AIBU to refuse this money?

[gwenneh]

A bit of back story: in 2016 I did some freelance work for an organisation over a period of a few months. The business relationship ended on a sour note -- turned up one day to find myself locked out of all of the work tools, etc. with no warning and no explanation. At the time I found it quite upsetting but I moved on, found another job, life went on. These things happen.

Today I received an email from the head of the organisation stating that she would be sending me £1,000 because when I worked with her, the company was a small organisation and she would like to make up what she perceives as a salary discrepancy based on the going market rate for my job. This has made me extremely uncomfortable and brought back a whole load of unpleasant emotions so I don't think I'm thinking clearly about the whole thing.

Part of me is delighted, I'd love to top up the savings or buy something nice. Part of me thinks this is making me so uncomfortable I should refuse, say thank you but no thank you, and move on. Should I take this money, or WIBU to refuse it?

YABU - take the money, you did the work
YANBU - refuse the payment

She doesn't monitor her work email address, so it makes sense that she emailed from her personal email. Her work email is handled entirely by someone else.

My bank details aren't on her email address -- she would have to pay me directly through my business invoicing system, which would be the details she has. So no information is exchanging hands here; they were set up to pay me a specific way and the fact that she was emailing me to alert me to it implies that the company accounts person would be sending the payment through the same channel. And if I don't tell her not to send it, I will be taking the advice of previous posters and just letting it sit there.

I have definitely entertained the idea that it could be a scam but, like I said earlier, she has a quite distinct writing style which would be difficult to imitate. If this is a scammer then it would be the very best one I've seen, and they would have to have access to the accounting system at the company to send the payment.

Take it you donkey!

Have you heard anything more @gwenneh?

Sounds like maybe they missed paying one invoice and sone finance person just wants to clear it off the system and easier to pay than write off.

Just take it (and include in your next tax return of course, assuming it wasn't taxed before and just unpaid)

I mean you already feel weird having had an email from her, I’d just take the money and be done with it! Sounds like they treated you really poorly and you deserve it! Treat yo self!

@BlackAmericanoNoSugar I opted not to email back I really had no words for it! but the money turned up in my account on their usual accounts payable day, from the usual source.

It turned out to be excellent timing, since our boiler wound up needing £600 in repairs last week. Easy come, easy go.

Odd. I'd wonder if they're being investigated for tax or financial fraud & it's in case you're tracked down & asked questions . Did you have any role with accounts or finance there?. The CEO of an IT firm I worked for got done for that & they questioned anyone & everyone. They missed me tho, (on reception). He'd got me, not his PA to fax a lot of his personal mortgage & home bills stuff: usually at lunch, so I assumed she just was on her break & I was convenient .
Turned out he'd paid all his own bills, school fees & mortgage with company money when already v wealthy & also transferred huge amounts to accounts of his, offshore (early 80's).

That is quite odd, but at least they haven't asked you to sign anything or agree not to talk to anyone who might contact you. I wonder if they are in trouble for having people work below minimum wage, by paying an ok salary but then having unpaid working hours which would bring the average hourly rate below minimum wage. It shouldn't really apply to you as you had a freelance contract but they might be just topping up for everyone who had a chance of being paid below minimum wage because of hours worked.