Employee Seeks Overdue Wages Before Christmas - AITA for Asking Boss?

A Christmas paycheck that shows up late is one thing, a paycheck that gets dodged entirely is another. In this story, a 28-year-old guy is stuck watching the holiday calendar tick by while his boss keeps pushing payroll back.

He works at a small startup, where Jane has always been messy about paying on time, but it has gotten worse. Right before Christmas, the paychecks are delayed again, with zero notice, and when he tries calling and texting, Jane avoids him like the inbox is cursed. He has been there over two years, putting in long hours, and now he is trying to cover gifts and holiday expenses with money he does not have.

Then he sends a firm email asking for overdue wages to be prioritized, and suddenly the whole office has opinions.

Original Post

I (28M) work for a small startup company that has been struggling financially lately. Our boss, Jane, has always been a bit disorganized with paying us on time, but things have gotten worse recently.

Leading up to Christmas, I was really counting on my paycheck to cover gifts and holiday expenses. But the week before Christmas, our paychecks were delayed again without any notice.

I tried reaching out to Jane, but she was avoiding my calls and messages. Some important info: I've been with this company for over 2 years, putting in long hours and extra effort to help it succeed.

But being consistently late on pay has really put a strain on my finances. I decided to send Jane a firm yet polite email, reminding her that my wages were overdue and expressing how much it was affecting me, especially during the holiday season.

I asked her to prioritize paying us before Christmas so we could enjoy the holidays without financial stress. To my surprise, Jane replied promptly, apologizing for the delay and promising to get our paychecks processed by the end of the week.

However, some of my coworkers feel I shouldn't have pressured her, as the company is going through a tough time. So AITA?

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Right before Christmas, OP is counting on his paycheck, and Jane’s silence turns a normal payroll delay into a full-blown holiday money panic.

This messy standoff is like a roommate rehoming her partner’s non-stop meowing cat behind her back.

When Jane dodges his calls and messages, OP’s “polite but firm” email is basically him drawing a line in the sand about overdue wages.

Jane replies fast, apologizes, and promises payroll by the end of the week, which is great news but also sparks the coworkers’ side-eye.

Now the coworkers think OP pressured Jane because the startup is struggling, while OP is wondering if the holiday timing is the real reason he’s being treated like the problem.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Share your perspective in the comments below.

Nobody wants to work through the holidays on borrowed time, especially when the boss keeps answering everyone except the paycheck.

Before you judge, read how one roommate split their cat surgery bill without warning after their housemate refused.