(un?)Employment and General Despair

[nfe]

So all my works wage cheques bounced on Friday, then this morning they've sent us all home and had the locks changed, although claim we're not in administration but simply closing for a few days to assess the business's assets. Which sounds positive :roll: No inclination as to when we get paid and most of us bar the young couple of Saturday guys obviously have rent/mortgages/kids to feed/bills etc etc

Best bit, citizens advice had basically "You're screwed" to say, none of us are entitled to any benefits since we all still have jobs, even ones which aren't paying us, so we can't sign on or claim anything, so we all just have to go into arrears on all our outgoings...

Good eh? At least I've got a few days to get all the rage recorded  :lol:

[Frank]

Make a claim for benefits anyway. You're entitled to claim if you have "a valid reason for leaving a job" and I think not being paid would be a valid reason. If the firm closes then you'll be paid from the date you first claimed, if they stay open and don't pay you then you can just resign.

[shobet]

Pisser, sorry to hear that. Is this a big chain or a small concern?

[AndyR]

That's a complete bum, sorry to hear that. :(

I used to be vaguely involved in benefit stuff, years ago though... but I do have a feeling that you have to be actually out of a job, whether you were let go or walked (with a good reason)...

Hope something sorts itself out soon - or at the very least you get a concrete idea of what the hell's happening...

[38thBeatle]

I hope you get something out of this- best of luck nfe.

[Antag]

JMHO but whatever you do DON'T leave.  They may reopen, you may well survive any redundancies which occur.  Alternatively they may not in which case you'll be a creditor (OK, in practice that means you'll almost certainly get bugger all because there are hardly ever any assets left after HMRC get their cut :roll:).  Worst case, you'll be out of a job & can apply for a small amount of government redundancy pay.

If you walk, just just guarantee you'll leave with nothing.

By all means brush up your CV, start looking elsewhere etc but work on the basis you are still an employee of that place until you KNOW otherwise.

[Johnny Mac]

Bummer. Do all the DSS applications though as like the others said. I got laid off twice last year but managed to get the second job back again by the time I was due to sign on. Which took a few weeks. Best of luck in sorting this situation out. Remember it won't last for ever and try and stay positive.

[nfe]

Cheers for the commiserations and good wishes, guys.

I've been on the phone to every man and his dog in Glasgow and should be able to sort something out at a venue or with promoters or one of the other guitar shops, fingers crossed, should it all go down the pan.

[dave_mc]

sorry to hear that :(

[Andrew W]

That's horrible news, sorry to hear it.  I've had good and bad experiences with companies not paying and shutting up, sometimes they re-emerged and other times I lost my wages.

The sticking to your guns and making sure you get lined up as creditor if it does go tits up is important.  It makes it easier to get the government redundancy payment too which, if I remember right, did get paid quite quickly which was important as I had rent to pay.

It's a rubbish situation but it sounds like you're taking all steps you can.  Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[FELINEGUITARS]

I read elsewhere about trouble at the Reverb group of stores - sorry to hear how it has affected you and I presume the other members of staff.

Hope you can land on your feet and come out smelling of roses

[choucas09]

Yeah a real slap in the face, but you'll pull through somehow, were there's a will and all that.

[MrBump]

That sucks.

Harness that rage!!!

[HTH AMPS]

that sucks NFE, didn't know it was Reverb you worked at otherwise I'd have given you a heads up - our bass player worked at the one in Middlesbrough until a few weeks ago when they closed the doors.

[Prawnik]

I dunno how it works where you live, but:

1. Get thyself a local lawyer, pronto. Check for a local equivalent of "Legal Aid" so you can take advantage of free or reduced-cost services.

2. If there is anything like an employer-sponsored provate pension plan, make sure that all contributions are made (in the U.S., employers in trouble have an irresistable temptation to fund operations using monies that are supposed to go to employer-sponsored retirement funds.)