1. Work out what is missingList each affected pay period, the rate or amount you expected, the hours or entitlement involved and what was actually paid.
My employer hasn’t paid me — what should I do?
Start with the pay record. Work out what should have been paid, compare it with payslips, hours and bank deposits, raise the shortfall promptly in writing, and check the official wage-claim route and deadline for the place where you worked.
Ask JEZ AI about my unpaid wagesDo not let an internal pay query hide a legal deadline.Employment filing periods differ sharply by jurisdiction and claim type. Record the actual pay or termination dates and verify the current official deadline separately from any grievance or payroll discussion.
Six steps before escalating.
2. Save the payroll evidenceKeep payslips, rosters, timesheets, contracts, commission or bonus terms, leave records and bank deposits.
3. Raise the shortfall in writingState the amount you believe is unpaid, the pay period and how you calculated it. Keep the employer or payroll response.
4. Identify the correct jurisdictionWage rules, complaint bodies and court or tribunal routes depend on where the work happened and sometimes on the industry or employer.
5. Check the filing deadline nowAn internal payroll query or grievance does not necessarily stop a legal filing period. Verify the current official deadline before waiting.
6. Use the official recovery routeIf the problem is not corrected, use the labour agency, regulator, tribunal or court route that applies to the selected jurisdiction.
Examples of why location matters.
United StatesFederal and state wage rules can overlap. Start with the state where the work happened and the official wage-claim route.Open US guide
United KingdomGreat Britain and Northern Ireland use different employment processes, so select the correct legal system before relying on a deadline.Open UK guide
AustraliaCheck the applicable pay instrument, hours and Fair Work pathway, then preserve the calculation and records supporting the underpayment.Open Australia guide
Open the unpaid-wages guide for where the work happened.
United States
United Kingdom
Australia
New Zealand
English Canada
South Africa
Singapore
India
Brazil
Philippines
Thailand
Germany
Indonesia
Malaysia
Vietnam
JapanJurisdiction first. Source-led guidance after that.
Published and maintained by GetInstantLaw.com. This is a multi-jurisdiction entry page, not a substitute for the country, state, province, territory or legal-system guide that applies to your situation. Guide reviewed . Trust standard updated .
Legal information only — not legal advice. GetInstantLaw.com is not a law firm. Specific rights, deadlines, penalties and remedies should be checked against the cited authority for the selected jurisdiction.