STAFF at JAEGER may not get paid for the period up to its collapse — but are still expected to go to work.
Some 700 employees have received an email warning them of the potential pay loss after the clothes chain ran out of money.
But the email says they should continue to go to work, adding “we hope you shall see very little changes in terms of your day to day role”.
Jaeger, founded in 1884, collapsed into administration on Monday leaving the fate of its staff uncertain.
It has 46 stores, 63 concessions, a London head office and a distribution centre in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, and will continue to trade while its fate is decided.
The email from the HR boss said: “Administrators are currently assessing the Company’s financial position and at this stage are unable to confirm whether it will be possible to pay employees for time worked between 1 April 2017 and 9 April 2017.”
The email said they would be paid from April 10 onwards and if they are not paid for the nine-day period they could make a claim to the government-backed Redundancy Payments Service.
But there is no certainty if or when this will be paid.
The email also warned of potential job losses in head office and warehouse staff and store closures.
A source said: “Hundreds of staff worked all last week to keep Jaeger going and it now turns out they could have been effectively working for free.
“If Jaeger ran out of money to pay staff before April 1, why did it take until the 10th for the administration to be confirmed?
“It has left workers feeling cheated, and yet they are still expected to carry on.”