Recommended to get help here from AITA. Work for a very small start up (a handful of employees) who seem to be suffering a business down-turn which is affecting cash flow. Since September I am not being paid on time (sometimes my salary is six weeks late). My employer gives no notice that I’ll be paid late and won’t keep me up to date in writing each week when money is owed, despite asking in a grievance. I decided to resign with contractual three month notice period. I’m nearly two months into the notice period and still facing late pay (£1500 owed since October has only just been paid). Meanwhile I’ve secured new employment that will give me the security I need but who need me to start at the end of the month.
During my notice period, I’ve found out that my employer for the last year has been keeping my pension contributions from my salary and not investing them. They now say these have been invested and say they forgot to set up the direct debit to take the payments each month, but I really think this is to manage cash flow issues as I only found this out myself after contacting my pension to ask where the money was.
My contract says I can terminate if clauses aren’t observed, so I’ve told my boss I’m leaving in a fortnight. They’ve responded badly and have threatened to give a bad reference if I don’t stay until they get a replacement. They believe I’m being unfair as they are a start up with personal money invested in the business and say I am breaching trust.
A bad reference would put my new job in jeopardy and I value my professional reputation, but at the same time, I can’t have another month of uncertainty.
What should I do? Should I hold firm and walk away? Or stay for another month of uncertainty? Are there any rights I have that I could leverage to resolve this?
(I’m a UK employee if anyone can offer UK specific advice)