Overtime payment problems

wangtastic

Hi there,
I work part-time for a large UK supermarket chain.

I do 16hrs a week contracted and 4hrs overtime.

The 16hrs are all worked on the Delicatessen, and the 4hrs on Stock control.

This month upon recieving my Pay slip I have been deducted £94.
After bringing this to my manager on Stock Control's attention it has emerged that is "reclaimed overtime pay".

Apparently I worked "too much" overtime, so they have reclaimed it.
This seems a bit odd to me...

Do I have any recourse, or is this standard practice in the retail industry.

Thanks
Steve

vuvuzela

This sounds odd. I would go to the finance dept and request an explanation. Maybe your hours were entered wrongly on a previous slip ?

wangtastic

I think a trip to finance may be in order.
However, I work the same hours every week and get paid the same amount week in & week out so I don't think that's the case.

From the sounds of what my manager was telling me, it was a case of "the overtime was not there in the first place so we have had to take it back."

arcon5

Check your employment contract to see what it says about overpayments. If it doesn't say anything then it could be classed as an unlawful deduction to wages. With it being a large supermarket they probably have a clause in it.

If you worked the hours then they can not take the money back simply because you have worked too many overtime hours.

I imagine what has happened is they overpaid you in the past and reclaiing the money - whether they can or not depends on whats in your employment contract.

arcon5

wangtastic wrote: »

From the sounds of what my manager was telling me, it was a case of "the overtime was not there in the first place so we have had to take it back."

If thats the case then they can stop you working the overtime in the future and discipline whoever was in charge of the rota or the manager.

They would still have to pay you for the hours you worked though so a quick conversation with whoever deals with it should put it right.

wangtastic

That sounds plausable.
I'm guessing that there is no time-frame to which overpayments can be reclaimed, so that could be the case as I worked some extra overtime at Christmas.
Though by my calculations I got paid the correct amount for that.
However I will speak to wages/finance and see what's what.

Thanks for your help so far.

arcon5

wangtastic wrote: »

I'm guessing that there is no time-frame to which overpayments can be reclaimed

Six years I belief (although I may stand corrected).

When clawing back overpayments though, an employer has to be very very careful, otherwise they can open themself up to employment tribuneral cases. But thats a whole different long 7 complicated issue in itself.

wangtastic

They are claiming that the Overtime I worked was not "agreed" upon therefor it was taken back...Surely this isn't right?!

halibut2209

I believe that if you are working, but not being paid, then you will not be covered by their insurance. This is against health and safety laws.

I worked at McD's once, and the assistant manager clocked us all out as he felt the close was taking longer than it should. I refused to continue and he fired me.

A quick call to the head office got a grovelling apology from him!

wealdroam

Probably better posting on the employment board.

Culex

wangtastic wrote: »

They are claiming that the Overtime I worked was not "agreed" upon therefor it was taken back...Surely this isn't right?!

No, it isn't. Refer the matter to the BBC Home Service programme, You and Yours, whose interest in the case may force a change of attitude from your tight-fisted employers.