Money Moral Dilemma: Should I report my colleague for not telling payroll he's been overpaid?

grandadgolfer

Keep your nose out nothing to do with you

keithyno.1

How have you been "punished" exactly? It was YOU who contacted payroll to report the matter.

And no, DON'T ask payroll to look into your colleague's allowance payments. They're a matter purely between him and them - they really have nothing to do with you, whatever he's told you.

If you DID contact payroll about it and further action was taken your colleague might put two and two together and realise it was as a result of you reporting it to them. And nobody likes a 'grass.'

Shebear

You did the right thing and were not punished, you just made wrong things right by repaying the overpayment. I feel that it is between him and them what happened with him, and if you were to shop him then that would be pretty obvious when they ask him for repayment. I wouldn't want to get involved if I were in your position. I can see why you might feel resentment but you have acted honourably and that is worth gold. You have a clean conscience and hopefully can sleep at night. He might be found out at some point.

prettyandfluffy

It's your call, but you can be sure that at some point they will find out.  I had a similar situation with a colleague who, for several years, took more annual leave than they were entitled to.  They thought they'd got away with it until someone spotted it, all the senior management were informed and they had a year with NO annual leave entitlement (which did not go down well at home as holidays had been booked).
if you decide to bring it up, I would suggest you ask the legitimate question: why was I made to pay it back when my colleague wasn't? Then leave it with your employers to decide.

ImReallyAnElf

What exactly would you gain from outing your colleague's dishonesty?  Apart from a feeling of some level of vindication as you feel now that you were punished for being honest, and also a feeling of being "holier than thou" by turning him in for not being as honest as you, I can see no benefit to you from interfering in what is your colleague's business.

I doubt very much that this overpayment will be permanently overlooked, and frankly I would rather eat gravel while waiting for a plank to warp than be in your colleague's shoes when it is, because not only is he going to be seen forevermore as a thief (because of course, he is!) but almost certainly be either sued for the overpayment's return or lose his job - more probably both of those things together.

I'd keep schtum - but only you can really decide.

jameslondon74

Unfortunately for honest people like you (and me) there will always be others who are dishonest and greedy. Your colleague is one of them. There's not a lot you can do, at the end of the day it's none of your business and unless you're willing to make an enemy in him, say nothing. Take care of your own business. Keep your own nose clean.
If he eventually does get found out, you can raise any unfair differences in his treatment with your employer.

adra04778

Your colleague has had a stroke of luck 😀 while go snitching on them just because you told them, let sleeping dogs lie, or it could bite you on the bum.
What would you gain from it  a smug feeling 🤔  now thats petty don't you think.

Bigfra46

Firstly you were honest about your overpayment. I hope they allowed you to pay it back at a rate you could comfortably afford ie 10-20 dollars a week. Secondly if you "tout" on your work colleague it will be obvious if they suddenly contact him about repayment or fire him. Say nothing. A few months later payroll could notice the mistake and he has to repay.

Floss

Firstly, you notified payroll about your OVERPAYMENT - money that you should not have had for whatever reason. Your repayment is of money that was not due to you, it is not a punishment.

In your shoes, I would ask a reasonable question of the payroll manager "I hope everyone else's allowances finished when they returned home from overseas, so they don't find themselves in my position?"

honestcove

Have you considered whether your colleague is fibbing and in reality they either paid back the overpayment or wasn’t overpaid at all.
Their motivation?  - to upset you by making you think they’ve got one over on you perhaps. If so, they’ve achieved that.