bad for bringing it to his attention.


I should've kept my mouth shut. Now I'll have to put up with his attitude for the hopefully brief time he'll be in the office tomorrow. Ugh!