Being overpaid - would you fess up?

[schmostin]

If you realised you were being overpaid, would you come clean or keep quiet and pray it doesn't get noticed?

Come clean.

Most contracts state that if you are overpaid, they have the right to take the money back at any time. You certainly don't want to be in a situation months down the line when you have to fork over loads of cash you've already spent.

Plus, it's the right thing to do.

I would confess.

They will notice it one day, and will end up taking it out at a really inconvenient time (last pay day before Christmas for instance)

It is dishonest if you know about it and do not pay the money back.

yep, because most likely they will have an annual review or similar and will demand the money back.

Yes, they have the right to take it back and they will notice it has gone.

This happened to a member of staff where I work (she changed her hours to part time and they didn't change her salary). She had to pay it back

Yes.

Both for reasons of integrity, and the practical issue of how to pay it back.

I did. My company messed up my maternity pay and overpaid me. I told them as soon as I noticed, and they took the overpayment off next month's pay. It was annoying as I had one month with loads of money (so of course I overspent!) and the next month was tight.

But I reasoned that they would most likely notice and want it back at some point, so better sooner than later. I can imagine it would also cause lots of headaches with tax and NI which are never nice to sort out.

I'd be tempted to start saving up for paying back a bit before telling, to be honest. It would depend on how much they overpaid and for how long. If it was a few thousand, I'd tell right away and set up a payment plan. A couple hundred, I'd wait and save up for two or three weeks.

come clean

always

karma will bite you in the ass otherwise

I know it's not your fault but I would take a dim view if any of my staff were overpaid and I found out before they told me.

They will certainly notice at the end of the year when they do the P60, and will claim it back. They will also be left with the knowledge that you clearly tried to take advantage of the situation. Hardly impressive.

I came clean.

Always come clean ASAP or the amounts get too much to cope with.

For very good reasons, I didn't know I was overpaid for over a year, and it has been a dreadful hit to pay it back (over £200 pcm for a year).

Basically I was overpaid for overtime for my first month back after maternity leave and the two months prior to ML. I noticed when I came back, but hadn't noticed the two months before ML.

Work first said there was nothing wrong with my pay, I had to force them to look at it again. Then they realised I'd been double paid for my overtime for 3 months. They'd used that income level to calculate my occupational maternity pay, so that was all too high and, as it came as a lump sum each month, there was no way I could tell that it was based on 'wrong' overtime payments + basic salary.

Always come clean, and fast!

Did the overpayment appear on your pay slip? Or just go into the bank? If just the second, you could maybe argue you weren't aware. Also, is it a small amount? If it is a variable amount that you get paid, because you work odd hours, or you get overtime, I would keep quiet. You might have been confused

But don't spend the money, because they can recoup that within 6 years. If I could get away with it, I would.

Just thought of something else - if you did keep it and they noticed further down the line, it could count as Gross Misconduct and be grounds for dismissal. So, you'd end up having to pay the money back, having no job and having to explain to new prospective employers why you left your last job...not a good look!

You need to say.

After I left teaching, I still got paid the next month. Phoned up the council and told them - they were amazed I called but there was no way I could have kept it.

Advise your payroll department as soon as you find out. But unfortuantely, as in my case, don't expect them to be able to resolve it easily, promptly or without significant distress and financial inconvenience. My employers would never have noticed that it was wrong - it spanned the change of tax year and even a P60 didnt throw it up.....but they have never even said thank you to me for being honest and telling them. Seriously damages goodwill.

I once had a part time job that I did for three days (during which I found out that the shift patterns were not what I'd been told during interview). I got paid one months' salary a few weeks after leaving!!! Kept very very quiet about it and never got asked for it back. Of course I won't divulge who it was!!

If you don't, it is more than dishonest, it is basically theft. Why on earth wouldn't you? This has happened to me twice and both times I have informed my employers.

Tell them. Another employee was receiving my maternity pay for 3 months. She kept it quiet and it made her look terrible when it finally came to light. The people in accounts were not at all impressed.

Happened to me this month, have gone from full time to part time and work hadn't updated their records so got paid full salary - told them straightaway as wouldn't consider doing anything other and you want your employers to see you as an honest employee especially this day and age. Wouldn't even consider keeping it;-)