Ask HN: What to do when your company misses payroll?

Re:Ask HN: What to do when your company misses payroll? by TallGuyShort on Tuesday July 28, 2009 @01:40PM (#728364)

I worked for a small startup and had that problem several times. It was never a long enough amount of time that I really questioned whether or not I would get paid, but it did annoy me and the way the owner handled it made a very 'awkward' work environment. He generally gave an explanation as to why it was our fault, and why we shouldn't question him. Eventually I just left. He was very upset when I quit. He felt that I really owed him something just because he had hired me.

So what did I learn? He was a jerk anyway, and it wasn't worth working for him. Fortunately, the economic climate was more forgiving 4 years ago when that happened, and after working in landscaping for 2 weeks, I got a great job that I loved.

If you're really that concerned, go ahead and look elsewhere. If you get some pretty solid connections, go ahead and present your concern to your manager. Depending on his reaction, I don't think you need to feel like you're letting the company down by leaving. If they can't pay you when they said, they at least owe you a very good explanation.

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Re:Ask HN: What to do when your company misses payroll? by moe on Tuesday July 28, 2009 @03:20PM (#728614)

He felt that I really owed him something just because he had hired me.

Never fall for that trap. I have seen quite a bit of this attitude - mostly pulled off on younger employees during salary negotiations.

In fact I have witnessed it so often that I think this must be something they teach in business schools, probably under the "optimizing employee performance"-tab.

You don't owe your boss anything beyond the regular performance that you are paid for. In most companies I'd even go as far as to say that they technically owe you for the various "extra miles" that have become the norm in our industry.

And I guess that's exactly the point they are trying to camouflage when they attempt to push you into the guilt corner.

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Re:Ask HN: What to do when your company misses payroll? by calaniz on Tuesday July 28, 2009 @05:01PM (#728826)

I agree. I negotiated my salary the first three years I was working full time. I did it politely and with respect. Truth is, you've got to look out for yourself.

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