Staggered payments!??

[Answerprancer]

My boss (having recently put me on the payroll) is for some reason staggering my monthly wages. For example, last month I was paid from the beginning of the month up to one week shy of the end, I was told it would be added onto the next month's pay.
This month, I was paid up to the 18th of the month - last month's deficit was added on, but ...the 18th!! That leaves nearly two weeks worth of work unpaid for. I was told again that it will be added onto next months pay.
Do I have any legal right to demand that I be paid in full for work I have done ?
Why is he doing this ? It's really screwing with my budgetting plans.

[Brinjal]

What is your actual pay date. Is it the end of the month or a certain date. We pay on the 25th of each month so a new employee may be short the first month but should be standardized by month two. Clarify your pay date and ask him to stick to it as you are finding it impossible to budget.

[Answerprancer]

So far there doesn't seem to be one - last month I was paid on the 27th with that weeks pay 'to be carried over' to the following month. This month I was paid yesterday with the same arrangement: for days worked up to and including the 18th. I was told, "this is the only way I can get you paid by the end of the month" (I can't see why).

[dzug2]

He's doing it so that you are only ever paid for actual hours worked - though why it should vary each month is not clear. Maybe this month is bank holiday related in some obscure way.

What does your contract say about timing of payment?

[ummmm]

I'm not sure of your legal rights but it sounds like lazy payroll.

Hope you are well AP x

[ojread2]

Did you ask why?
How have you been paid before being put on to the payroll?
This does appear very strange indeed

[daffy654]

If you are on the books then you should have a contract of employment, that should state your pay day and your employer is not allowed to deviate from that. Are you a member of a union?

[buildersmate]

The legal requirement that the employer must comply with is at least this list of bits of information regarding your employment. These do form part of your employment contract (but are by no means all of the contract).
http://www.direct.gov...dConditions/DG_175704
As you will see, it includes a requirement to tell you when (within the week or month) you will be paid.
The employer cannot mess you about by changing the date to suit its cashflow issues.
It doesn't need Union membership to sort this sort of nonsense out - this is easy.

[Answerprancer]

Thanks for all the answers - particularly Buildersmate, and thanks for the link.
Dzug, so far there has been a whole week of actual hours worked left unpaid for ('to be tagged onto next months pay') for the second time now. I'm wondering if (as Buildersmate suggested) he's deliberately keeping my pay below a certain threshold to suit his cashflow.
Daffy, there has been no contract of employment drafted afaik- the company being relatively new.
OJ - prior to going on the payroll, I was paid directly, as if working as a self employed contractor.
Hi Ummm - apart from this malarky, yes v well thanks - shame there's no Glast this year eh ! x

[Euphemia]

Are you keeping up your photography AP?

[Answerprancer]

Yes indeed Euphemia - it's about the only thing keeping me sane atm !

[Euphemia]

That's good.