If I leave my job will I get paid?

Am I entitled to be paid for the work I did?

After leaving a job your priority will probably be answering, ‘if I leave my job will I get paid?’

If you leave your job you should always get paid for the work you did. Doesn’t matter if it’s 1 hour or 100. When you start a new job, there’s always an implied contract, which means you should get paid. We should mention that if you were due to receive a monthly wage then it might just be a problem of logistics. 

That being said, if you haven’t gotten your first and final pay by the end of the month then you should probably take action. But keep in mind that since you only worked there for eight days, you’re really only entitled to pay. This means that you wouldn’t be expected to have worked a notice period or any benefits such as holiday pay entitlement or redundancy pay.

Getting your salary after leaving your job

When chasing up the pay you’re owed, it’s best to be as polite as possible. That way you don’t risk antagonising the company and increase your odds of getting paid as quickly as possible. Firstly, pop into the shop, ask to see the manager and calmly explain your situation to them. If the manager doesn’t offer any help, get an email address for payroll or HR and follow up with them. Just remember to make sure they have all the information they’ll need to pay you. This includes things like your National Insurance number and bank details.

The grievance process if they didn’t pay you

If, after doing all that, nothing happens in three or four days, write to the manager of the store and send a copy to the company’s HR department at Head Office.

In the letter make sure to mention that this is a step one letter in the statutory grievance procedure. Clearly outline what happened and that you’re simply trying to claim what you’re owed. You should also state that, with great reluctance, you’ll be issuing an Employment Tribunal Claim Form (ET1) for unauthorised (and unlawful) deduction of wages. When you write this letter, keep a copy and send it by recorded delivery. That way you’ll know when it’s been received and have a back-up if anything goes wrong.

If this doesn’t get you your money then you’ll need to follow through on your promise and actually issue the ET1. This’ll also mean you have to take the company to the Employment Tribunal.

Advice and support when leaving a job

During this entire process, we’d recommend seeking face-to-face advice from your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), the Law Centres Network or Trade Union about step one letters, employment tribunals and unauthorised deduction of wages. You can also get advice over the phone from Acas on 08457 474747. Keep in mind that you’ll need to take this action fairly quickly because there’s a three month time limit on getting the ET1 issued from the date you left the job.

Have you got a story about getting the answer to, ‘if I leave my job will I get paid?’ We’d love for you to share your story on our discussion boards.

Plus, if you’re thinking of leaving your job you may like to check out our article about giving notice when leaving a job here, which answers common questions like how much notice you have to give. You could also check out our article on how to resign and how to resign with immediate effect here.