Money Moral Dilemma: Should I tell my employer I've been overpaid?

JuliusCaesar

Just ignore it, but don't spend the money. They might ask for it back later, or reduce your wages next month to compensate. If challenged, just say you didn't notice it. It's their responsibility to notice it, not yours to inform them of their error.

I am assuming that you are employed by a large company. However, if you are employed in a small business I would tell them.

ouzoherb

This is not a dilemma at all as what you would be doing by not saying anything would be committing a criminal offence. Knowingly keeping money which you know not to be yours is the new offence which was introduced a few years back. I as an auditor have personally interviewed staff at work who did the same and kept a few thousand pounds over payment over several months. Had they admitted they knew the money was there in their account they would have been sacked for gross misconduct and the case passed to the police. Luckily for them they denied knowing it was there. Most probably a lie but hard to prove. Some companies would not believe them on the balance of probabilities which is the judgement needed for gross misconduct.

batrachophagus

If it is your standard salary, notify them as soon as possible, or things will get messy in future.


If it is a bonus or overtime keep quiet. I once had an annual bonus paid twice in error - in 2 consecutive months. It was a comparatively large proportion of my salary as well. I didn't seriously entertain the idea of telling them. (Given it was a discretionary bonus, it would have been easy to claim ignorance).


If it is a large company I seriously doubt they could take any sanctions for an error they have made. In a small company the breakdown of trust could cause problems.

Kevin1984

Yes tell them. Ask yourself what would you do if you were underpaid? It's not your money, you did not earn it so do not steal it.

janiebquick

You know full well that this isn't your money and that you should inform your employer. However, this has happened to me but, when I told them, I was stunned at how negative and disinterested they were about it (almost as if it was my fault!). They took it back automatically next month.

Tuesday

This happened to me when I changed departments. I kept notifying the wages department there was a problem but they never did anything about it. opened a savings account and put the excess money in it. For months. After about 8 months, I received a furious phone call asking me 'What the hell do you think you've been doing?'. I politely asked her if she would like a copy of my email trail dating back 8 months showing how I had tried to get it sorted and offered her a cheque. I didn't get an apology but she wanted less back than I thought and I pocketed the interest. So glad I didn't spend any of it.

crmism

I find it difficult to believe that anyone would ask a question such as this.

What would you do if the situation was reversed, ie you looked at your pay packet and found that you had been underpaid? If you apply the same principle to the one you're adopting now, you would do nothing then, either.

There is quite enough dishonesty in the world already, and it is wrong to turn it into some kind of a culture in the hope that it may become acceptable. There is a clear distinction between what is right and what isn't, and it isn't right to accept an over-payment and say nothing about it.:mad:

TBagpuss

Greveson wrote: »

A lot of nonsense response from the usual do-gooders in MMD.

Firstly you're not at risk of being sacked, or being taken to court or sent to prison. Lots of employees don't even check their payslip so wouldn't even notice. A company can't fire somebody for their mistake.

Secondly the onus is not on you to inform them. You can be a good samaritan and do so, maybe earn some brownie points. Additionally if you inform them now, and they don't take steps to take it back or correct it, then it will be harder for them to claim it back later down the line. But if you want to keep quiet you can do.

Finally if they do notice, they'll just take it back the next pay packet, or if it's a large sum they might arrange a payment plan (or if you're lucky they'll write it off).

So no you don't have to tell them, and you aren't at risk of being fired or sent to prison. But if they find out then you'll have to pay it back/be deducted from your next pay so budget accordingly and don't blow it.

Actually, that isn't quite correct.

What you say would be right if the amount is small or the employee could not reasonably have known that the pay was wrong.

However, if a reasonable employee would have known, then yes, it can be an offence and it could certainly be a disciplinary matter.

It is similar to having money accidentally paid into your bank account, and to offences of 'theft by finding'

It can be a disciplinary matter as it reflects your honesty (or lack of is) and could be a breach of the general duty of trust and confidence between employer and employee. Again, for small amounts r where you could not reasonably have known the payment was wrong, it would be hard for them to make a case, but not for larger ones.

peeza

Would you tell them you have been under paid?One day you might and their response ,do you remember that time we over paid you.

lincroft1710

Surprising how this thread has attracted so many new posters