Non-Payment of Wages

Question:

Until recently I worked for a local cleaning company, but my employer did not pay me my wages at the end of September so I had no option but to leave.  The cleaning company has contracts with several local businesses to clean their work premises.  When I did not receive my wage I carried on working for about a week and I repeatedly asked my employer for payment. My emails and calls were ignored.   In the end I resigned because there was little point in me carrying on working if I was not going to get paid.   I know of at least 4 other people who are in the same boat as me.  What is worse is that we know the company’s customers are paying for their work premises to be cleaned so it looks like the people who are running the cleaning company are just keeping the money for themselves.  To make things worse I have not been given my P45 which is making it more difficult for me to get another job.

Answer:

Dear Reader

It sounds to me like the only good thing that has come out of all this is that you are no longer working for such an unscrupulous employer.  However this does not help the fact that you are still owed a month’s wages and have not been given a P45.

I would usually advise an employee in your position to contact their former employer to request that the monies owed be paid.  However from the sounds of it you have already taken this step and nothing has worked.  My advice to you therefore is to contact HM Revenue & Customs immediately about your P45 and unpaid wages.

You and your colleagues also have the right to pursue claims either in the County Court or the Employment Tribunal to recover the sums owed to you.

You may also have grounds to claim that you have been constructively and unfairly dismissed as you had no option but to resign in response to your former employer’s actions.  You pursue this type of claim through the Employment Tribunal and we can help you. Please contact Kate Jones or I on 01229 585555 for further assistance.