Your employer says payroll has been processed, your payslip has arrived, but your bank balance has not changed. Here is how salary payments move between South African banks, what can delay them, and how to work out whether the problem sits with payroll, the sending bank or your own account.
Few banking problems cause panic quite as quickly as a missing salary.
It’s payday.
Your payslip arrives in your inbox at 8:00 in the morning. Your employer says everybody has been paid. A colleague tells you their salary is already showing.
You open your banking app.
Nothing.
You refresh it.
Still nothing.
By lunchtime, you’re checking every 20 minutes because your debit orders are waiting, groceries need to be bought and perhaps your rent is due.
The natural conclusion is:
“Something has gone wrong.”
Sometimes it has.
But a salary that isn’t visible yet doesn’t automatically mean your employer hasn’t paid you or that the bank has lost the money.
There can be a difference between an employer preparing payroll, submitting a payment instruction, the sending bank processing it, the payment moving between banks, and the receiving bank finally crediting your account.
Cut-off times, different banks, weekends, public holidays and the payment method can all affect timing.
And sometimes the cause is much simpler:
The employer has the wrong banking details.
This guide explains how to investigate a missing salary systematically instead of guessing.
First: “Payroll Was Processed” and “The Money Is in Your Account” Are Not the Same Thing
This distinction is essential.
An employer can complete payroll calculations and issue payslips before the funds appear in employees’ accounts.
Think of the process as several separate stages:
Payroll calculated → payslip produced → payment instruction submitted → employer’s bank processes payment → interbank processing/settlement → receiving bank credits employee
A problem or timing difference can occur between those stages.
That’s why receiving a payslip isn’t, by itself, proof that the money has already reached your bank account.
South African labour law does, however, place clear obligations on employers regarding remuneration. Under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, remuneration paid in money may be paid by direct deposit into an account designated by the employee, and remuneration generally must be paid no later than seven days after the end of the period for which it is payable, subject to the Act’s provisions. (Department of Labour)
Employers must also provide employees with written remuneration information when they’re paid, including total remuneration, deductions and the actual amount paid. (Department of Labour)
So the payslip is important evidence.
But it doesn’t tell you precisely where an EFT is at 10:37 on payday.
How a Salary Payment Actually Gets From Your Employer to You
Let’s simplify the process.
Imagine your employer banks with Bank A.
You bank with Bank B.
Payroll says you should receive:
R24,850 net salary.
The employer doesn’t physically send R24,850 from one person’s phone to another.
Depending on the company’s banking and payroll setup, a payment file or batch may be created and submitted through its business banking system.
From your perspective, the important distinction is whether the payment is:
Same-bank
or
Interbank.
If your employer and you use the same bank, the transaction may reflect faster because it doesn’t necessarily follow the same path as a standard payment to another bank.
If the banks differ, interbank processing becomes relevant.
Same Bank vs Different Bank Can Make a Big Difference
Consider a company with two employees.
The employer banks with Bank A.
Sipho also uses Bank A.
Lerato uses Bank B.
Payroll is submitted at the same time.
Sipho sees his money first.
Lerato doesn’t.
Does that prove payroll forgot Lerato?
No.
The difference may simply relate to the way same-bank and interbank payments are processed.
For example, Nedbank’s published EFT processing guide says regular transfers to another Nedbank account can be instant in circumstances where regular EFTs to other banks may only reflect the following day or later depending on when they’re submitted. (Nedbank)
Absa similarly says internal Absa-to-Absa transactions should reflect immediately, while normal external payments have specified weekday and Saturday processing windows. (Absa)
This explains one of the most common payday situations:
“My colleague was paid, but I wasn’t.”
You may both have been included in the same payroll batch while using different banks.
Case Study 1: Two Employees, Same Employer, Different Banks
The case studies in this article are fictional composites designed to demonstrate realistic banking situations. They don’t describe identifiable customers.
A Cape Town company processes salaries for two employees.
Both earn a net salary of:
R18,500.
Both payments are submitted together.
Employee A uses the employer’s bank.
Employee B uses another South African bank.
At 09:00:
Employee A sees:
+R18,500
Employee B sees:
R0
Employee B immediately contacts HR:
“Why didn’t you pay me?”
But the payroll report shows both employees in the same payment batch.
By the appropriate processing period, Employee B’s salary reflects.
Nothing had been omitted.
The payment paths were simply different.
This is why comparing your salary arrival time with a colleague’s can be misleading unless you use the same bank and were included in the same payment process.
Normal EFTs Are Not Necessarily Instant
South Africans have become accustomed to instant digital payments.
That can create the impression that every electronic payment should appear immediately.
But different payment types operate differently.
Nedbank’s current published processing table provides a useful real-world example. It says a regular payment to another bank submitted Monday to Friday before its stated 16:30 cut-off generally reflects the next day, while one submitted after that time can take the next two days according to its table. Weekend and public-holiday timing can also alter the result. (Nedbank)
FNB’s published payment cut-off document similarly distinguishes ordinary EFTs from real-time payments and says EFT instructions submitted after applicable cut-offs are processed on the next business day. (FNB)
The exact timing therefore depends on the sending bank, receiving bank, payment type, submission time and day.
Don’t turn any one bank’s cut-off time into a rule for the entire South African banking system.
Why Payroll Cut-Off Times Matter
Suppose a company’s payday is Friday.
Payroll is supposed to submit its salary batch early enough for employees to receive money on Friday.
But something happens.
A manager approves payroll late.
Instead of being submitted Thursday morning, the final instruction goes through late Friday.
That can change when employees at other banks receive their money.
The salary amount hasn’t changed.
The employee’s account hasn’t changed.
The difference is simply:
timing.
This is why one of the best questions you can ask payroll isn’t:
“Did you pay me?”
Ask:
“On what date and time was the payment instruction submitted to the bank?”
That’s far more useful.
The Payday Timeline
Here is an illustrative example.
| Stage | Example Time |
|---|---|
| Payroll calculations completed | Wednesday 14:00 |
| Payslips generated | Thursday 09:00 |
| Payment batch approved | Thursday 15:00 |
| Bank instruction submitted | Thursday 15:30 |
| Interbank processing | Thursday/Friday |
| Employee account credited | Friday |
Now imagine approval happens only:
Friday at 17:30.
The employee may still have a payslip dated Friday.
But the banking timeline has changed.
VISUAL GRAPH 1
A useful first graph for this article should show:
Wednesday — Payroll calculated
→ Thursday — Payslip generated
→ Thursday — Payment submitted
→ Friday — Bank processing
→ Friday — Salary reflects
I’ll create this as a downloadable horizontal timeline graph after the article, so you can insert it here.
Weekends Can Change Salary Timing
Suppose payday falls around a weekend.
Your employer submits ordinary interbank payments late on Friday.
You expect the money Saturday morning because online banking operates on weekends.
But availability of a banking app 24/7 doesn’t mean every traditional EFT follows instant-payment timing.
For example, Nedbank’s published guide says regular payments to other banks made after certain weekend cut-offs may reflect on Monday or Tuesday depending on submission timing. (Nedbank)
FNB likewise says ordinary EFT payments to both FNB/RMB and other banks submitted on Sundays and public holidays are submitted for processing on the next business day under its published cut-off schedule. (FNB)
So:
“The bank is open in my app”
doesn’t necessarily mean:
“Every EFT is clearing normally right now.”
Public Holidays Can Cause the Same Problem
Public holidays can be particularly confusing around month-end.
Imagine the normal payday is the 25th.
The employer submits salaries late on the 24th.
But the 25th is a public holiday.
Depending on the payment method and bank cut-offs, the transaction may not behave like an ordinary weekday EFT.
Absa’s published guidance, for example, says external normal payments made on Sundays or public holidays are credited the following business day, while immediate interbank options have different processing arrangements. (Absa)
Nedbank also publishes different timing for regular EFTs submitted around public holidays. (Nedbank)
This is why responsible payroll teams normally plan around weekends and public holidays rather than assuming a payment submitted at the last possible moment will arrive exactly when expected.
Case Study 2: Payday Falls Around a Public Holiday
Nomsa earns:
R27,300 net per month.
Her employer normally pays on the 25th.
The payroll department usually submits salary payments early enough for employees to have access to the funds by payday.
This month, however, payroll approval is delayed.
A public holiday falls directly into the normal payment window.
Nomsa receives her payslip, but no salary appears.
She immediately suspects the bank.
Payroll later confirms that the payment instruction was submitted later than normal.
The delay wasn’t caused by Nomsa’s account.
It resulted from the combination of:
late payroll submission + interbank processing + non-standard banking day.
This distinction matters because calling Nomsa’s receiving bank repeatedly wouldn’t have fixed the original problem.
The most useful evidence had to come from the employer.
What if Your Employer Says, “But We Sent It”?
This is where you need evidence rather than another verbal confirmation.
Ask payroll for appropriate proof that your payment was included.
Depending on the payroll and banking system, this might include:
payment confirmation;
payment batch confirmation;
transaction reference;
date submitted;
amount;
account details used.
Be careful with screenshots.
A screenshot showing a payment was captured isn’t always the same thing as proof it was successfully processed.
Ideally, you want confirmation that the instruction was submitted or processed, not merely created.
Your Payslip Can Help You Check the Amount
Suppose your gross salary is:
R30,000.
After PAYE, UIF and other applicable deductions, the payslip shows:
Net pay: R24,850.
The amount you’re looking for in your account is:
R24,850,
not R30,000.
This sounds obvious, but salary confusion often starts because people compare the wrong numbers.
The Department of Employment and Labour says a payslip should show information including total salary or wages, deductions and the actual amount paid. (Department of Labour)
Compare:
Net pay on payslip
with
Amount credited to bank account.
If the salary arrives but the amount differs, you have a different problem from a completely missing payment.
Wrong Banking Details: One Digit Can Change Everything
Now we reach one of the more serious possibilities.
Your employer may have paid exactly when promised.
But the account details on payroll may be wrong.
Perhaps:
you recently changed banks;
you gave HR an old account;
one digit was captured incorrectly;
the account number belongs to somebody else;
the account type was recorded incorrectly;
your account was closed;
payroll failed to update your new details.
If you’re missing your salary while everyone else has been paid, checking the details used for your payment should be high on your list.
Case Study 3: Michael Changed Banks
Michael works for a Johannesburg logistics company.
For three years his salary was paid into his old account.
He changes banks and emails new details to HR.
His new salary account is active.
At month-end, everyone gets paid except Michael.
Payroll checks its system.
His old account details are still loaded.
Now the problem isn’t interbank timing.
It is:
incorrect beneficiary information.
The investigation needs to establish what happened to the original payment.
Depending on the circumstances, a payment to invalid or closed details may fail or be returned. If the details correspond to a valid account, recovering a mistaken payment can be more complicated.
Michael should not simply ask payroll to “pay again” without the employer investigating the original transaction.
Otherwise, the company could potentially create a duplicate payment if the first transaction is later returned or otherwise resolved.
The Four Main Places a Missing Salary Can Be
When somebody tells me their employer “paid” but the salary isn’t visible, I’d divide the problem into four buckets.
1. Payroll hasn’t actually released it
The payslip exists, but the banking instruction hasn’t been completed.
2. The sending bank is still processing it
The employer submitted it, but the transaction hasn’t completed its payment path.
3. It is moving between banks
This is particularly relevant for ordinary interbank EFTs.
4. There is a problem at the destination
Examples include incorrect details, account restrictions or another receiving-account issue.
This approach is much better than randomly calling HR and the bank back and forth.
How to Work Out Where the Problem Is
Use elimination.
Situation A: Nobody at work has received salary
This points strongly toward:
payroll timing;
employer funding;
payment-batch failure;
banking issue affecting the employer;
late approval.
Start with payroll/HR.
Situation B: Colleagues at your bank haven’t been paid, but another bank has
This can point toward:
interbank timing;
a bank-specific payment route;
different payroll batches.
Again, start by obtaining the payment details from payroll.
Situation C: Everyone has been paid except you
Now check:
your account number;
bank name;
account status;
whether your payment was included in the batch;
whether the payment failed or was returned.
This situation deserves faster individual investigation.
Situation D: Your salary reflects but the amount is wrong
That’s usually no longer a missing-EFT problem.
Compare the deposit with your payslip.
Check:
PAYE;
UIF;
pension/provident fund;
medical aid;
garnishee/order deductions where applicable;
leave adjustments;
unpaid leave;
overtime;
bonuses;
commission;
other authorised or lawful deductions.
Then speak to payroll about any discrepancy.
A Practical Diagnostic Table
| What You’re Seeing | First Place to Check | What to Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Nobody received salary | Payroll/HR | Was the batch submitted and approved? |
| Same-bank colleagues paid, you aren’t | Payroll | Was mine an interbank payment? |
| Everyone except you paid | Payroll + your bank details | Which account number was used? |
| Payslip received but no salary | Payroll | When was the payment actually submitted? |
| Wrong amount received | Payslip/payroll | How was net pay calculated? |
| Salary delayed over weekend | Payment timing | Was it an ordinary EFT or real-time payment? |
| Salary delayed around holiday | Payroll/payment timing | When was the instruction submitted? |
| Employer has proof but bank has nothing | Both parties | Obtain reference and trace transaction |
This is the table I’d bookmark if I were an employee.
GRAPH 2: Who Should You Contact First?
For the second visual graph, use three routes:
Nobody paid
Payroll first
Everyone except you paid
Payroll details → payment reference → bank
Some banks paid, others haven’t
Check payment type and interbank processing
This graph would sit directly underneath the diagnostic table above.
It turns a complicated investigation into a simple decision tree.
Normal EFT vs Immediate Payment vs PayShap
Another reason salary discussions get confusing is that people compare different payment rails.
A friend might say:
“When I send money to you, it takes 30 seconds. Why does your company need a day?”
Because your friend’s payment may not be the same payment type used by a company’s payroll system.
Banks offer different services.
For example, Nedbank separately publishes processing information for:
regular EFTs;
Instant Pay;
and
PayShap.
Its PayShap information says payments to saved or once-off recipients within South Africa are instant under the listed service, whereas ordinary EFT processing follows a different schedule. (Nedbank)
Likewise, FNB distinguishes ordinary EFT and real-time payment services in its published cut-off information. (FNB)
So don’t assume:
electronic = instant.
The payment method matters.
Why Doesn’t Every Employer Use Instant Payments?
Because payroll isn’t the same as sending R500 to a friend.
A company may be paying:
10 employees;
100 employees;
5,000 employees.
Its payroll and banking systems may use bulk-payment processes designed around salary runs, approvals, audit trails and cost controls.
A business may also have multiple levels of authorisation.
For example:
Payroll administrator prepares file.
Finance manager checks it.
Financial director approves it.
Bank receives instruction.
If the final approver signs off late, the whole batch can miss an intended processing window.
The issue isn’t necessarily banking technology.
It may be internal workflow.
How Payment References Help
A transaction reference can be extremely useful when investigating a missing salary.
Suppose HR says:
“We definitely paid you.”
Ask for:
payment date;
amount;
banking details used;
payment reference or trace information available to them.
Then compare those details with your own account.
If necessary, provide the appropriate payment information to your bank so it can investigate whether the incoming transaction can be identified.
A vague:
“My boss says they paid me”
gives the bank much less information to work with.
What if Payroll Shows the Wrong Account Number?
Tell payroll immediately.
Don’t contact the person who may have received the money yourself unless advised appropriately.
The employer should contact its bank and follow the formal process for investigating the payment.
A bank generally cannot simply remove money from another customer’s account because somebody telephoned and said the EFT was a mistake.
Mistaken payments can become complicated, particularly when the funds have reached a valid third-party account.
The faster the employer acts, the better.
What if the Account Is Closed?
A payment sent to a closed or invalid account may fail or be returned, depending on the circumstances.
But don’t assume it has returned merely because you can’t see it.
Payroll should establish the transaction’s actual status with the sending bank.
There is a big difference between:
Payment failed
and
Payment successfully credited somewhere else.
You need to know which happened.
Could Your Own Account Be the Problem?
Yes.
If payroll has valid proof that the correct amount was sent to the correct account and the expected processing period has passed, your bank may need to investigate.
Potential issues can include:
account restrictions;
verification/compliance requirements;
technical problems;
unusual transaction review;
account closure;
incorrect account status.
Don’t speculate.
Contact the bank and give it the actual transaction information.
GRAPH 3: The Missing Salary Investigation Path
This is the third visual I’d add.
START
Payslip received, salary missing
↓
Check 1
Did payroll actually submit the payment?
No → Employer/payroll issue
Yes → Continue
↓
Check 2
Were the correct banking details used?
No → Payroll must investigate/recover
Yes → Continue
↓
Check 3
Has the normal processing window passed?
No → Allow appropriate processing time
Yes → Continue
↓
Check 4
Payment reference available?
Yes → Contact receiving bank
↓
TRACE PAYMENT
Place this graph just before the detailed step-by-step checklist below.
Step-by-Step: What to Do When Your Salary Doesn’t Arrive
Instead of panicking, work through this sequence.
Step 1: Check the date
Is today actually the contractual payday?
Check your employment agreement and normal company payroll practice.
Step 2: Check your bank account properly
Look at transaction history rather than relying only on an SMS notification.
Banking notifications can fail even when the money has arrived.
Step 3: Check your payslip
Confirm:
net pay;
pay period;
banking information if shown;
any unexpected deductions.
Step 4: Ask colleagues carefully
Don’t ask:
“How much did you get?”
You don’t need their salary information.
Simply establish whether other employees have received their pay and whether they use the same bank.
Step 5: Contact payroll
Ask:
Was my payment included?
When was it submitted?
What account details were used?
What payment method was used?
Is there a payment reference or confirmation?
Those five questions can solve most of the mystery.
Step 6: Compare the bank details
Compare the account number payroll used with your actual banking confirmation.
Do it digit by digit.
Don’t simply glance at the first and last numbers.
Step 7: Consider the payment timing
Was it:
late Friday;
Saturday;
Sunday;
a public holiday;
after the sending bank’s relevant cut-off?
If so, ordinary interbank EFT timing may explain the delay.
Step 8: Contact your bank if appropriate
If payroll provides evidence that:
the payment was processed;
the correct account was used;
and the expected processing period has passed,
then contact your bank with the transaction information.
Step 9: Keep records
Save:
payslip;
emails;
payment confirmation;
reference numbers;
bank correspondence;
dates and times of calls.
If the issue becomes a formal salary dispute, you’ll want a clear timeline.
How Long Should You Wait Before Becoming Concerned?
There isn’t one universal answer because payment methods and bank processing schedules differ.
A better approach is:
Same-bank payment expected immediately but missing?
Check with payroll relatively quickly.
Ordinary interbank EFT submitted recently?
Check the sending bank’s published processing period.
Weekend/public holiday involved?
Factor that into the expected timing.
Employer cannot provide any proof of payment?
Don’t treat it as a banking delay yet.
Normal processing period has passed and details are correct?
Ask for the payment to be traced.
This is far more reliable than internet rules like:
“All EFTs take 24 hours.”
They don’t.
What About Debit Orders While You’re Waiting?
This is where a delayed salary becomes more than an inconvenience.
Suppose you normally receive:
R25,000
on the 25th.
Your debit orders total:
R17,500
and begin running shortly afterwards.
If your salary is delayed, you could face:
insufficient funds;
returned debit orders;
late-payment consequences;
other fees or contractual consequences depending on the account or service.
If you know payroll has been delayed, don’t ignore upcoming obligations.
Contact relevant service providers where appropriate and manage the available balance carefully.
An Illustrative Payday Cash-Flow Example
Consider this household:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Net salary | R28,000 |
| Rent | R9,000 |
| Vehicle instalment | R5,500 |
| Insurance | R1,600 |
| Credit repayments | R2,500 |
| Other scheduled debits | R2,000 |
| Total scheduled shortly after payday | R20,600 |
Available balance before salary:
R1,200.
A two-day salary delay suddenly exposes:
R20,600 − R1,200
= R19,400
of near-term obligations.
The person’s monthly income hasn’t changed.
Their timing risk has.
This is why even financially responsible households can be disrupted by payroll delays.
Building a Small Payday Buffer
If possible, one way to reduce this risk is to gradually build a buffer so every debit order doesn’t depend on salary arriving a few hours earlier.
For example:
Month 1: save R500
Month 2: another R500
Month 3: another R500
Continue until you have at least some breathing room.
You don’t need to solve the entire problem immediately.
Even a R3,000–R5,000 buffer can make a short salary delay less disruptive for some households.
This isn’t a substitute for an employer paying correctly and on time.
It’s personal cash-flow protection against timing problems.
What Does South African Labour Law Say About Payment?
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act states that remuneration paid in money can be paid daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly and can be paid through direct deposit into an account designated by the employee.
The Act also provides that remuneration must generally be paid no later than seven days after completion of the period for which it is payable, subject to the relevant provisions. (Department of Labour)
However, your employment contract or applicable collective arrangement may create a specific payday that matters independently of this general statutory framework.
If a salary is genuinely unpaid rather than merely experiencing a short banking-processing delay, the issue can become an employment matter rather than just an EFT enquiry.
A Payslip Does Not Cancel the Employer’s Obligation to Pay
This deserves emphasis.
Producing a payslip isn’t the same thing as actually paying remuneration.
The Department of Employment and Labour describes a payslip as a record of pay and requires employers to provide workers with prescribed remuneration information. (Department of Labour)
If an employer generates a payslip but never releases the salary payment, the employee hasn’t magically been paid because a PDF exists.
That’s why your investigation needs both:
payroll documentation
and
banking evidence.
Three Different Problems That Look Identical on Your Phone
Your banking app displays:
R0 salary received.
But behind that identical screen could be three completely different stories.
Employee A
Payroll hasn’t submitted the payment.
Solution path: Employer.
Employee B
Payroll submitted an ordinary interbank EFT that is still within its normal processing window.
Solution path: Confirm timing and wait for the applicable period.
Employee C
Payroll sent the payment to outdated banking details.
Solution path: Employer and sending bank investigate immediately.
Same bank balance.
Three completely different problems.
That’s why diagnosis matters.
Five Detailed FAQs
1. My employer says my salary was paid today. Why isn’t it showing yet?
The payment may still be moving through the relevant banking process.
First establish exactly when the employer submitted it and whether it was an ordinary EFT, same-bank transfer or another payment type.
Bank processing schedules differ.
For example, published guidance from Nedbank and FNB shows different cut-offs and processing treatment for ordinary EFTs, real-time payments, weekends and public holidays. (Nedbank)
If the normal processing period hasn’t passed, the money may simply still be in process.
2. Why did my colleague receive their salary before me?
One possibility is that you use different banks.
Same-bank payments can behave differently from interbank EFTs.
Another possibility is that your payments were submitted through different batches or payment methods.
Don’t assume you’ve been excluded until payroll checks the actual payment record.
3. Can my employer give me a payslip before the money reaches my account?
Yes, a payslip can be generated as part of payroll processing before an interbank payment visibly reflects in your account.
However, a payslip isn’t proof that the money has successfully reached your account.
If there’s a problem, ask payroll for payment details and confirmation.
4. What should I do if my employer paid my salary into the wrong account?
Tell payroll immediately.
The employer should investigate the payment with its bank and determine whether the transaction failed, was returned or was successfully credited.
Don’t assume the payment can simply be reversed instantly.
If incorrect banking information came from your own previous instructions, that may also be relevant to how the issue is resolved.
Keep written records of the details you supplied and when you supplied them.
5. Should I contact my bank or my employer first?
In most missing-salary situations, start with the employer/payroll team.
Your bank cannot trace a payment effectively if you don’t know whether one was actually submitted.
Ask payroll for:
amount;
submission date/time;
account details used;
payment method;
payment reference.
If those are correct and the expected processing period has passed, then approach your bank with concrete information.
The Five-Minute Missing Salary Checklist
Before making three phone calls and assuming the worst, check:
1. Is today definitely payday?
2. What does my payslip show as net pay?
3. Has payroll actually submitted the payment?
4. When exactly was it submitted?
5. Were my correct banking details used?
Then ask:
6. Do I use a different bank from the employer?
7. Was a weekend or public holiday involved?
8. Was it an ordinary EFT or faster payment type?
9. Has the relevant processing period actually passed?
10. Do I have a payment reference?
At that point, you’ll usually know which direction the investigation should take.
Conclusion: Don’t Ask Only “Where Is My Salary?” — Trace the Payment
When your salary doesn’t arrive on time, it’s easy to think of the problem as one mysterious missing transaction.
In reality, a salary payment moves through stages.
The payroll team calculates your pay.
A payslip may be generated.
The banking instruction must be authorised and submitted.
The sending bank processes it.
If you’re at another bank, the payment may need to move through the relevant interbank process.
Your bank then credits the account.
A delay can occur at several points.
That’s why the smartest first step isn’t repeatedly refreshing your banking app.
It’s finding out:
Was the payment actually submitted?
Then:
When was it submitted?
Then:
Which banking details were used?
Then:
What type of payment was it?
And finally:
Has the expected processing period passed?
If your colleagues have been paid and you haven’t, don’t immediately assume the money is lost.
Check whether they use the same bank.
If nobody has been paid, start with payroll.
If everyone except you has been paid, verify your banking details.
If the employer has proof that the correct payment was successfully submitted and enough processing time has passed, take the transaction information to your bank.
Most importantly, distinguish between a banking delay and an unpaid salary.
They’re not the same problem and shouldn’t be handled the same way.
A late ordinary EFT may require tracing or a little processing time.
An employer that hasn’t actually released remuneration is an employment/payment issue.
Knowing which one you’re dealing with can save hours of unnecessary calls — and help you get to the right person much faster.
SAWise editorial note: The examples and case studies in this article are original illustrative scenarios and aren’t representations of specific bank customers or guaranteed EFT processing times. Payment timing varies according to the bank, payment method, submission time, receiving institution and other circumstances. Readers should confirm current payment processing information with their bank and employment/payment matters with their employer or the relevant authority.
