Facing Salary Cuts and Notice Period Woes: How Can I Navigate This HR Dilemma?

Dear Senior HR Team,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to seek your guidance and assistance regarding some issues I've been facing related to my salary and notice period.

I joined the organization in the last week of March 2022 as an HR Assistant. Initially, my responsibilities included recruitment and assisting with HR tasks, including administrative duties. Despite my designation, I was asked to handle the admin profile from day one, with the promise of a salary hike based on performance within 6-8 months. However, when the appraisal period arrived, although I had been performing additional duties beyond my role, I did not receive the expected salary hike.

In the interim, I continued to handle recruitment, policy making, grievance handling, employee engagement activities, and more. Everyone was satisfied with my performance. When our HR Manager resigned, I was selected to take on those responsibilities. Again, I was promised a performance-based salary review within 3-4 months by the Director, but the salary adjustment only came after 6 months, although it was accompanied by positive feedback about my performance.

As recruitment demands increased, I hired a Junior HR, but she left soon due to personal reasons. I continued managing recruitment without paid portals, which made it challenging to meet the hiring needs. During a meeting on May 21, 2024, the Director agreed to provide paid portals to improve our recruitment process but has yet to fulfill this commitment.

Despite the lack of resources, I have continued to give my best. However, with the ongoing recruitment challenges and no support from paid portals, my salary was deducted by 20% without any prior written notice or performance improvement plan. Consequently, I submitted my resignation on June 14, following an official discussion with management.

Given these circumstances, I seek your advice on the following:

1. How can I ensure I receive my full salary, considering the unmet commitments by management?
2. Is there any way to negotiate my notice period to avoid potential impacts on my future employment due to incomplete pay stubs and salary bank statements?

I appreciate your time and assistance in resolving these issues.

Best regards,

Dear Khushali,

You have asked two questions in your post. However, before asking the questions, you have provided sufficient information. This is commendable. I say so because raising a post with incomplete information is almost a norm on this forum. Your post stands out. Additionally, you have put forth your views in sequence. Yes, there is a scope for improvement, but for the level of HR Assistant, your writing skills are appreciable.

How can I ensure I receive my full salary, considering the unmet commitments by management?

Reply: Meeting the commitment depends on how it was given. Was it a verbal assurance or a written assurance? Those who wish not to fulfill their commitment do not fulfill it irrespective of the assurance. Nevertheless, you may ask politely about clearing your dues, but do not persist with it as your persistence may be viewed as pestering, and it could give them a chance to withhold your salary for some other reason.

Is there any way to negotiate my notice period to avoid potential impacts on my future employment due to incomplete pay stubs and salary bank statements?

Reply: You wanted to negotiate the notice period for what purpose? Do you wish to increase it or decrease it? Why do you say that your employment will impact your future employment? What is the problem with the salary bank statements? Please clarify.

Final comments: Perceiving the decisions of the management as unjust, it appears that you have tendered your resignation in a huff. I wish you had been more circumspect in doing so. Without having a job at hand, you should not have resigned. Anyway, you might have started searching for a new job. Continue with it. I have complimented you on your business writing skills. Not many managers can demonstrate such skills. Therefore, search for a job where you can capitalize on your strengths. There is always a scope for improvement. So, improve your vocabulary and grammar. If you do that, you may become a reference person, and people will start approaching you for writing letters, applications, etc.

All the best!

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Kushali, Well said by Dinesh. Adding to his query, you have already tendered your resignation and are serving the notice period. As per the terms of employment, you need to serve the full notice period to receive wages; otherwise, the company has the right to recover the notice pay.

Additionally, resignation will not have an impact on future employment if proper relieving formalities are completed; otherwise, it might affect Background Verification (BGV).

Thank you.

Hello sir, Thank you for your prompt reply regarding my request to negotiate the notice period. I would like to clarify that I wish to decrease my notice period. The reason for this is that the significant salary deduction reflected in my bank statements and pay stubs could pose difficulties when seeking new employment opportunities. Prospective employers typically verify these documents, and I am concerned that the deductions might negatively impact their perception of my employment history and salary expectations.

I hope this provides clarity on my situation. I would greatly appreciate any assistance or advice you can offer on how to navigate this issue. Thank you once again for your support.

Best regards,

Hello Jeevarathnam sir, Thank you so much for responding. I completely agree with you and understand the process of relieving. I have never denied serving the complete notice period and am currently fulfilling it. As an HR professional, I always advocate for following proper procedures and rules, and I practice what I preach. I have always worked in accordance with the company's rules and regulations, and I strive to maintain a polite and professional demeanor.

However, since the salary deductions began and considering that the deduction ratio is expected to vary each month, I have become increasingly worried. This concern led me to discuss with management the possibility of an early release option if significant deductions continue. That's the reason behind my request.

Thank you for your understanding.

Dear Khushali,

Okay. Now I understand your problem. Yes, you can approach your employer for your early release. However, whether they will agree to it remains to be seen, and even if they agree, it is unpredictable whether they will use your proposal as an opportunity to deduct this or that allowance.

Even if your early exit becomes hassle-free, your last drawn salary will be 20% less than what you were drawing earlier. Future employers could question the reduction of salary, and the trouble of justification is going to remain anyway. Nevertheless, you may tell them that your company was not doing financially very well and there was a reduction in salary across the board. Yes, this would be falsifying the facts, but sometimes career growth depends on an element of falsification as well. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with taking a chance on the willful perversion of facts.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar