A missing bonus, commission or incentive payment is not automatically a payroll error. First check the written pay plan and the records used to calculate it, then document the difference and ask your employer or payroll team for a written calculation. If the explanation does not resolve the issue, use the formal grievance and local employment-advice routes available where you work.
Start by identifying what is wrong
“Variable pay” covers commission, bonuses, sales incentives, performance payments and similar amounts that can change from one pay period to another. A payslip may show no amount, an amount lower than expected, or a payment in a different period from the one you anticipated. Those situations can have different explanations and different remedies.
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| What you see | What to check first |
|---|---|
| No bonus, commission or incentive line | Whether the plan says the amount is paid later, after approval, after a return or cancellation period, or in a different payroll run. |
| An amount appears, but it is too low | The target, rate, eligible transactions, hours, pro-rating, caps, clawbacks and other calculation inputs. |
| The amount is correct, but the net pay is lower | The deductions and tax information on the payslip; this may be a deduction issue rather than a variable-pay calculation issue. |
| The payslip conflicts with your payroll or tax records | Whether the document itself is inaccurate or whether deductions shown were not actually paid to the relevant tax authority. |
Do not assume that every bonus is guaranteed. Entitlement depends on your contract, the written plan, any applicable award or collective agreement, and the conditions for earning and paying the amount. A payslip normally records the result of a payroll run; it may not contain the full calculation behind that result.
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Check the terms that govern the payment
Find the employment contract, commission schedule, bonus plan, incentive rules and any later written amendments. Read the sections covering:
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- the performance period and the payroll date on which payment is made;
- the definition of an eligible sale, customer, project, hour or other event;
- targets, thresholds, rates, accelerators, caps and pro-rating;
- which role, territory, team or product is included;
- conditions such as remaining employed, approval, customer payment, returns or cancellations;
- how disputes, adjustments and clawbacks are handled; and
- whether the employer can change the plan and how notice must be given.
Compare the version that applied during the disputed period, not just the latest document. If the plan is unclear, save the wording and identify exactly which clause you believe applies.
For UK workers, GOV.UK says: “Your employer should base your performance-related pay on clear, measurable targets – they should tell you about these.” If the target or measurement was never communicated, mention that fact in your written query rather than treating it as proof that a particular amount is owed.
Recalculate the amount yourself
Make a simple calculation for each affected pay period. Record the period, the result required by the plan, what the payslip shows and the difference. Keep the arithmetic understandable enough that another person can check it.
| Item | Example entry |
|---|---|
| Performance period | 1–31 May 2026 |
| Eligible result | 18 qualifying sales after documented returns |
| Applicable rate or formula | Rate and threshold stated in the plan |
| Expected gross variable pay | Your calculation from the plan |
| Gross variable pay on payslip | Amount shown, or zero if the line is missing |
| Difference | Expected amount minus amount shown |
| Evidence | Sales report, target statement, roster, approval message or other record |
Separate a disagreement about the gross amount from a question about net pay. A commission can be calculated correctly while deductions reduce the amount reaching your bank account. Conversely, a payslip can show an incorrect gross figure even when the bank payment happens to look plausible.
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Collect records before contacting payroll
Save the original payslip as a PDF or image and keep a copy of every relevant document. Useful evidence includes:
- the contract and the applicable bonus or commission plan;
- target notices, dashboards, statements and messages explaining the rules;
- sales, order, project, attendance, roster or timesheet records;
- records of returns, cancellations, chargebacks or customer payments that could affect eligibility;
- bank statements showing what was actually paid;
- earlier payslips that show how similar amounts were treated; and
- emails, chat messages and meeting notes about the target or payment.
Australian Fair Work Ombudsman guidance specifically recommends checking payslips, rosters, bank statements and employment records. In Australia, pay slips must separately identify bonuses, incentive-based payments and other separately identifiable entitlements that were paid. Employers’ pay records must include details of incentive payments, bonuses, loadings, penalty rates and allowances, and employers must retain records for seven years. Current and former employees can request access to their employment records. Those Australian requirements do not automatically apply in other countries.
Ask for an explanation in writing
Send a calm, factual message to payroll, human resources or your manager. State the pay period, the amount shown, the amount your calculation produces and the clause or record on which you rely. Ask for the employer’s calculation and for an explanation if the payment was omitted, deferred, adjusted or rejected.
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My payslip dated [date] shows [amount or no payment] for [bonus/commission/incentive]. Under [name and version of plan], my records show [brief calculation and relevant result]. I expected gross variable pay of [amount], a difference of [amount].
Please provide the calculation used for this payroll run and explain any timing, eligibility, adjustment or deduction that caused the difference. I have attached the payslip and supporting records. Please confirm when any correction or further review will be completed.
Regards,
[Name]Keep the request focused on verifiable facts. If you are unsure which figure is correct, ask for the data used in the calculation rather than asserting that the employer acted unlawfully.
Record the response and allow a reasonable period
Keep the sent message, attachments, replies and notes of any call or meeting. After a conversation, send a short summary stating what was agreed, who will check it and when you expect an update. This creates a timeline if the matter later becomes a formal dispute.
There is no worldwide response deadline. Fair Work Ombudsman guidance gives one week as an example of time to allow an employer to respond; that is practical guidance, not a universal legal limit. If payroll says the amount will be paid in a later run, ask for the planned pay date and the reason for the delay. Preserve the original payslip even if a corrected one is issued.
Diagnose the likely cause
| Possible cause | Questions to answer | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| Calculation or data-entry error | Were sales, hours, territory, rate or target figures entered incorrectly? | Provide the source record and request a corrected calculation and payslip. |
| Timing under the plan | Does the plan pay after approval, customer payment, a returns period or a later payroll cut-off? | Ask for the exact triggering event and scheduled payment run. |
| Disputed earning condition | Does the employer say a threshold, eligibility rule or target was not met? | Ask which rule was applied and for the underlying figures. |
| Adjustment or clawback | Were cancellations, overpayments, advances or prior-period corrections deducted? | Request the itemised adjustment and the plan clause authorising it. |
| Payslip or deduction integrity issue | Does the document show deductions or tax amounts that do not match official records? | Check the relevant tax authority records and follow its fraud-reporting guidance if necessary. |
If the issue is still unresolved
Use the employer’s formal grievance process
Check your staff handbook or contract for the grievance procedure and its submission method. Attach your calculation, the governing plan, the payslip and the correspondence showing that you tried to resolve the issue informally. Ask for a written outcome and identify the remedy you seek, such as a corrected calculation, payment in a specified payroll run or an amended payslip.
United Kingdom options
GOV.UK advises a worker who believes an owed bonus or commission was missed to speak to the employer, request a written explanation of how pay was calculated and retain letters and meeting notes. Where commission or bonus is included in a contract, non-payment may be a breach of contract and may also raise unlawful-deduction or discrimination issues, depending on the facts. GOV.UK points workers to Acas, Citizens Advice or a trade union for help.
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Acas says commission entitlement should appear in written employment particulars. It recommends raising unpaid commission informally first, confirming discussions in writing and using a formal grievance if the issue remains unresolved. Depending on the facts, potential routes can include an employment-tribunal claim for unlawful deduction from wages or a contract claim in court. These are different claims with different rules, so obtain advice promptly rather than relying on a deadline from a general article.
Acas gives a six-year period for breach-of-contract claims in England and Wales, and five years from knowledge of the loss for sheriff-court breach-of-contract claims in Scotland. Those periods are stated in that Acas context and do not apply automatically to every wage, discrimination or tribunal claim. Location within the UK, the legal basis of the claim and the date of the relevant event can change the route and time limit.
Australia options
Fair Work Ombudsman guidance for workers who think their pay is wrong is to check the available records, identify the applicable award or agreement where relevant, raise the issue with the employer using supporting information and make notes of the discussion. Follow up in writing and allow time for a response. If the employer does not correct the issue, seek advice about the applicable award, agreement, employment contract and available complaint or recovery process. A union or qualified employment adviser can help interpret the plan and the correct jurisdiction.
Other countries
Do not import UK or Australian rules into another location. The enforceability of a bonus, treatment of commissions, payslip content, record-retention period, grievance steps and limitation periods depend on local law and the wording of the agreement. Use your labour ministry or employment regulator, union or qualified local adviser, and take your contract, plan, payslips and calculation with you.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When a payslip may indicate fraud
An ordinary dispute about whether a target was met is different from a payslip that falsely records deductions or tax payments. HM Revenue & Customs guidance published on 25 August 2026 addresses suspected payslip fraud, including situations where deductions shown on a payslip were not paid to HMRC. For a UK case, compare the deductions with your Personal Tax Account, the HMRC app or your National Insurance record, then follow HMRC’s reporting instructions if the records do not match. Keep the payslip, bank statement and communications unchanged; do not edit the document yourself.
If the only disagreement is the size or timing of a bonus, start with the plan and payroll-calculation process. If tax or National Insurance records appear false, treat that as a separate integrity concern and report it through the tax authority’s process.
A practical checklist
- Identify whether the problem is a missing line, a wrong gross amount, a timing issue or a deduction discrepancy.
- Locate the plan or contract version that applied during the disputed period.
- Recalculate the amount from the stated targets, rates and eligibility conditions.
- Save the payslip, bank statement and records supporting your calculation.
- Ask payroll or the employer in writing for the calculation and explanation.
- Record every response, meeting and promised correction date.
- Use the formal grievance procedure if the informal exchange does not resolve the issue.
- Obtain jurisdiction-specific advice before starting a tribunal, court or regulatory claim.
- Check tax-authority records separately if the payslip suggests deductions were not paid or the document may be false.
The strongest case is usually a clear comparison between the written earning rule, the underlying performance records, the employer’s calculation and the payslip. Keeping those four pieces together lets payroll correct a simple mistake quickly and gives an adviser the information needed if the disagreement is more serious.
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