Wages/salary question

[andyjo1982]

Evening all

If my employer has paid me a higher salary than usual, for no reason, just an error on their part, would I have to pay it back? Or are they entitled to pay me a reduced rate next month to make up the difference?

If the extra amount was specifically listed on my wage slip as a bonus, again, would I have to pay it back or are they entitled to just pay me less the difference the next month?

Cant seem to find anything on Google about this. Any official links to laws etc would be useful.

Thanks

[gregf40]

I can't see you maintaining a good relationship if you try and keep it!

[simoid]

I wouldn't bother about it too much. Assuming you'd be happy to be underpaid and the employer not worry about it

[Mattt]

Was it listed as a bonus or not?

[Eric Mc]

Yes - you should not have the money and you should inform your employer what has happened.

They MAY spot the error and correct it. Indeed, if they were half competent they should. But retaining money that is not rightfully yours can be construed as theft, so the correct course of action would be to let them know what has happened and then let them sort it out.

[Countdown]

andyjo1982 said:

Evening all

If my employer has paid me a higher salary than usual, for no reason, just an error on their part, would I have to pay it back? Or are they entitled to pay me a reduced rate next month to make up the difference?

Depends on various things such as your contract, how quickly your employer notifies you and also whether you would be expected to notice it given the amount.

For example if your pay varies regularly due to shift allowances /overtime /bonus you might not be expected to notice it. OTOH if your pay is fixed and has increased significantly for an unexplained reason the Employer would argue that you should have noticed the overpayment.

Long story short - overpayments are one of the few things that the employer can deduct WITHOUT the employee's consent (others are tax. NI, court orders). The employee can argue that such a deduction is unfair.

[Welshbeef]

Firstly tell your line manager ASAP that you have noticed an issue with the pay being more than it should be - also contact payroll

Keeping something like that quiet really doesn't go down well trust is paramount for staff and in pretty sure had you been underpaid you'd be on the phone instantly.


Depending on the value of the overpayment it could be taken back on one go or spread over x months - you'd need to tell them any hardship issues though if you've flagged it up straight away then you've not spent the cash.


Your employer doesn't want to screw its staff over ever it wants the best team possible for the company

[Riktoid]

Perhaps they're testing you out?

And they are perfectly entitled to take it back.

[Welshbeef]

Riktoid said:

Perhaps they're testing you out?

And they are perfectly entitled to take it back.

Of course they are but common decency is to communicate with the employee to confirm the error and what the repayment schedule would be - remember some employees may simply spend everything which comes into the bank and live hand to mouth so taking it all back in one go isn't fair and hardship issues are raised.

[Martin_M]

You could say nothing but you may well find that they notice their mistake at some point and that won't make you look very good.

[z4RRSchris99]

perhaps you got a Christmas bonus.

[Welshbeef]

Can OP confirm that he has informant his line manager and payroll to this as yet ?

[michael gould]

if you know its a mistake ....it's an act of theft (or at least dishonesty) to keep the money...but I do agree with others that your entitled to time to repay it

[Welshbeef]

michael gould said:

if you know its a mistake ....it's an act of theft (or at least dishonesty) to keep the money...but I do agree with others that your entitled to time to repay it

Exactly - normally if you are given too much change at a shop etc you'd let them know and give it back or give it to a charity.

[Shinobi]

Interesting question, I never check my salary so could easily be under or overpaid and wouldn't even know.

[Accelebrate]

Seems only right to query it and expect to repay it.

A while ago I was paid nearly triple what I was expecting to receive. It was hard to work out why as the outsourced payroll company my employer was using at the time didn't bother sending out any payslips for about 6 months, and the accounts department are in a very different timezone. After a few weeks of mixed messages over emails it was decided that it was a 'bonus' in a rather unconvincing fashion. It seems unlikely as we have a formal bonus scheme that pays out quarterly and this wasn't one of those months. I'm still unwilling to spend the money as I'm convinced that someone has cocked up.

[Eric Mc]

Shinobi said:

Interesting question, I never check my salary so could easily be under or overpaid and wouldn't even know.

Can I suggest that you are rather naive and careless?

[Welshbeef]

Welshbeef said:

Can OP confirm that he has informant his line manager and payroll to this as yet ?

Given this has been weeks since the OP noticed it and has received advice here can he confirm if he has informed his line manager and payroll yet ?

[zarjaz1991]

The very fact he posted this thread, means that he was considering making off with it and saying nothing.

Tells you all you need to know.

[Welshbeef]

zarjaz1991 said:

The very fact he posted this thread, means that he was considering making off with it and saying nothing.

Tells you all you need to know.

Given he hasn't responded twice to the same question a long time apart it doesn't look great - though I'm assuming he has (and possibly found it to be a tax rebate of Xmas bonus?).