Labour debt claim lawyer

If your employer owes you money, the problem is often not only that you have not been paid. The real issue is that you may not know exactly how much you are owed, for what concepts, and how long you have to claim it.

Here we help you bring clarity: reviewing your contract, applicable collective agreement, payslips, final settlement, and the actual work performed in order to claim what you are entitled to. In employment law, many financial claims are time-barred after one year, so it is not advisable to leave things “for later”.

We work from Barberà del Vallès by appointment and also provide online assistance to clients throughout the province of Barcelona.

If your employer owes you money, do not let the claim become time-barred

The Workers’ Statute establishes that, as a general rule, actions arising from the employment contract that do not have a specific limitation period expire after one year from the termination of the contract. In addition, when the claim relates to financial entitlements or the fulfilment of single-obligation duties that cannot take place after termination of the contract, that one-year period is calculated from the day the action could first be brought.

Practical takeaway: if you are owed wages, collective agreement differences, bonuses, holiday pay, or final settlement amounts, it is advisable to review the case early rather than rely on it “sorting itself out over time”.

What you can claim: salary, final settlement, bonuses, overtime, and holiday pay

An employment claim for outstanding wages may include, depending on the case:

• unpaid salaries;
• back pay under collective agreements;
• wage differences;
• salary supplements;
• overtime hours;
• unused or unpaid holiday pay;
• extra annual payments;
• and miscalculated termination settlements.

The key point is not just to look at what appears on the payslip. It is about cross-checking the employment contract, the applicable collective agreement, and the actual work performed. Very often the issue lies in the job category applied, missing pay components, or a rushed and incorrect final settlement calculation.

The collective agreement and payslips matter more than they seem

In a wage claim, the applicable collective agreement is often the key document that determines the actual salary owed, job category, supplements, and other pay components. Payslips, although they do not always reflect the full reality, are also a central part of the financial analysis.

That is why our approach follows a very clear principle: we do not claim “by estimation”. We calculate based on what is legally due and what has actually been paid or left unpaid. This makes the claim stronger and more credible from the outset.

Pre-claim conciliation and wage claim lawsuits

As a general rule, filing a request for prior conciliation or mediation interrupts the statute of limitations, and the LRJS also establishes that if 15 working days pass from its submission without the hearing taking place, the limitation period resumes; and if 30 working days pass without the hearing being held, the procedure is deemed to have been completed.

This allows the claim to be properly prepared before filing a lawsuit, but it should not be used as a way to delay action. The key is to calculate correctly, document properly, and claim only what has legal grounds.

How we handle your claim

First, we review your contract, applicable collective agreement, payslips, and termination settlement. Then we calculate the amounts owed, any differences, and the relevant limitation periods. Finally, we decide whether it is advisable to file a prior claim, go through conciliation, or proceed directly to a lawsuit. The objective here is simple: to know exactly how much you are owed and how to claim it without wasting time or money.

What documentation we need

If you already have it, it is useful to gather:

• employment contract and any addenda;
• payslips;
• termination settlement or proposed final payment breakdown;
• applicable collective bargaining agreement, if known;
• schedules, time records, or attendance logs in cases involving overtime;
• emails, WhatsApp messages, or other relevant communications;
• and any proof of payment or non-payment.

If you don’t have everything, that is not a problem. We will tell you what is truly necessary and what should be requested before filing a claim.

If your employer owes you money, it is better to claim it properly than to let it go

If you want to know how much you are owed, whether your final settlement has been correctly calculated, or whether you can claim salary, bonuses, overtime, or holiday pay, we can help you review it with a clear legal strategy.

Request an initial assessment of your claim.