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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be worried to bring this to manager's attention?

111 replies

emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 08:42

Last year I requested a reduction in my hours from full time (37.5 hrs) to 32 hrs. I did this through formal channels with my manager and have the paperwork to back up my request. I have never looked at my payslips (all electronic, don't get them through the post), and just took for granted that this had been correctly processed as requested, and therefore assumed that the new amount I was being paid reflected the number of hours I'd asked for.

I have looked at my payslip for the first time properly today and noticed it says 33 hours at the top. I've looked back and they are all the same, since I requested the reduction. This means for the best part of a year I have been paid for 1 hour more per week than I've worked.

I am now really worried that if I raise this with my manager I will owe back a lot of money. 😩 Can to be made to pay it back if I raise it, do you think? This obviously wasn't my error as I was very clear in my flexible working request that I wanted to reduce to 32 hours. But could they argue that I should have checked my pay slips before now? What should I do?!

OP posts:
SquidGinn · 14/04/2023 09:12

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:04

This is a very good point. If they do ask for it back, OP, make sure they work out how much NI, tax, pension, student loan etc you've paid extra and deduct that from the figure you owe

Show quote history

They will take the overpayment from her gross corrected salary so she would pay less tax etc going forward for the period of overpayment, so it’s not really an issue whilst the person is still in employment.

Obviously bands change through tax years but the differences would be minimal.

I honestly wouldn’t worry though OP - they will either work to a repayment plan that suits you, or even correct and write off the overpayment x

signalsnap · 14/04/2023 09:12

emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 09:08

@toiletinacupboard

Yeah mine is also a pain to access - passwords and all that. And I always forget them! So I don't bother as I know what I got paid last month so it's just the same etc

Yep mine too. Although to be fair, I rarely opened the old school printed ones with the perforated edges.

Malarandras · 14/04/2023 09:14

If it’s the NHS then they have a duty to spend public money responsibly. So they will want the money back. I work for central government and they are very clear that it is our responsibility to check our payslips are correct. It will likely be the same for you. It would be best to raise the issue now and agree a repayment schedule. Now that you know you can’t keep taking money you are not owed.

toiletinacupboard · 14/04/2023 09:14

@emmalouise83 I'd take control of this situation.

And message HR or whoever and say "I've just noticed I've been overpaid as per my payslip. I'm happy to pay it back over XX months. Please can you check my file and get back to me?"

You choose how many months would suit you and make it known.

This is their mistake so they'll be blushing - not you! Just fess up with a solution (do the critical thinking on their behalf! Looks like they might need it 😂)

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:16

@SquidGinn so they'd take OP's hourly rate minus tax, NI etc? Or they'd just pay her 31 hours until it's resolved?

Original poster
emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 09:17

toiletinacupboard · 14/04/2023 09:14

@emmalouise83 I'd take control of this situation.

And message HR or whoever and say "I've just noticed I've been overpaid as per my payslip. I'm happy to pay it back over XX months. Please can you check my file and get back to me?"

You choose how many months would suit you and make it known.

This is their mistake so they'll be blushing - not you! Just fess up with a solution (do the critical thinking on their behalf! Looks like they might need it 😂)

It will by my direct manager who's made this error, not HR/payroll. My manager has to log into my electronic record and change things, which notifies payroll to adjust my pay. So payroll are just paying me what he's told them to pay me. But he's entered 33 instead of 32. So it's his error really, not theirs. We are a huge team and he manages a lot of people so I'm assuming it's an honest mistake on his part, but now I'm in this situation which doesn't seem fair 🙈

OP posts:
Moltenpink · 14/04/2023 09:18

emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 08:50

Wonder if I could tally up all the hours I owe and work them back instead? 🤔

You would be allowed to do this where I work.

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:19

Would you feel more comfortable contacting HR/payroll direct rather than having the conversation with your manager?

Just say to them you had your working hours agreed at 32 but noticed your payslip states 33 and ask if there's a reason for this?

That way you're not telling them they've overpaid you, you're just asking them to clarify your payslip.

BoneBrothByDayDonutByNight · 14/04/2023 09:19

emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 08:59

I wonder if the paperwork I submitted that my manager rubber stamped would be sufficient to argue the case I shouldn't owe it as he made the error? Or will they likely say the onus was on me to check he had done it correctly?

No, they issued you a payslip with the number of hours clearly stated, so (annoyingly) this may have started as your manager’s error, but after the first payslip it was your error. And every week since the change you’ve missed the chance to check. But yeah, annoying!!

Original poster
emmalouise83 · 14/04/2023 09:21

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:19

Would you feel more comfortable contacting HR/payroll direct rather than having the conversation with your manager?

Just say to them you had your working hours agreed at 32 but noticed your payslip states 33 and ask if there's a reason for this?

That way you're not telling them they've overpaid you, you're just asking them to clarify your payslip.

Yeah this is a good idea, I will give them a call. Just trying to summon up the courage! 😩

OP posts:
toiletinacupboard · 14/04/2023 09:23

Aw OP. It sounds like a nice place! If this happened in my old job there'd be a few jokes about Manager dishing out cash to his favourites.

But it'll be resolved easily and nicely. And repayment or overtime arranged to suit you. (Not them)

Good luck. Am sure it'll be cool!!

tona79 · 14/04/2023 09:23

A cleaner at a school I worked at was overpaid £10 a week for 8 years, when the employer discovered their mistake they asked for the money back.

As I was a teaching union rep at the time I decided to help her, I got advise from a local solicitor and the situation was very simple, she would reasonably have been expected to check, she had to pay it back.

HR arranged a payment plan and she paid it back.

If you keep schtum it stays incorrect at 33 hours and the debt keeps growing - eventually they will work it out and you will legally have to pay it back. Better to go and discuss, offer to pay it back as a deduction over the same time period as the error, that shouldn't hurt too much, and as its not been too long will clear it down.

They may be nice and say not to worry, depends how flush they are!

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:29

You've got this @emmalouise83. They're not going to see you struggle. Worst case, you'll be able to come to an affordable compromise.

tona79 · 14/04/2023 09:30

PS I wouldn't say you have been overpaid, I would say you have noticed the number of hours shown is wrong, do it in writing - let them suggest anything financial - once you have notified them its up to them to correct the 33 to 32 and leave it to them to raise the issue of repayment. Be prepared you probably will have to, but don't offer!

rainbowstardrops · 14/04/2023 10:00

GoodChat · 14/04/2023 09:19

Would you feel more comfortable contacting HR/payroll direct rather than having the conversation with your manager?

Just say to them you had your working hours agreed at 32 but noticed your payslip states 33 and ask if there's a reason for this?

That way you're not telling them they've overpaid you, you're just asking them to clarify your payslip.

This is how I'd handle it too

Knickerthief1 · 14/04/2023 10:03

Some places would be more than happy to let you work back the overpaid hours. I know I would allow this as a manager.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 14/04/2023 10:16

You need to get ahead of this, if it is NHS they will want to take it in one go, so you need your manager to be really clear with them about how it is to be recovered. I have twice had massive amounts taken from my paycheck without notice and had to fight it out with them. So, the sooner you talk to your manager and get them onside with telling payroll how this is to be handled the better.

SpicedPumpkinLatte · 14/04/2023 10:22

I'm an employer and if this was my company's mistake, I would let you keep it because I'm not an arsehole.

AnythingMuppetTM · 14/04/2023 10:22

I work for a public sector organisation who would also take it in one go. The unions have sometimes been able to organise repayment plans but it’s always a battle. The union may be able to help by giving a crisis hardship payment to the member affected.

It does not matter to the organisation whose error it is. To them it’s an accounting error and it needs to be sorted asap. Most contracts have something written in them about overpayments.

im not trying to worry the OP but I don’t think it’s helpful to suggest it will all be fine. Prepare for the worst on this in my experience.

Louandsi · 14/04/2023 10:23

Unfortunately the NHS will make you pay it back somehow. I had a friend in the same boat. They let her work some extra hours and the money she owed was done in installments.

Frabbits · 14/04/2023 10:26

SpicedPumpkinLatte · 14/04/2023 10:22

I'm an employer and if this was my company's mistake, I would let you keep it because I'm not an arsehole.

Public sector is different though.

OP, you'll be able to repay it over time. It's not going to be a huge amount of money if it's just 1 hour over a short period.

ObiWanKanobi · 14/04/2023 10:27

Could you offer to work 1 hour extra per week "for free" until it is paid off?

Ineedtoloseweightnow · 14/04/2023 10:28

I wouldn’t call hr I would speak to your manager. He might not want to admit he made an error and leave it just changing your hours for future.

maddy68 · 14/04/2023 10:28

I would bring it to their attention and offer to work the extra hours until they have been paid off

Tandora · 14/04/2023 10:33

As others have said , you will be required to pay it back unfortunately. This happened to me while working for nhs and in another job. Entirely their own fault- overpaid me by a heavy amount. But it was still money that I hadn’t earned and needed to give back. they were willing to negotiate a payment plan, so a small amount came out of my future wages each month until it was paid back x