Wages overpayment

During the late 70's one of our engineers was expecting around £120 in his wage packet. As we got paid cash in a little brown envelope, you were able to check the amount before opening.
He checked the notes and discovered £1200! As it was near the end of the day, (Friday), he decided to wait till he got home before opening and checking properly. On the Monday he was called to the pay office to discuss the situation but gave the excuse he hadn't seen it till he got home and that they had to claim it back, or at least notify him of THEIR error, within 48 hours. He claimed that, as they hadn't, he was entitled to keep it.
Legally, I don't think he was entitled to, but they just caved in and let him keep it, (the fact he was a first-class engineer may have played a part).
After that they drew up a company policy, to be able to claim back within 6 months, prevent it happening again.
 
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Go to the meeting, you probably won't be able to take a representative as its just a meeting not disciplinary action unless your invitation letter states otherwise.

Listen to what they've got to say, ask for a noted copy of the meeting, agree to nothing at all and tell them you want time to review the info from the meeting as it will have a financial impact on you.

The above is reasonable behavior and allows you to see how the company are wanting to proceed without committing to anything, you could go to the meeting and find they want you to repay £10 a month until the debt is paid, but in the first instance you need to sit down and listen to them, doesn't mean you have to agree with or do what they suggest but you have to be seen to behave in a reasonable manner incase it escalates further down the line.
 
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Get free legal advice.
Call the Citizen's advice bureau, who often have a tame lawyer
Phone ACAS. I did once, they were brilliant, though it was decades ago now. It'll be a quick call becaus they don't have to look anything up! You only have to say "I have found out" and the employer will be on the back foot - assuming they aren't somehow entitled to take the money. In my case I was told the employer would be breaching the contract. It was over fixing holiday periods.
Failing that, as above, plead poverty.
Don't threaten with newspapers, but you can comment that they wouldn't look like very good employers. . . . . . . . . . . and leave the 'pregnant pause' .
 
so if you have 6 months left under your contract, do you expect to work for the company after the apprenticeship finishes? (sorry, I don't understand fully how it works?)

6 months for £100 a month less may be doable but I guess money is tight and the pay is low.
If they are happy with your work and you want to stay could you discuss your future and come to an agreement where you move up the pay scale in August and then start paying back?
You tend to never miss what you don't have so staying on a lower wage for 6 months is less of a lifestyle change if you can service the debt

just a thought?
 
Happened to me whilst I was in the forces. Not my fault so only had to pay back 50% over a 12 month period.

Presumably if you have been overpaid you have also paid too much tax?

What are they going to do about that?

I would pull out your phone and record the interview!
 
My first full time job, first pay packet, I was paid twice the expected amount. This was because they ran my timesheet through the computer as a dry run, then as a payment. Being an honest sort of bloke, I owned up as I was expecting £80 and got £160.
Didn’t do me any harm as I worked there a couple of years. Doubt I would have done another week if I had kept quiet and they found out.
 
Tigercubrider said:
My first full time job, first pay packet, I was paid twice the expected amount. This was because they ran my timesheet through the computer as a dry run, then as a payment. Being an honest sort of bloke, I owned up as I was expecting £80 and got £160.
Didn’t do me any harm as I worked there a couple of years. Doubt I would have done another week if I had kept quiet and they found out.
Click to expand...
in my head not yours is stealing even taking and paying back gradually if you specifically know or suspect its not yours you must never touch whats not yours ---keep it safe -- and return to the rightful owner ... as soon as possible


now in the real world you are struggling financially and possibly desperate you may take advantage and hope they dont know but the money will have been spent now then you have the moral dilemma --- the average person will be full off guilt and want to pay it back in a reasonable quite quick fashion --- buton the other hand the tendency seems to be litigious by default rather than sorry i am wrong lets work this out ??
 
I worked for a very large defence contractor for two weeks, they paid me for three, a month later I had a letter asking for it back, I ignored it thinking it was small beer to them, next letter arrived promising legal action as it was also taxpayers money, I paid up
 
big-all said:
in my head not yours is stealing even taking and paying back gradually if you specifically know or suspect its not yours you must never touch whats not yours ---keep it safe -- and return to the rightful owner ... as soon as possible


now in the real world you are struggling financially and possibly desperate you may take advantage and hope they dont know but the money will have been spent now then you have the moral dilemma --- the average person will be full off guilt and want to pay it back in a reasonable quite quick fashion --- buton the other hand the tendency seems to be litigious by default rather than sorry i am wrong lets work this out ??
Click to expand...
I see where you are coming from with this, and agree, but the OP was not aware he was being overpaid until the company told him.
 
Okay a meeting has been arranged for this Thursday with HR. My team leader will be there too. My points in mitigation and lines of enquiry are:

I was never officially provided with a list of salaries for year 1-4. My actual annual salary isn't printed on the pay slip.
I was never told if the annual negotiated pay rises apply to the apprenticeship rates, we just have to wait and see. Some do, some don't.
How are the apprentice pay rises processed? Who by? When? Somebody pressed a button that resulted in this mistake in 2020. Then a year later somebody else pressed a button to advance my pay further. Why didn't that second person spot the error from the previous year at that point? Why has it taken 18 months / 30 months since the original mistake, to pick up on it?
How many apprentices are affected?

When I took this job I had to sit down with my wife and work out whether we could afford for me to take this job. We could - just - with the income from my private jobs and get overtime making up some shortfall. We had significant debt from recent home improvements at the time. Though my salary has risen since then, so has the cost of living. We have no savings. Any deductions from my pay will directly impact me and my family. My wife can no longer do overtime as she has undiagnosed mental health issues.

I have recommended (company) to others for apprenticeships (they're one of the biggest companies for apprenticeships in town). I've sat on teams calls with prospective apprentices telling my story and how great it is here. I've been a model employee as my mentor and team leader will attest to.

If all fails and they insist it needs repaying,

I feel that a reasonable amount for me to repay is £51.97 per month, which is the rate at which the overpayment was accrued. I am agreeing to this reluctantly as I feel like I am being punished for something that wasn't my fault. I cannot afford any more than this.
Discuss the tax implications and insist the deduction is made in a tax noticeable way.

Any advice on this? Further points to add?
 
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