Massachusetts Late Payment

[Lozzo]

Hello,

I was wondering if it's lawful for an employer to say during an interview that you will be paid on (for examples sake) the 15th and 30th of every month. If those days should be a Saturday or Sunday or Holiday it will be paid the next work day, but then have the pay be consistently 5 to 9 days late? I've brought it up several times to the CEO of my company and to the HR person. Both have shrugged it off and gave simply said "You'll get it when you get it."


Is this legal? It doesn't seem right at least. This has made me late on a few occasions on paying bills and the like so it's a rather bothersome inconvenience as you can imagine.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.


Thank you.

[ScottB]

From the Massachusett's AG's web site:

Q: When must wages be paid?

A: Employers must pay their employees within six days of the end of the pay period during which the wages were earned if the individual was employed for five or six days during the pay period. If the employee was employed for seven days or a period of less than three days, they must be paid no later than seven days from the end of the pay period.

Clearly, paying nine days late violates the law. Whether paying five days late does or not really depends upon when the pay period ended.

I would have a better idea if I knew when the pay periods end and when the pay is actually given to you.

[Lozzo]

Well the example wasn't to far from the reality.

I am suppose to be paid on the 15th and the 30th of ever month. (According to my stub.) Those are the pay periods. It's a guessing game as to when I actually get it though. As in when I actually receive the check. Many times I have seen them sitting on the HR's desk and have asked for it simply to be denied and that she will pass them out.

[ScottB]

Gotcha. The 15th and 30th are the ending dates of the pay periods.

October 15 was Sunday. They have until Saturday to pay you. Since banks don't have direct deposits available for Saturday deposits, anyone getting direct deposits would have to be paid no later than Friday.