When I received my salary from my previous company last week, I knew at a glance that the amount was wrong, because I had already calculated roughly how much I was owed for less than a month's work before I left. So when the actual deposit came in, I quickly noticed a discrepancy. Besides the pay for the actual workdays, I had also guessed that the company might likely miss another sum, and indeed, that's exactly what happened.
During my time at that previous company, from the very first Saturday, I kept working overtime right up until my last day before resigning. At that time, the company's overtime policy was that weekday overtime earned no extra pay, and compensatory leave couldn't be claimed—it was essentially mandatory. Only overtime hours on Saturdays and Sundays could be exchanged for compensatory leave. Colleagues on-site had reminded me to remember to use up the compensatory leave within three months; otherwise, it would expire and become unusable. I was at the company for less than three months and had been working overtime since the very first week, without stopping until I left. I had hardly any chance to use up all the accumulated compensatory leave. At the time, I wondered: when it came time to settle my final pay upon resignation, would the company forget to handle this money? Now, after receiving my salary, the answer is quite clear.
Fortunately, when I left, I had kept the LINE contact for HR. After noticing the discrepancy, I proactively inquired and confirmed the relevant hours. After several days of back-and-forth communication, HR finally replied, stating that the missing amount would be paid in the next month's salary run. When I saw that message, I finally felt a sense of relief, but I also couldn't help thinking: if I hadn't been particularly vigilant, or if I had felt that since I'd already left, I didn't want to contact the company anymore, would this money have just been quietly forgotten?
A few thousand dollars isn't a fortune, but it's not a trivial amount either. For someone who's already left the company, it might seem bothersome to contact a former employer over this sum, or they might even worry about being seen as petty, and simply decide to let it go. But I believe this isn't about being petty; it's about basic respect for the fruits of one's own labor. Leaving a job marks the end of a work relationship, but it doesn't mean the effort one previously contributed isn't worth being properly settled. The salary one is owed and legally entitled overtime pay shouldn't be overlooked just because one has left.
Of course, at this point, I've only received HR's promise to make the payment; whether it actually arrives as scheduled won't be confirmed until next month. However, at least this time I proactively raised the question and kept a record of the communication, without giving up on following up just because I'd left. I also wanted to use my own experience to remind everyone: when leaving a job, besides confirming your final month's salary, don't forget to check your overtime hours, remaining compensatory leave, and other dues that should be settled. It's also best to keep relevant records. I hope I can smoothly receive this money next month. When parting ways, settling everything properly allows you to truly bring that chapter of your career to a close.