Practice unable to pay salary

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Hello,

I belong to a mid size practice (four doctors total). My salary is based on how much money I bring in the practice. I have always brought in my required amount in order to maintain my salary. The practice is always slow with insurance reimburments this time of year and we also had a bad storm where we had to shut down for almost a week. The owner informed us that the practice was unable to pay any of my salary the first pay period. Two weeks later I only received hallf of the first check owed to me. I have a family to support and bills to pay. I am being told that I will be paid when the money comes in but this is causing a huge financial strain on me. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Marissa

 

I would consult some legal advice as it seems they are abusing your positions. Without knowing where you live or which country it would be difficult to comment too much. Prehaps try approaching your professional body too! Good luck

 

I have talked with other people over the years (not just in Podiatry) with a similar issue. In all cases, it NEVER worked out for them in the end. They all needed to get new jobs.

 

It would seem to me that unless you have a contract that states otherwise the practice owner is never going to pay out monies that they have not received. You will not be paid until they have received the funds.
Either leave or get the terms of employment changed to a flat 50% of what you take.

 

Leave, your skills have value, i am sure the receptionist is still getting paid!

 

Maybe, everyone including the owner has had to take a pay cut/not been paid for the last week or two? You can't assume the receptionist is being paid. If you have enjoyed working at this practice maybe you should speak to the owner & see what the situation is & see if you can come to some agreement to resolve the issue. Don't assume every boss is trying to rip staff off or always making a fortune.

 

One word - WALK!

 

Actually, 2 words - and the second one is OFF.

Seriously, if you have a contract, check it, and if necessary, get a lawyer to check it. If it states when you should be paid and they haven't, a letter from a solicitor often clears the mind!

Good luck

 

This does sound like a good time to invest in a solicitor.

Acting in a gentlemanly manner and being a reasonable person does not often get results. Just think back to your patients, it is pretty much always those that complain that get the best service. That is not nice but as a rule it is true.

 

Hi Marissa,
I'm sorry to hear of your problems. I have been in similar positions myself.

I would suggest you contact your Professional organisation about this, and see what they can do to help you.

Failing that I would go back and look at your contract and see what it really says. If it states, as you say, that your salary is based on what you bring into the practice then there is the answer. If the practice had to shut because of bad weather there was no opportunity for you to earn anything, so you don't get paid. OK, so it's not your fault, but that's the contract you signed. You say the practice have admitted liability to you by paying you a proportion of what you were owed, so they have acted in good faith.
You could try and sue for the balance but if they have no money then they can't pay anyway and you will have destroyed the possibility of any future working relationship.
I would suggest that you contact your creditors and explain the situation and ask for more time to pay.
In the meantime I would sit tight but look for alternative employment.
I'm sure none of this is very palatable and I'm sorry I can't be more helpful.

regards

Catfoot

 

Leave and find other job . I'm sorry for you and who's like you too

 

First, tell them you understand the situation, but as they expect understanding from you, then you want the same from them and you want to look at the books for your service billing ( a good idea generally). If you see your employer got paid for the services, then they owe you immediately and are just using your money to live on. And that does not just become a contract dispute, but a matter of criminal fraud. It is no different than you going into the cash drawer and taking a handful of money.

And like so many have suggested, check your contract, if you have one. If you do not, then possibly contact your government agencies that deal with labor law, since you then amount to a simple employee at that point.

And if you find they did get paid, you must know that they are thieves and this will not end well and it is better to walk away rather than continue to have them use your labor to line their pockets.

 

I have a practice such that for the last decade, this time of year, the money comes in but slow. I have to pay my people, but their checks are late when there is no money. I have depleted my retirement and mortgaged my home, business, and other private property to keep the practice going evenly.
It may be just a fact of life. Maybe I should have seen this coming so that I could sock some money away for this eventuality so I am not always trying to play catchup.
Still, if you trust those for whom you work, be patient and tell your creditors what I tell mine: when I get mine, you'll get yours.
But while we are on the subject, consider some money people advancing med professionals like us offering short term loans to cover us during the lean times. I have not found any that would do this; I contacted three who proffered $100,000, unsecured, for "rates as low as 3%." Too good to be true...right it was. Each came up with $85,000 at 17%, then $35,000 at 24%, and finally $50,000 at 17%. I turned them all down, no sense going from the frying pan into the fire.
So, now that we are on the subject, does anyone know where we can get these loans without the old bait and switch?

 

I belong to a mid size practice (four doctors total). My salary is based on how much money I bring in the practice. I have always brought in my required amount in order to maintain my salary. The practice is always slow with insurance reimburments this time of year and we also had a bad storm where we had to shut down for almost a week. The owner informed us that the practice was unable to pay any of my salary the first pay period. Two weeks later I only received hallf of the first check owed to me. I have a family to support and bills to pay. I am being told that I will be paid when the money comes in but this is causing a huge financial strain on me. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Marissa

You agreed not to take a set salary. If you contracted for a set salary then it would be the responsibility for the owner to ensure you are paid just as the office staff are paid.

You wrote that your salary is based on how much money you bring to the practice. Well, then you are taking the risk of having to wait for insurance reimbursement and hope you are doing a good job building up your personal practice. The downside is that you may have to wait for a paycheck...esp during the first quarter when weather is bad and new deductibles start. The upside is that if you do a great job, you can make much more than a set salary and you can put away that extra money for those lean times during the first quarter.

Moving forward, what you really want to do is secure your future. You do not want to build up the practice only to be replaced. If this is where you want to be, you need to seriously do what you can to be a full partner in this office whereby you accept the risks and benefit from the rewards. If a partner is not in the cards, you need to move on so you do not waste years building a practice for others.

Steven




Marissa, are you happy with the percentage of revenue that you bring into the office from your efforts? Can you also be a partner in this office so that you share the risk and the reward and build a future within the practice.

If the answer is yes to both questions, you should stay and try to get by until things get better. Private Practice is very challenging and even if you were in your own practice you would have the same problem if not worse.

Still, ensure that you are able to see all the numbers to ensure that you are getting a fair shake if you have any doubt. If you are not allowed to see all the financial documents then you need to find another position. As others have said, not everyone is out there to take advantage of you.

When I was in private practice, I made sure I had a line of credit. I would use my line of credit every Jan until my bank account grew from incoming payments. My interest rate was Prime minus 1 as my credit was excellent. I still have a credit line. Find out why your practice also does not have a credit line to get you through those lean times.

I also always budgeted and planned for the first quarter. Proper planning goes a long way.

 

are you big make him an offer he cant refuse then get another job

 

You will be fine.....Just ask yourself......."is everything ok right now?"
if you are well fed, healthy and looking forward to a good future , then , everything is ok....
Dont worry about the future....
I have had cancer twice in ten years...and I can tell you .....worry , is a waste of energy .....
Financial strain is just and only a : "perspective" on how we feel.....
when you were five years old, did you worry about money ????
now that you are an educated person , money will come.....just belive in yourself and hang your balls out there......sorry ...you are not a man LOL

every single moment of every single day is a chance for us all to turn it all around.....IF you need money to help you get on your feet ...I am prepared to give you one thousand australian dollars and you can pay it back......when you can......How do you feel now ????????

 

that is one motivational posting, if i had balls i'd hang em out there too)))))

 

lots of people give advice and sympathy ...but has anyone ...offered you a practical solution.....ok....so a bike riding tattoed podiatrist will give you a loan ...get on your feet ...LOL no pun intended and make your life AMAZING....you can do it....stop bloody complaining ....just get on with it.....

I believe in you ...just believe in yourself....

Hey .... all we have to do , is DO IT..

Kind and warm regards....from the fat harley davidson riding podiatrist.....

All the best...


My email is podiatrist@australia.edu

email any time....

:drinks:drinks you have to buy the next beer

 

you have balls.........I already know that.....well Hang them out ....offer some money ...it hurts.. I have....LOL so what does it matter...it is just cash..... would you not feel better if a colleague was better off ???????????????? because of your help....LOL im just being funny l........offer her some bucks
kind and warm regards.....you are a bit of a mystery....kind person ...

kind regards..the fat harley davidson riding podiatrist...with lots of tats..

LOL


FDCB

 

hey old mate...lots of good info...but why dont you offer her some real help IE...dollars....it wont break you ??? put your money where you lots of texts and advice mouth is ..... fat harley davidson riding podiatrist. FDCB

 

:wacko::morning::hammer::drinks

You can get balls at K mart....five dollars for two balls in a pack with elbow skin.....check billy connolley ....balls...LOL:dizzy:

 

My husband is a tattoed, harley davidson riding carpenter, he's not fat though - yet!, and really i am too boring to be a mystery.
Have a good day

 

hey old mate...lots of good info...but why dont you offer her some real help IE...dollars....it wont break you ??? put your money where you lots of texts and advice mouth is ..... fat harley davidson riding podiatrist. FDCB

Offering money to another is validating they are in lack and weakens them as well as puts the burden on themselves to pay you back. Better for the person to choose to use a bank which is impersonal for a short term loan.

Most of the world seems to be under financial strain. Still, if you are healthy, have a degree that can earn you a living, then you have abundance...you are blessed. Our worst enemy is Doubt and until we conquer doubt and replace it with trust, trust in all that we are capable of, we will remain stationary.

Steven

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be."