...to keep the extra money?

[sallydecker]

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?

[Northernlurker]

Yeah you see an interest free loan that the party doing the loaning doesn't know about is actually a theft! She would be taking what doesn't belong to her but belongs to someone else. It's not at issue how hard up she is and I sympathise very much - but she can't keep money given to her for work she hasn't done - IF that is what this is - and if she checks she may find out otherwise.

[LaurieScaryCake]

if they paid it to her its not theft

and its definitely not if she tells them

[flowerybeanbag]

Perfectly easy to spend it yes. Not at all credible to claim she saw she'd been paid, say, £2500 instead of the £1500, spent the whole extra grand straight away and then a week later thought 'hang on a sec, maybe that wasn't right'.

Repayment plans are fine and usual where there is for example a sustained overpayment of an amount that could legitimately not be noticed and has already been spent. But a huge amount that the employee couldn't possibly not notice straightaway and informs the employer of quickly ought to be able to be paid back straightaway really.

[hf128219]

May I suggest she uses a calculator, examines her pay slip, goes on to www.thesalarycalculator.co.uk/salary.php and checks her tax code before being too hasty.

[Northernlurker]

Of course it's theft - it doesn't belong to her! My neighbour across the road might leave his audi with the keys in it on my drive whilst carrying out some DIY type thing - that wouldn't make it mine!

[flowerybeanbag]

Isn't theft the intention to 'permanently deprive' someone of something? So I guess if the OP genuinely fully intended to pay it back later on it may not technically be theft, I don't know. But it doesn't really matter imo; if she either spends it and/or doesn't inform them and waits for them to discover the error she'd have a very hard time convincing anyone that she had no intention of keeping it tbh.

[hf128219]

But he didn't give you the keys did he?

[LaurieScaryCake]

NL - No, if he put his keys through your door and a note saying it was then it would be reasonable to go for a drive in it

They paid her the money - its rather different than nicking the petty cash.

[flowerybeanbag]

I think it would be like if the neighbour with the Audi handed over a bag with something in belonging to NL and accidentally put his keys in the bag as well. He may have physically given NL the keys but NL would know perfectly well he didn't intend to do so and that the keys were not hers to drive with.

[hf128219]

I repeat - it is not theft.

[FakePlasticTrees]

Just to throw an extra bit of moral trauma into the mix....

Do you all think that the only person who will be effected if the company finds out is the OP? What about the person in payroll who made the mistake? OP - call and give them the chance to put it right before their boss finds out and they are in serious trouble.

[Lizzylou]

I think Op should phone and find out if she has been overpaid.
I wouldn't be able to sleep for worrying that I would be caught out/sacked or whatever. I'd be really embarrassed if they did realise and then asked for the money back.
It may well not be a mistake.
I'd rather spend the money without the guilt.

[Northernlurker]

[Stigaloid]

of course it is theft. Knowingly keeping monies that are not rightfully yours is theft.

[cakeywakey]

It may not be thef, but it would still be wrong to keep it.

Hopefully, if OP gives payroll a call they'll tell her that it's hers anyway. But until she calls, she won't know.

[Docbunches]

I would not be able to live myself I'm afraid.

Many years ago, when I was expecting my first DC, I took advantage of a voluntary redundancy programme within the company I was working for at that time. The letter that detailed my redundancy pay showed a net amount which was several thousand pounds MORE than I was actually entitled to. When I informed the company of their mistake they said that it would've been picked up in an audit, so I did the right thing - although I strongly suspect, to this day, that it would have never been noticed.

But I just couldn't do it, and yes, the money would have been very useful at the time.

[TrickOrTreatersDragOnYourNoose]

hf128219, are you a lawyer, police officer or similar?

[Longtalljosie]

It is theft. See here - esp 3 (1)

[ImSoNotTelling]

Would it then still be theft if the OP hadn't noticed the mistake?

[RainRainGoAway]

In my case, where I have kept several thousand pounds which Im fairly sure doesn't belong to me, I did email the people involved and also the payment distributer and told them. They denied that there was an error but I KNOW there was!

So , does that make it theft on my part if people are such f*ckwits they overpay by such alot?

[MorrisZapp]

I'd come clean immediately, not because I'm a wonderful honest person but because I wouldn't get a wink of sleep worrying about being caught if I kept it.

Honestly, it's just not worth it. It is their mistake, but how will you look if they have to come after you for it.

I've pulled off (very minor) 'swizzles' in my time and although I wasn't caught, neither of them were worth it. I was totally unable to enjoy any gains as I was so scared of being found out.

You've got too much to lose.

[TrickOrTreatersDragOnYourNoose]

If they hadn't noticed, there would have been no dishonesty involved and thus no theft. IMO.

[ImSoNotTelling]

See I would have thought this was not theft, but certainly dishonety. As the company has freely handed over the money.

The banks dont get done for theft when they accidentally take money out of people's accounts. They just pay it back again (if you're lucky ).

[hf128219]

Something along those lines. Yes.

[hercules1]

THey are bound to notice and will certainly look at you differently if you dont own up. Horses for courses and all that but not something I'd do. I hope you dont need to go for promotion in the future....