Hearts chairman Ann Budge has reportedly told the club's players to accept a 50 per cent pay cut or see their salaries suspended.
Budge is threatening to invoke 'clause 12' in light of the football shutdown in the UK.
That clause is on the SPFL books and states that chairmen can freeze contracts in the event of the Scottish Football Association suspending football.
The coronavirus pandemic has effectively led to that happening.
Addressing Hearts fans on Thursday, Budge said she made no apology "for being open and transparent with staff, players and supporters about the potential scale of the issue.
"Faced with this unprecedented set of circumstances, it is incumbent upon all employers to be totally upfront and open with their staff. They, too, have to be able to plan."
According to the ScottishSun, Budge wrote to the players on Friday saying, "This suspension by the SFA automatically suspends the agreement between you and the club governing your employment as a player.
"The precise effects of the suspension of the agreement are an extremely complex matter which the club is considering carefully.
“In the meantime, the club has decided that up until 31 March 2020 it will continue to pay your remuneration under the agreement.
"However, any continued payments of remuneration will be paid under the express condition that this is without prejudice to the question of whether you are entitled to receive them under the agreement following its suspension.
“It may be that, as we have discussed previously, the continued payments mentioned above will need to be adjusted.
“We reserve the right to make those adjustments if and when it becomes clear that this is necessary for the future sustainability of the club.
“If you do not agree with the express condition mentioned above, then by Wednesday 1 April 2020 at the latest you should (1) inform the club in writing that you do not agree and (2) instruct your bank to return any payments received after 1 April 2020 from or on behalf of the club.
“If we do not hear from you by 5pm on April 1 2020, we will take it that you do agree with our express condition.”
