Employees constantly expect a salary increase, but sometimes the reverse process can surprise them - an unexpectedly lower salary. As you know, this is usually not a reduction in earnings, but there are some exceptions, such as bonuses.
An employee caught in such a situation complained that she received 200 euros less salary without any prior warning. And asked whether employers can do so.
Specialists explain that reducing the salary requires the employee's consent. However, when changing the payment system, employers only need to notify in advance.
And if the amounts of bonuses and bonuses are changed, sometimes employees do not need to be notified at all - it can be unilaterally decided to stop paying them.
Less profit means less pay
Kamilė (name and surname known to the editors) contacted tv3.lt asking whether employers can legally reduce wages.
She said that the day before receiving salaries, the company announced that the salary would be 10 percent. smaller.
"They said that there was a big drop in profits this month, so they decided to cut the wages of some departments by 10 percent, which in my case is 200 euros. We worked for a whole month, thinking that we would get a regular salary, but on the last day we found out that we would get 200 euros less. If you have a loan, any other commitments and plans, then such news is like an ice shower", the girl complained.
According to her interpretation, the salary specified in the employment contract is 1 thousand. euros in hand and extras that make up half of the salary.
"And it is not clear who, for what and why those supplements are given. Maybe this is a good way to get away - maybe they can reduce or increase the salary, i.e. i.e. those extras as much as you want, as long as that 1 thousand is left. EUR salary in hand. Because the supplements are not precisely named, so maybe you can reduce them by a whole thousand per day and you can't say anything to them?" wrote Kamilė.
Salary composition and payment procedure
According to the interpretation of Jolita Juškaitė, lawyer of the "Jankauskas ir partnersiai" professional association of lawyers, wages are wages for the work performed by the employee according to the employment contract.
The interviewer explained that the salary consists of:
- basic (tariff) salary (hourly salary, monthly salary or fixed part of official salary);
- an additional part of the salary determined by the agreement of the parties or paid in accordance with labor law norms or the labor payment system applied at the workplace;
- bonuses for acquired qualifications;
- premiums for additional work, additional duties or tasks;
- bonuses for work performed, determined by the agreement of the parties or paid according to labor law norms or the work payment system applied in the workplace;
- bonuses are given at the initiative of the employer to encourage the employee for a job well done, his or her company's, department's or group of employees' activities or performance results.
According to the lawyer, the employment contract may provide for a general procedure for the payment of bonuses and/or bonuses.
Author: Deimantė Buslevičiūtė, TV3.lt
