If my raise is less than what I was tole, what can I do?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If my raise is less than what I was tole, what can I do?
I recently got a review and raise at work. I signed the review and agreed to the terms and pay raise. Once I checked my paystub. The raise on my paystub was less then what was on my review. Is that legal?
Asked on April 25, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Massachusetts
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
Signing a review which includes mention of a salary increase does not constitute a legally binding contract. So unless you had such a contract (including a collective bargaining or other employment agreement), your employer was not bound to give you any specific raise (or any raise at all). In an "at will" work relationship, a company is free to set the conditions of work much as it sees fit (absent some form of actionable discrimination). While unfair, it was legal.
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
You can't do anything: your employer has discretion as to what you are paid and what raises you get (unless there was an actual written employment contract guarantying a raise) and can legally go back on their promise and give you a smaller-than-promises raise. What raise you get is competely up to the employer.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.