What you need
- Last month's payslip
- This month's payslip
- Both matching bank credits
- Overtime, leave or allowance records if relevant
Compare in six steps
| Line | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| 1. Basic salary | Did the agreed monthly salary or paid period change? |
| 2. Gross pay | Did total earnings rise or fall? |
| 3. Variable earnings | Compare overtime, allowance, commission and bonus. |
| 4. Unpaid time | Look for unpaid leave, absence or a partial month. |
| 5. Employee deductions | Compare EPF, SOCSO, EIS, PCB and other deductions. |
| 6. Net pay | Does the final figure match the bank credit? |
Example: the deductions are not the main reason
| Item | Last month | This month | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic salary | RM3,000 | RM3,000 | RM0 |
| Overtime | RM400 | RM100 | -RM300 |
| Shift allowance | RM150 | RM0 | -RM150 |
| Gross pay | RM3,550 | RM3,100 | -RM450 |
Gross pay fell by RM450 because overtime and the shift allowance were lower. Employee deductions may also change, but they are not the first cause in this example.
Recreate each month if the layout is unclear
Enter one month in the Payslip Generator, save the PDF, then repeat with the second month. A consistent layout makes changed earnings and deductions easier to spot.
If the bank credit still looks too low, continue with Why Is My Salary Lower Than Expected?
Ask payroll about the changed line
Basic salary is unchanged, but gross pay fell from RM3,550 to RM3,100 because overtime and the shift allowance are lower. Could you confirm whether all approved overtime before the cutoff was included?
This is easier to investigate than a general question such as “Why is my salary lower?” because it identifies the exact line that changed.