Gave my 2 weeks notice, was told I’d be paid without having to work, but now I might not be paid due to some confusion. Should I still receive the pay, or are they allowed to not pay me now?

On Monday, I submitted my resignation and provided 2 weeks notice as per my contract. I was working under one location of a larger company with its own director (franchise?). I took the following day off, and was sent an email that evening stating, “Your two-week notice period will be paid in full; however, you are not required to attend the workplace during this time. We will contact you if any support is needed to complete a proper handover.” I took this to mean that I will not have to go into work at all (this is an in-person job, not remote or hybrid), but I may be called/emailed/text with questions throughout the 2 week period. In that same email, I was told that I am not allowed to contact staff or use any company systems from that point.

The following day (Wednesday), I was sent another email to say that I am “required” to physically come in on Friday to help with the transition. This was not sent by the director, but by someone taking over my position. I’m assuming they realized waiving my notice period was a mistake, and that the director told them to send that email. They gave me a start time for the shift, but did not specify how long I would have to be there (the start time was not my usual start time). I was advised by someone I regularly report to at the company’s head office to not go in as it did not seem to be a good idea.

Now I’m told that I’m not complying and may not receive any pay for my notice due to not making myself available for the “meeting/work session”. They also said that head office does not “supersede” “Employer” instructions. I am so confused because of how they contradicted themselves. First I’m not required to come in, then suddenly I am required. Their expectations were not clear enough to me.

Also, regarding the “Employer” title, all staff contracts state the specific location as their employer as each location has a different director. My contract, however, states the overall company name as my employer. For example, if the company was called “Banana” and our location was “Banana Apple Mango”, my contract only says “Banana (Employer)” while other staff have “Banana Apple Mango (Employer)”. So, does it make sense that I listened to advice from someone I report to at Banana’s head office, or did I make a mistake and should have followed whatever Banana Apple Mango’s director told someone to send me, because I also report to that director?

So, based on the above information, am I no longer entitled to 2 weeks of pay because I didn’t go in after being told that I am no longer required to work and cannot contact staff or access work systems?