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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think this is an abhorrent attitude?

100 replies

faithinthesound · 13/02/2017 23:02

The person in my company who is in charge of payroll had a bit of a bish up in November, and a handful of people were overpaid. It's... well, frankly, it sucks for the people affected, but these things happen, right? We're all only human.

There have been letters go up in our staffroom detailing what happened and making it clear that the money has to be paid back. In all of the cases that I've been made aware of, we're talking about less than $100.

So most people are saying "wow, that sucks, I'm really upset about it" and things along those lines. But they're doing things like, negotiating with the company about spreading the repayment over more than one pay, or rejigging their budgets to get it done. Basically, acknowledging that it's a suboptimal situation, but recognizing what has to happen, and taking steps to do it.

There's at least one person who is taking the opposite stance. A selection of gems heard straight from her mouth:
"Well, how much does the company make in a day? More than enough to cover this!"
"It's the company's fault, why should I suffer!"
"The company screwed up, they should take the hit, not me!"

I interjected here. I said, "If you're walking down the street, and you trip over a wallet full of cash, yes, the person who owns it should have been more careful, it is their mistake... but it still doesn't belong to you.

"I don't care!" she responded. "I don't care that it isn't mine. They screwed up, and I don't see why I should have to give it back."

Well, there's no arguing with stupid and selfish, so I was going to leave it. Until she said this.

"I don't even care if the company goes under." And "I'm going to fight it."

I said "Go ahead. Take it to small claims court. You don't have a legal leg to stand on."

And if the company goes under, it's not just her who loses her job, it's EVERYONE. All the people taking steps to fix the mistake, all the people who weren't even affected by the mistake, everyone. Everyone's out a job if the company goes under... but you don't care about any of that?

"Nope."

Am I being unreasonable to think she's revolting? Don't get me wrong, I'm fully on board that the situation sucks but that doesn't change the facts... right?

For the record, I wasn't one of the ones overpaid, but if I had been I would have given it back without hesitation - it wouldn't have been my money, you know? That's right and fair, I think.

I already disliked this girl for other reasons, but now she's really made my blood boil!

OP posts:

AlmostAJillSandwich · 14/02/2017 04:55

Don't know why everyones being so mean about the "team" and "family" comments. Some people genuinely do make very good emotional connections with people they work closely with and become incredibly good friends. If they thought this woman in question was one of their group, to find out that she cares more about keeping a relatively small mistaken overpay more than her colleagues having jobs, is going to be quite painful. It's like finding out someone you thought was one of your good friends actually doesn't give a damn about you, of course it's going hurt OP and probably other work colleagues.
I completely appreciate it may be very difficult for her to just lose that amount from this months pay, but nobody has said it has to all come out this month, she could pay it back $20 a month in 4 or 5 months, even for someone majorly struggling you can find somewhere to cut back short term.

Sugarlumps333 · 14/02/2017 05:00

Saying that you don't care if the company goes under and knowing full well it won't go under over £100 is a different matter. Just taken way too literally. I have made good friends at work but it's the forced, demanding loyalty that really irritates me. It never fails to make me cringe massively inside, I think it is totally over the top. But I didn't mean it rudely - I just meant that £100 woman probably doesn't mean it personally and might have her own issues outside work or alternatively might just not be as emotionally invested in the job as op.

Anotherdayanotherscreenname · 14/02/2017 05:12

Abhorrent suboptimal and revolting.

YABU. She is obviously winding you up as you have previous issues with her!

bittorrent123 · 14/02/2017 05:51

Gosh many of you send like delightful employees!

OP YANBU - fine to be annoyed but she sounds horrid!

daisychain01 · 14/02/2017 06:18

I think you have a valid point to make OP, about the hard work you must be putting into creating a good work atmosphere, only to have it poisoned and sabotaged by this "bad apple"

Sorry folks but I'm one of those people who believes in the importance of workplace environment and building team morale because I know how hard it is to build and how easy it is to put a bomb under, when there's one misery guts employee stomping around the place making it crap for everyone else.

You only have to look at the employment Board to see how a bad atmosphere caused by a ghastly colleague can spill into the rest of a person's life and send stress levels through the roof!

daisychain01 · 14/02/2017 06:18

That's a big YANBU OP

daisychain01 · 14/02/2017 06:21

She sounds totally unprofessional. She should talk privately to her line manager and agree staged repayments.

SabineUndine · 14/02/2017 06:29

Happened to me. I was doing a job at a higher grade for a year. They overpaid me and it was a couple of thousand over the year. No way I could have paid it back. No way I could have known they'd made a mistake.

PoorYorick · 14/02/2017 06:35

I think you're overreacting.

Iris65 · 14/02/2017 06:38

Horrible attitude.

SemiNormal · 14/02/2017 06:49

Did no one bring it to the managers attention at the time?
I was once 'overpaid', only by £20 (but I was about 16 at the time so a lot of money to me), so I went straight to my boss and said he'd overpaid me. Why? because I'm honest. I didn't want to spend money that wasn't mine and I didn't want to be pulled up on it later and have to repay it. He told me it was actually tips so I got to keep it anyway but I wouldn't have been able to spend it with a clear conscience if I hadn't asked.

Another time I spend hours (different job) and hours doing overtime for a company. When I got paid I thought it didn't look right, I'm talking hundreds overpaid. I questioned it and they said it was a 'bonus' for all my hard.

I just don't understand why people would automatically assume that the money is theirs, in most cases I don't think they would but it seems they would simply spend it anyway. I find that odd.

TheNaze73 · 14/02/2017 06:50

She sounds poisonous & a vacuous waste of space. I'd be putting someone like that on a performance plan (nudging her out the door) She sounds hideous

Littlelegs19 · 14/02/2017 06:53

I do see where your coming from and her attitude does suck but some times it's better to just let people get on with things. Like you said, if she chooses to take it to small claims she won't have a leg to stand on and you can look back and be quietly smug!

I work for a global chain and a couple of years ago they paid all their UK staff too much in the August. I noticed straight away and contacted payroll and HR and said I had about £500 too much and they needed to take it back. After around 4-5 days of emailing them and them being adamant my pay was correct I printed off the emails, moved the over paid money in to an online saver and waited. 2 months later we all receive letters to say we had been over paid (varying amounts for £50-£700!) and a printed plan of how much they were taking from our wages and when. I contact citizens advice and I was actually in the right as I had contacted them before and they don't me it was correct. I got to keep my money while everyone else had to pay it back! 🤑

pigeondujour · 14/02/2017 06:53

Anyone who sits moaning excessively about anything in work (or anywhere) is a pain in the arse but I can't help but think putting much faith in a 'family atmosphere' at work is going to bring you more headaches.

BipBippadotta · 14/02/2017 06:56

As a pp has said, any modern business would lay off huge swathes of their staff in the blink of an eye if it suited them, whatever their (slightly creepy) rhetoric about 'team-building' and 'feeling like family'. You're deluded if you think otherwise.

Your colleague sounds irritating, OP, but I should imagine your colleague understands that fighting to keep £60 or whatever is not going to bring the company down and put you all out of work, and that's likely not really her intention. She's blowing off steam. No need to take it all so literally.

Gabilan · 14/02/2017 07:03

There's been this huge emphasis on working together and being a "family" (as much as unrelated employees ever can be). I know most of us have been really buying into it and the work has improved and the working environment has improved as a result of this initiative

So you've all fallen for the "we're all family" stuff and she hasn't. Any company will throw you under the bus if it's better for them. And having had managers stab me in the back before, after doing the whole "we're one big happy team" schtick I'm inclined not to believe any of it. She's sounding off. Leave her be. If she really doesn't fit in to your happy little family she'll probably move on.

Anotherdayanotherscreenname · 14/02/2017 07:05

SemiNormal If most people keep that close an eye on their income and financial affairs the consumer age would be over already

witsender · 14/02/2017 07:09

She sounds a bit over dramatic and irritating but then so do you tbh.

RainbowsAndUnicorn · 14/02/2017 07:20

She's showing her true colours and people remember them. Morals and doing the right thing are an alien concept for many.

TheFirstMrsDV · 14/02/2017 07:23

I think it is you who are over reacting.
'abhorrent' is an OTT way of describing the woman being annoyed and sounding off.
This thread comes across as a bit of virtue signalling tbh
I am sure that is not your intent.

Of course it should be paid back.
She is having moan.
She may be very worried about money
She may truly believe the company is being petty.

So what?

bigbuttons · 14/02/2017 07:26

abhorrent?
No it isn't abhorrent, what a massive over exaggeration.
You sound slightly over invested in this OP.
She sounds annoying but that's about it.

wigglesrock · 14/02/2017 07:33

According to your OP she's not the only employee taking a vocal stance that you disagree with - but she's one that you already dislike - that whole pulling together, family vibe isn't really happening for you anyway is it?

Crunchymum · 14/02/2017 07:40

A handful of people being overpaid by $100 really shouldn't have any detrimental effect of the company. So all the talk of 'going under' and everyone losing their jobs is surely a huge overreaction?

That said it's very odd for the person in question to be so Machevellian about such a small amount of money?

Unless you made the error though (or have been tasked with rectifying it) you should probably just mind your own business.

Crunchymum · 14/02/2017 07:44

sabine how did the mistake come to light then if there is no way you could have known you were overpaid?

Gwenhwyfar · 14/02/2017 07:46

"I find it odd that people don't realise at the time if they've been overpaid. "

My bank statement comes a few weeks later so I wouldn't notice straight away.

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