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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to keep the extra money?

198 replies

sallydecker · 30/10/2009 13:55

Am a regular but namechanged...

This is the classic moral dilemma, and I fully expect to be flamed, but here goes

I returned to work in September on 0.6 basis after a year's maternity leave; most of which was on SMP only, so finances are still up the shitter.

I received a pay rise in Sept- this was due to be credited to my October pay packet; However, I just checked and I think they have paid me a full time wage+pay rise, as they have paid me at least a grand too much (by my reckoning).

Let's be clear- I desperately need this money; have so many bills, overdraft etc. to pay off and things are incredibly tight- DP was made redundant 3 times this year, and has now taken a job with a much lower salary. But does any of this matter?

Should I ring payroll and tell them they made a mistake?

Or should I keep the money, pay everything off and buy some things we need?

Hit me- AIBU to keep the money?

OP posts:
Stigaloid · 30/10/2009 14:22

My boss paid me twice this month as i changed bank accounts and he didn't cancel one of the accounts. I informed him immedaitely. It is the honest thing to do. Phone pay roll - can't believe you are even questioning keeping the money.

ImSoNotTelling · 30/10/2009 14:23

here

The difference is that you know that you have been overpaid. Which is quite a big difference!

If it were me I would probably tell them as I never get away with anything.

Having said that if my old company had done it I would have thought long and hard as they treated me so badly, including trying to do me out of £2K mat pay.

Difficult.

AKMD · 30/10/2009 14:24

Who cares whether it's a small company or a big company or what your financial situation is, if the money isn't yours, to keep it is stealing. If you call payroll and it turns out that it is yours, great. If you call them and it's not, you are in no worse a position than you would have been had they paid you correctly.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 30/10/2009 14:24

same here. If you don't ring, this will be like a chain around your neck weighing you down. Much better to feel right about yourself than to have money that isn't yours.

BonzoDoodah · 30/10/2009 14:25

Really sorry your finances are so low but ... I'd ring them and check.
If it is an overpayment they will see you as honest and that may well work in your favour in the future.
If you are meant to have it then you can spend it without stress.
And if you keep it and say nothing (and it is an error) you will always be wondering when they are going to discover it and ask for it back and so it will end up being a burden rather than a blessing.

Good luck!

onadietcokebreak · 30/10/2009 14:28

Might be better posting in employment law or googling recoveries from salary for details of how they can make you pay it back.

hf128219 · 30/10/2009 14:34

In the legal sense of the word it it not stealing.

AKMD · 30/10/2009 14:36

But it the sense of what I think most people would find morally right it is stealing...

hf128219 · 30/10/2009 14:38

I personaly don't see anything wrong with it. See it as an Interest Free Loan.

People love to jump on the bandwagon about morals but would not hesitate in keeping extra change in a shop.

scottishmummy · 30/10/2009 14:39

most payroll have repayment policy for overpayment and protocols to get money back

pragmatically if you want to remain on good terms unwise to purposefully keep money you know is not legitimately yours

TrickOrTreatersDragOnYourNoose · 30/10/2009 14:40

If someone in a shop gave me £1000 too much change I'd point it out to them.

eyetunes · 30/10/2009 14:41

just popped back in to see if this thread has kicked off yet.........

hf128219 · 30/10/2009 14:41

But you would keep a fiver then?

TrickOrTreatersDragOnYourNoose · 30/10/2009 14:42

No.

Stigaloid · 30/10/2009 14:42

I always hand back extra change - even if it is 2p.

asdx2 · 30/10/2009 14:42

I was overpaid by mistake for a few months. Didn't realise,new job etc. When they did realise and informed me I was asked if I was able to pay it back but because my finances were tight it was written off,(civil service if that helps)
Personally I would stick it in a savings account and ask to repay in installments when they discover as then you get an interest free loan.

Longtalljosie · 30/10/2009 14:43

Don't risk your job. It's bound to be noticed eventually and when it does, it'll be deeply embarassing. No-one will believe you didn't notice...

scottishmummy · 30/10/2009 14:44

NHS example of over payment policy
The Trust will seek to recover all excess wage or salary payments irrespective
of value, cause or length of the overpayment. In so doing, the Trust will be
mindful of the need to comply with legislation in respect of deductions from
wage or salary.
The Trust will also seek, where necessary, to reach an amicable agreement
with an employee in respect of repayment.

On becoming aware that an excess wage or salary payment has been made
the Trust will immediately try to contact the employee to make them aware of
the situation. In the first instance this will be by telephone.

A letter will also, as part of the recovery procedure, be issued to the
employee confirming the overpayment figure and outlining the Trust recovery
policy.

Any excess wage or salary payment made to a current employee which
becomes apparent before the completion of the next pay process will be
recovered in full from the next pay process.

Excess wage or salary payments which span a period in excess of one month
will normally be recovered in full from the next available pay process.
However, if the employee indicates that this would cause them hardship then
it will be permissible for recovery to be made over a number of pay periods
not exceeding the number of weeks/months over which the overpayment has
occurred.

amazonqueen · 30/10/2009 14:44

Yanbu to want to keep the money in your circumstances - but in the company I work for(very big ) they always take all of the money back in total in the payday after they discover an overpayment. They do not inform the employee that this will happen so the first they know is when there is a balance of zero in their account.

Tell payroll straight away and gain the good feeling of doing the right thing. As some have suggested - you may be entitled to it anyway -or your kind employer may decide you can keep it.

ImSoNotTelling · 30/10/2009 14:46

I think the thing is that you've noticed. So when they find out, you will not look honestly surprised, you will look shifty. Well unless you are a brilliant liar.

And that will not go down well.

scottishmummy · 30/10/2009 14:47

yep concealing overpayment makes you look shifty

independiente · 30/10/2009 14:48

hf128219, big assumption that people would not hesitate in keeping extra change in a shop. I wouldn't, and most people I know wouldn't. No bandwagoning here (or halo-polishing either for that matter). Just a clear sense of what is right. If I was an employer, I would not like an employee to keep money that they hadn't earned, because I'd made an honest mistake.

hf128219 · 30/10/2009 14:48

If it was a very small business they will notice soon enough. As they have a payroll department I take it is a larger business.

If they are in a good financial position it will not be noticed until FYE or audit.

When it is noticed the employee simply says she thought it was pay rise/public holiday pay/tax rebate.

Employee repays money after having the benefit of it for some time when it is needed.

It's a no-brainer.

flowerybeanbag · 30/10/2009 14:49

If they are getting your actual salary wrong then presumably it's not a one-off, so unless and until either you point it out to them or they notice (which they will at some point), this will happen every single month. That's going to be a lot of money.

Judging by the amount you mention, it's not at all credible that you wouldn't have noticed, so when the error is discovered, not only will you have to pay it back, but you will have to deal with a potential serious disciplinary issue as you try to convince your employer that you had no idea and were not intending on keeping the money.

BonzoDoodah · 30/10/2009 14:51

hf128219 I'd give back overpayment in a shop. Have done many times. I think most people would.