...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?

[PlumBumMum]

Are you sure they haven't paid you, your holiday pay you accrued while on Maternity leave, I got a shock when I got my final wage I had 2 weeks holiday pay

[junglist1]

OP are you going to side with the angels or the Fagins

[monkeyfacegrace]

What would happen is we will be charged £65 for going £1.11 over our overdrafts (Yes you Halifax bastards)
and this country will go into a recession, MP's will steal, benefits will be abused, and we will fall apart.
Oh shit, it happened.

[nattiecake]

i'll be honest, i would keep it. but as has been mentioned, keep it to one side so you're prepared if they notice.

if it helps your money situation, could you keep it until say your next pay day, pay some bills early, and then "notice" that you've recieved less than last month...?

[hf128219]

I had to throw in the parking for a laugh

[independiente]

'i'll be honest, i would keep it.'
ah, priceless!

[blueshoes]

sally, if you are planning on staying with this company, a good policy to follow is not to sh_t in your own backyard.

A phone call is a good idea, but I can understand if you might not chase for a reply as hard as you could.

[LittleMoosh]

HF, love it ... and don't those buggers without kids parking in the parent with child spaces really piss you off!

[Morloth]

Actually an email is probably a better idea than a phone call. That way you have proof that you chased and if they then don't sort it out it really is their problem.

[alwayslookingforanswers]

"Sod big companies and banks, if they cant employ people who can count then their problem. Its about time hardworking normal people got one up."

yeah - you see the problem with that is that the people doing the payroll are the hardworking people as well. The don't get the huge "banker" salaries - but the have to sit and make sure that they get them right and get shat on from a great height if they don't.

[LittleMoosh]

Sallydecker have you checked your wageslip to see exactly what you have been paid?

[monkeyfacegrace]

Loads of people have shit jobs with consequences if they cock up, its not just payroll. Look at police, they get shat on constantly by the pc brigade. Its life. Hell, the amount of people who have suggested my OH lose his job so we can sort our debts, but we dont as we have a little bit of pride. so if a bit of luck comes my way I grab it. I got overpaid when I left my a job once, and when they wrote to ask for it back I told them where to stick it. 4 years later and never heard from them again.

[monkeyfacegrace]

(runs and hides emoticon)

[nattiecake]

feel i should point out 90% of my job is doing our companies payroll, lol

[junglist1]

Better have another cider, dear

[monkeyfacegrace]

wow-just found these new emoticons! And seeing as Im a sad decietful person Im going to enjoy using them in my cider filled state (blame jung-she is providing)
[hhmmm]

[monkeyfacegrace]

Ahh it didnt work!
Ok take 2;

[hf128219]

OK payroll do the payroll, but it's the Directors of a company, partners in a partnership (so on ond so on) that have the fiscal responsibility.

Reliance on a 3rd party is not mitigation for any blunders.

Have you ever checked out what Dirs claim as business expenses?

[callmeovercautious]

Right - read your payslip. If you have been over paid you will be able to tell.

If you have been then call them Monday and let them know. Then savev the cash until they ask for it back.

[hf128219]

Anyone remember this recent case?

www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=487590&in_page_id=2

[sallydecker]

Woooh, what a lot of votes to call payroll!

Ok, some facts about my job:

I am a teacher, so the 'company' is the borough council (not the school). I have just gone through threshold, so this wage packet was meant to contain a payrise backdated to September (09). I have little or no idea how much that was meant to be. I will try and find out.

I would not lose my job for keeping the money if they found out, although I would have to pay it back.

I am on half term, so cannot check my payslip until Tuesday.

To be frank, I'm not sure I'm worried about my moral fibre as much as them realising and, as one poster said, slashing my next paypacket to nothing.

I am a very good liar. I know this is nothing to brag about, but one poster asked if I could feign surprise were they to ask me about it- I'm sure I could.

I'm still wavering

[hf128219]

The maths is not difficult,

[bigstripeytiger]

I would phone and check. Firstly because IME funny things can happen to pay around maternity leave, and so I wouldnt be surprised if it is actually correct, so then you can stop worrying. That happened to me, I was sure that I had been overpaid, and didnt want to accumulate money that I would have to pay back so phoned HR, who insisted my pay was correct, I didnt believe them so I phoned payroll too, and it was correct I just hadnt understood the way it was worked out.
Secondly because if it is wrong and they find out (which they almost certainly will) then you will have to pay it all back, which may leave you in an even worse situation than you are now.

[mellifluouscauliflower]

You know, I am sure the money is probably yours.

Are you sure it is not a tax adjustment (think double personal allowance for 6 mnths back at work)? Or accrued working tax credit?

I would just ring them and ask them why it is more than usual. I certainly wouldn't suggest they had made a mistake!

In the meantime, don't spend the money but use the money to pay off overdraft (assuming they will let you extend overdraft again to cover mortgage etc if you have to).

[LittleMoosh]

I would wait until you see your payslip You may have been paid right. If you've been on SMP you won't have earned enough to pay tax so far, also you could have accrued holiday pay in there also