The first step for the project manager should be to validate the reason for the nonpayment of overtime pay. The project manager should gather all the relevant information, such as the sales team's overtime records and the company's policies on overtime pay, to determine why the sales team has not been paid.

Once the reason has been validated, the project manager should add it as an issue in the project's issue log. This will ensure that the issue is documented and can be tracked and addressed in a timely manner.

Escalating the issue to the functional manager may be necessary if the issue cannot be resolved at the project manager level. However, it is important to first validate the reason for the nonpayment and document the issue in the issue log.

Directing the sales team to speak with accounting may not be the best course of action, as it is the project manager's responsibility to manage the project team and ensure that they are being paid fairly and in accordance with company policies.

Having a discussion with the sales team to find a solution to the issue is also a good idea, but this should be done after the issue has been documented and validated....