Trivial things you don't understand/mildly annoy you

[Legends-Lounge]

I have no words 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47492224

Yes I agree. Mind you, you’ll get a similar response from a council (without guns of course) if you try to impinge on their turf by doing neighbourly things to improve the area where you live. Even though they don’t, ahem, have the resources to do it.

[pauld]

Here you are, for just 300 quid, you too could look like a complete plum next time you roll up for five a side:

https://www.prodirectsoccer.com/products/adidas-Predator-Accelerator-FG-x-Zidane-Gold-Metallic-White-Navy-Firm-Ground-Mens-Boots-196502.aspx

[Barry Scott]

The missus works for an arsehole company called ISS. They're one of those companies that are the very dregs of employers. A Capita type bottom line watching rusty cunt bucket of an excuse for a business.

They apparently pay their wages on various different days of the month and this is inconvenient for them. In order to streamline this process, they've moved everyone on to the same payment date. This means that everyone (where the missus works) loses out on 4 days wages, not much granted, but some of these people live hand to mouth, so it's pretty cunty. It is going to cause financial hardship for some of their victims, but "fuck 'em".

And what's happening to this 4 days pay? Well, it goes into their "back pay" coffers for when they leave. They don't get it, nope. "We'll just take care of that for you, thanks very much."

And to sweeten the deal they got an award for being good little worker bees, which is essentially a nonsensical letter. I'm guessing the award also helped them justify the little cherry on top as well, a pathetic £10 gift voucher that's a pain in the bollocks to use. It happened on exactly the same day (at the same time) as when they announced their little cash grab scheme - at the end of Friday.

I'm fucking seething. They treat their employees with total contempt.

[Batch]

that's proper shit.

the voucher should be firmly inserted, sideways

[Reg Smeeton]

The missus works for an arsehole company called ISS. They're one of those companies that are the very dregs of employers. A Capita type bottom line watching rusty cunt bucket of an excuse for a business.

They apparently pay their wages on various different days of the month and this is inconvenient for them. In order to streamline this process, they've moved everyone on to the same payment date. This means that everyone (where the missus works) loses out on 4 days wages, not much granted, but some of these people live hand to mouth, so it's pretty cunty. It is going to cause financial hardship for some of their victims, but "fuck 'em".

And what's happening to this 4 days pay? Well, it goes into their "back pay" coffers for when they leave. They don't get it, nope. "We'll just take care of that for you, thanks very much."

And to sweeten the deal they got an award for being good little worker bees, which is essentially a nonsensical letter. I'm guessing the award also helped them justify the little cherry on top as well, a pathetic £10 gift voucher that's a pain in the bollocks to use. It happened on exactly the same day (at the same time) as when they announced their little cash grab scheme - at the end of Friday.

I'm fucking seething. They treat their employees with total contempt.

Seeing as it's  International Women's Day... here's a timely article.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/08/women-feminism-trade-unions-feminism

[RobertT]

The missus works for an arsehole company called ISS. They're one of those companies that are the very dregs of employers. A Capita type bottom line watching rusty cunt bucket of an excuse for a business.

They apparently pay their wages on various different days of the month and this is inconvenient for them. In order to streamline this process, they've moved everyone on to the same payment date. This means that everyone (where the missus works) loses out on 4 days wages, not much granted, but some of these people live hand to mouth, so it's pretty cunty. It is going to cause financial hardship for some of their victims, but "fuck 'em".

And what's happening to this 4 days pay? Well, it goes into their "back pay" coffers for when they leave. They don't get it, nope. "We'll just take care of that for you, thanks very much."

And to sweeten the deal they got an award for being good little worker bees, which is essentially a nonsensical letter. I'm guessing the award also helped them justify the little cherry on top as well, a pathetic £10 gift voucher that's a pain in the bollocks to use. It happened on exactly the same day (at the same time) as when they announced their little cash grab scheme - at the end of Friday.

I'm fucking seething. They treat their employees with total contempt.

I am pretty certain that isn't legal, but I am not a lawyer.  All of the employees should now have a right to make a claim against the company at an Industrial Tribunal for an unlawful deduction of wages.  They are in breach of contract.

I had to read it a few times just to make sure it wasn't some nuance about how many days pay were in the take home from one month to the next due to the change of dates, but you do seem to be suggesting they are holding back earned income.  There are legal ways an employer can do that - Tax/NI/CCJ's etc. but they can't just keep money for the heck of it.

[Barry Scott]

I am pretty certain that isn't legal, but I am not a lawyer.  All of the employees should now have a right to make a claim against the company at an Industrial Tribunal for an unlawful deduction of wages.  They are in breach of contract.

I had to read it a few times just to make sure it wasn't some nuance about how many days pay were in the take home from one month to the next due to the change of dates, but you do seem to be suggesting they are holding back earned income.  There are legal ways an employer can do that - Tax/NI/CCJ's etc. but they can't just keep money for the heck of it.

Correct, they are holding back earned wages as it's easier for them. They're going to add those wages to the pay they hold back from when they first started, so they can they'll receive it when they quit.

I've told her to get this in writing, which she insists they'll all receive.

The trouble is she's too nice and she'll let this go, but want to see if there's something that can be done about this. They already take advantage of her in myriad ways, this is once step too far imo.

[RobertT]

The company has no legal or contractual right to retain any pay, from any period.  Tell her not to sign anything and tell her to ask for the money in writing.  She can threaten taking them to an Industrial Tribunal unless they arrange for a payment to be made outside of payroll to make up the shortfall.  It amazes me that a company would believe it has any right to do this.  A quick Google would suffice to realise it's unlawful- there a very specific reasons a company can withhold pay and they are all related to statutory requirements or where an employee has committed theft or been over paid.  Even with the latter they are encouraged to arrange repayment schedules to avoid placing the employee in a tough financial position.

[Matchworn Shirts]

Does the deduction effectively take her below the national minimum waged for the hours she worked? If so they only have a certain amount of time to 'correct' this or they will face punishment from HMRC.

[Barry Scott]

The company has no legal or contractual right to retain any pay, from any period.  Tell her not to sign anything and tell her to ask for the money in writing.  She can threaten taking them to an Industrial Tribunal unless they arrange for a payment to be made outside of payroll to make up the shortfall.  It amazes me that a company would believe it has any right to do this.  A quick Google would suffice to realise it's unlawful- there a very specific reasons a company can withhold pay and they are all related to statutory requirements or where an employee has committed theft or been over paid.  Even with the latter they are encouraged to arrange repayment schedules to avoid placing the employee in a tough financial position.

Thanks. She’s going to speak to ACAS on Monday and possibly sort an et1 form. She’s also going to speak to one of layers of bosses above her and find out why they’ve done it.

Apparently they had 12 payment dates, they’ve now gone down to 2. That likely means that a large portion of their 43,000 workforce have lost money assuming this same approach has been taken with all.

Makes me wonder whether it’s a cash grab to fill their coffers before the financial year end or something. It’s also possible they’re hard up, as all these awful outsourced companies seem to be these days and it’s allow them working capital.

Does the deduction effectively take her below the national minimum waged for the hours she worked? If so they only have a certain amount of time to 'correct' this or they will face punishment from HMRC.

She is paid bi-weekly, so withholding 40% of her pay would undoubtedly take her below minimum wage.

[Legends-Lounge]

I’m sorry, even a committed free market conservative that’s disgraceful.

[Reg Smeeton]

I’m sorry, even a committed free market conservative that’s disgraceful.

No such thing as a free market...

[Legends-Lounge]

No such thing as a free market...

If you say so.

[RobertT]

Thanks. She’s going to speak to ACAS on Monday and possibly sort an et1 form. She’s also going to speak to one of layers of bosses above her and find out why they’ve done it.

Apparently they had 12 payment dates, they’ve now gone down to 2. That likely means that a large portion of their 43,000 workforce have lost money assuming this same approach has been taken with all.

Makes me wonder whether it’s a cash grab to fill their coffers before the financial year end or something. It’s also possible they’re hard up, as all these awful outsourced companies seem to be these days and it’s allow them working capital.

She is paid bi-weekly, so withholding 40% of her pay would undoubtedly take her below minimum wage.

Cash flow is different to the P&L.  They would still have to account for the wages in the period earned, not paid.

Sounds very dodgy.  The change in dates is common and makes sense, however they should just adjust the pay in each period - so you would usually have a shorter or longer period.  That can leave people longer between pay for one period which can be painful but that is allowed.  Storing the money away is not.  I can only imagine it would expose them to issues with Tax and NI as well, on top of exposing them to possible minimum wage issues.  The more I read this, the more absurd it seems.

[RobertT]

In fact, if I didn't have any further info this smacks of a company in serious financial trouble.  It is the type of thing a business might try and do to have cashflow for a very short period to pay some pretty urgent dues.  Make sure she refuses to accept the letter.