My employer has not paid my wages – is there anything I can do?

Yes – where you had a right to be paid but your employer has not paid your wages or other financial benefits then you also have a right to recover the money. There are a couple of ways you can do this:

  • Bring a claim for an unlawful deduction of your wages at the Employment Tribunal. You must submit your application within three months less one day of the date the wages were due to be paid.
  • You can claim for the breach of your employment contract at either the Employment Tribunal or County Court. The Tribunal has a deadline of three months less one day and the County Court gives you six years to claim. Also at the County Court, as well as unpaid wages you can also claim any employer loan, pension payment, expenses, redundancy pay or benefit such as private health care and gym membership.

The starting point is to first contact the employer to find out why you have not been paid or made a deduction from your pay. You will also need to gather proof that you carried out the work and that you had a right to be paid for it.

For lower value claims you may want to proceed on your own but perhaps take advice from us to help you with the process and explain how the complex rules apply to your particular circumstances. Ask for our £100 Ask the Legal Expert service when you take your Free First Step to legal advice.

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