An employer-employee relationship is contractual. Employees must perform specific tasks, and in return, they receive pay and benefits. But what happens when you, as the employee, perform your tasks and your pay doesn’t arrive? That’s exactly what one worker has been dealing with. Only to make matters worse, when they asked their manager about the delay in pay, instead of an explanation or, at the very least, an apology, they were issued a formal written warning.

Turning to Reddit for advice, the employee shared that although the paycheck eventually came through, their manager never acknowledged the delay. The whole incident left them questioning if they had done something wrong for even asking.

A worker said they got a written warning from their manager after asking about a late paycheck.

“My last paycheck was late,” they shared in a post. It wasn’t just a day or two, but almost an entire week. At first, the worker waited a few days, thinking it was just a delay. “But when nothing came through,” they said, “I went to my manager and asked about it.”

Calmly, they let her know they hadn’t been paid and asked when the money would come through. The worker said they got a “look” from the manager, followed by her saying, “You don’t need to come at me with that kind of tone.” The worker said they felt surprised, since they hadn’t been rude, only direct. A few hours later, they were called into the office and handed a formal warning for “unprofessional attitude toward management.”

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The worker began to wonder if they were in the wrong for asking about their pay.

For some reason, asking about pay, talking about pay, basically anything that has to do with money, has become taboo. It feels like the more people are struggling, the worse this has become. You can even sense it when applying for jobs. Hiring managers become almost insulted when candidates ask about salary, and if this worker’s experience is any indication, team management behaves the same way when it comes to their current employees.

“All for asking where my paycheck was,” the worker wrote. They said they received no apology, no explanation, only a write-up, and the message that speaking up is only allowed when it’s convenient for management.

The worker added that the check finally showed up two days after the incident, but that no acknowledgment was given for it being late. The worst part? They described having worked hard, stayed late, and picked up shifts for the company. Only for them to be treated like this. “It’s not the warning that bothered me the most,” they wrote. The problem was that they started to feel like they had done something wrong just for asking to be paid on time. 

Obviously, we don’t actually know how this worker addressed the issue with their manager. They could have been aggressive in tone, but honestly, who could blame them? Although statistics seem to vary, a 2024 survey by Bankrate found that 34% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck, meaning a week without pay could be devastating.

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You have the right to be paid on time.

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Not only is it unfair for an employer to pay you late, but it is also illegal. The Crone Law Firm, a multi-state legal service, clearly explained the rules. “Employers must pay employees on time,” they wrote, “following the terms in their employment contracts or company policies.”

Federal law, enforced by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), requires employers to pay for all hours worked. If they don’t, they can face serious consequences. In addition, employers must comply with the payment schedule outlined in contracts and cannot change payment dates without prior notice.

The law firm explained that employers will delay payments due to cash flow problems, administrative errors, disputes over hours worked, or even retaliation or discrimination against the employee. Whatever the reason may be, employers can face legal repercussions. “Employees can file complaints with the state labor board or the Department of Labor,” they wrote. When an employer is found to have violated wage laws, they may be required to pay back wages, fines, and penalties.

On top of that, late payments can damage an employer’s reputation. Who wants to work for a company that doesn’t pay on time? This can lead to more people quitting and searching for more reliable jobs.

In the end, the ones who suffer the most are the employees. They may struggle to pay rent, mortgage, groceries, and other bills. If a late payment does occur, the law firm advises reviewing your employment contract, documenting the delay, communicating with your employer, and seeking legal advice if the problem continues.

The overall picture is that the Reddit worker should probably start looking for a new job. Their current employer paid them late and shamed them for simply asking about it. They weren’t just unreliable once; they were unfair twice. At the very least, an employer should treat you with respect and pay you on time.

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Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.