are you friggin' serious?

[labellementeuse]

So I usually submit a physical timesheet and invoice on Tuesdays, and then get paid on Thursdays. This Tuesday we got an email saying to send our invoices and timesheets electronically to our various supervisors. I did so, late in the evening (my instructions for timesheets had been 'by Wednesday midday' so I figured I was fine). Then on Wednesday there was a tangi (funeral) which most of the staff attended, so people weren't in the office for most of the day. Thursday, I don't get paid, my supervisor comes past to get me to sign my timesheet, I figure, hey, there was a tangi, everyone was away for a day, I'll be paid tomorrow. Friday: I'm not paid. I talk to my supervisor indicating that while I quite like my job, I don't do it because inactivity bores me. (That's what the Internet is for.) He calls around, says things are messed around because of the tangi (no kidding) and I should be paid early this week.

Today is Wednesday, I still haven't been paid, I consider it no longer early in the week. I write to my supervisor, he comes over and talks to me, says, oh, this has happened and that has happened and I really don't know where everything went but maybe if we get everything together now I'll be paid - but probably not tomorrow: Maybe Friday, or next week, but when this other staff member gets back in the office he'll be able to tell me for sure.

I mean, for fuck's sake. Being paid fortnightly is enough of a drag as it is. Being paid approximately once a month (and let me point out that I've been here nearly two months and have only ONCE been paid on anything resembling a regular schedule)? SUCKS.

On the plus side, maybe, having no trouble staying focused at work today, because every time I drift into staring out the window i get re-energised with a burst of intense fury.

This wasn't even what my angry post today was going to be about. (It was going to be about - what else? - John Key and his special, special ideas. 2010: Year of John Key's Really Dumb, Not Consulted Upon, Blatantly Obviously Bad Ideas That He Rams Through Anyway.I admit it's not a catchy title.) But that's been pushed to tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-journal, your daily moment of seethe-inducing ridic from the government. (I actually work for the government, sort of, so this is even more apropos.)

Comments

[hazel]

Man, I would be calling up the Labour Dept and asking to speak to someone who knows about employment law—because presumably you have an employment contract, and how often you get paid is usually a clause in that contract, and them forgetting to pay you in full and on time is EPIC FAILURE on their part to, like, uphold their half of the bargain. Because you do not turn up there for free.

I look forward to your John Key: Douchebaggery with a Smile rant!

[amarynth.livejournal.com]

I actually work for the government, sort of, so this is even more apropos

Welcome to my world as of two years ago!

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Realistically other employers have mucked me around as much, I just have ongoing reservations about the wisdom/honesty of employing contract workers as if they were full time salaried employees working 40 hours a week, especially over the summer period, without either ensuring that pay is regular or doing anything about public holidays, etc. In short, it's a rort, but w/e, the work is pretty good.

[paintmarks.livejournal.com]

I get paid monthly at my new job... and I've worked out a way to pay myself fortnightly so I don't get all out of sync (being paid fortnightly sucks, but it's a lot better than monthly) with bills and whatever. But pay is such a huge issue. I reckon everyone should be on the same damn schedule and it should be law or something ridiculous, because otherwise this crap happens and people are fucked around between jobs etc etc etc. LAME AS HELL.

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Urgh, MONTHLY. That's just kind of awful and I would totally have to do something like that. Generally I am the kind of person who has automatic payments set up to go out the night I get paid to cover all compulsory expenses for that period and then don't have to worry about anything, but of course, this situation has made it IMPOSSIBLE to do that and now I forget things, miss payments, etc. Infuriating.

[china_shop]

*sends hugs and chocolate and Neal Caffrey to pilfer some petty cash to tide you over*

(Oh god, I finally saw the front of the Dom Post this afternoon, and the whole "an increase in GST will give us room to move on tax cuts" and I'm like THE "T" IN GST STANDS FOR TAX, YOU MORON!!!!!!!

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

<333

Did you see what Keith Ng had to say (http://publicaddress.net/6463) about that? All fiskings should be so hilarious.

[sixth-light.livejournal.com]

Eugh. I am also having job admin issues right now: job has started, and is awesome, but very technically I am not yet signed on because the contract they allegedly mailed from Dunedin on Friday has not arrived, and I can't be paid until they get my bank acct and tax details, which go on forms with the contract, and then pay is fortnightly or monthly *anyway*, so I foresee a long spell of not getting paid in my future.

(And, also, there is not enough rage in the *world* for John Key's No Good, Very Bad "State of the Union" Speech.)

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh. Why do people not get that they can't just you know NOT PAY people? Admittedly when you DO get paid it'll be pretty sweet, but, like, come onnnn! Not good enough.

[phantomjerky.livejournal.com]

First of all: I know the feeling! They've messed up my paycheck so many times at work. "Oh, oops, we'll pay you the next pay period." Yeah, right. You mean, you'll just mess it up again.

Secondly, I'm cracking up because you said you get paid "fortnightly". It's totally appropriate, but I'm just not used to that word so it's hilarious.

Anyway, I hope it gets sorted out soon!

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

*squints* Why, what do you guys say? 'every two weeks'? Fortnightly is pretty common here, I think.

I just got an apologetic email today saying they'd faxed it through urgently and I should get it tomorrow. I have no particular faith in that, but hey.

[phantomjerky.livejournal.com]

Yes, we do say "every two weeks" :) And good luck! *crosses fingers*

[anna-en-route.livejournal.com]

Yerk on the timesheet stuff

I'm finding only public address really helps with the current policy stuff

[labellementeuse.livejournal.com]

I'm finding Gordon Campbell on Scoop, Pundit, and Werewolf all pretty good. (I only do 'new media' for NZ news because old media makes me want to die.)

[mipol.livejournal.com]

that's ridiculous.
it must say something in your contract about your pay day....