The company I have worked for during the past 10 years approached me and asked (begged) me to apply for a management position. I applied and was offered the position. I signed an offer letter with an official start date one month out. This new position is more per year than I am making now.

Today, I was taken into HR and the HR Rep told me that they must push my start date out another month. I was sorely disappointed and I'm ready to start my new position. I asked about my new pay and was told that they cannot begin my new pay from the old start date and that they must not start my new pay until the delayed start date.

Can I do anything about this? I stand to lose out on one month of additional pay--my offer letter was already signed and accepted by me and detailed the start date an salary. What should I do? I need the extra money and had already begun making plans for it!!

Unless the offer letter meets the legal definition of a contract (which is quite unlikely, but only an attorney in your state who has read it can say for absolutely certain), no, there is nothing you can do. They do not owe you the higher pay rate until you start doing the new job. They are free to change your start date as business needs require, barring a bona fide contract that says otherwise, and as I mentioned, an offer letter rarely meets the definition of a contract.

Why should the company pay you more if you aren't actually working in the higher paying job?

Your need for more money does not make what you are now doing for them more valuable. Your new job, when you start, will.

Thank you both for your reply. I appreciate your help. It's sad to think that the employee has no decision in this matter. I have started applying for positions outside my company as I am tired of being taken advantage of (this is the straw that broke this employees back). :rolleyes: