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Former employer sent a direct deposit payroll after I quit.

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  • 29-03-2016 3:30am
    #1
    Saywat
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    Hi,

    I used to work in Ireland for a company poorly run (HR wise at least, they were a mess).
    I quit a while ago and to my surprise, I noticed they payed me a full month after my resignation.

    I'm not entirely sure if I was a mistake, maybe they owed me one last wage.
    But in case they didn't... what should I do?

    I no longer live in Ireland (I don't think I'll be returning) but I am living in the EU.

    Should I contact them? Only if a second paycheck comes in?
    Could it be money they owed me? (Is it free money?)

    Thanks.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    Edgarfrndly
    Registered Users Posts: 489 ✭✭Edgarfrndly


    You typically work a week in hand. You might have been paid that, along with any holiday pay you had left over.


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    #3
    sixfingered
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭sixfingered


    Is it money they owe you for untaken annual leave?

    If it's the exact same as your regular months' pay then you might want to get in touch (in case you spend it they might come after you for it). You might get lucky and whoever made the mistake might just bury it to save them the hassle anyway.


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    #4
    Saywat
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Saywat


    sixfingered wrote: »
    If it's the exact same as your regular months' pay then you might want to get in touch (in case you spend it they might come after you for it). You might get lucky and whoever made the mistake might just bury it to save them the hassle anyway.

    Can I leave it untouched, put it on a savings account, maybe.
    And in a year, spend it as if it was mine?


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    #5
    Saywat
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Saywat


    sixfingered wrote: »
    If it's the exact same as your regular months' pay then you might want to get in touch (in case you spend it they might come after you for it). You might get lucky and whoever made the mistake might just bury it to save them the hassle anyway.

    It IS pretty much my regular month's pay.

    Can I leave it untouched, put it on a savings account, maybe.
    And in a year, spend it as if it was mine?


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    #6
    BabySlam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 349 ✭✭BabySlam


    I think if you consider yourself to be an honourable person, you will contact the former employer. If your values do not include behaving honourably, then you can probably let it sit there until they look for it back (if ever). So it is up to your own self what you do.


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    #7
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,369 ✭✭✭✭Victor


    Saywat wrote: »
    Can I leave it untouched, put it on a savings account, maybe.
    And in a year, spend it as if it was mine?
    Legally, no. In theory, they could come looking for it for 6 years, although it would seem foolish to do so.


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    #8
    stefanovich
    Registered Users Posts: 5,490 ✭✭✭stefanovich


    Saywat wrote: »
    Can I leave it untouched, put it on a savings account, maybe.
    And in a year, spend it as if it was mine?
    How about being an honest person and contacting them?


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    #9
    Heart Break Kid
    Registered Users Posts: 834 ✭✭✭Heart Break Kid


    Do you get paid monthly? Is it a month in hand? Maybe just ask for the payslip and what month it covers?


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    #10
    Mollyd90
    Registered Users Posts: 608 ✭✭✭Mollyd90


    did they send you a payslip. What does that say?


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    #11
    Saywat
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭Saywat


    They payed a second time.
    A SECOND TIME.
    They are as inept as they are rude.

    I would like to keep the money, but this makes it harder.
    I don't plan to live in Ireland anymore, but I will the EU...

    If I play dumb, which are the legal repercussions? Could I just state that I never saw the money (if they contact me) ?

    Any lawyers in the audience.


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    #12
    duffman13
    Registered Users Posts: 8,951 ✭✭✭duffman13


    Saywat wrote: »
    They payed a second time.
    A SECOND TIME.
    They are as inept as they are rude.

    I would like to keep the money, but this makes it harder.
    I don't plan to live in Ireland anymore, but I will the EU...

    If I play dumb, which are the legal repercussions? Could I just state that I never saw the money (if they contact me) ?

    Any lawyers in the audience.

    You can't get legal advice on boards, contact your former employer and explain you've been paid a month in error and you are happy to return it. Say nothing of the first month and they may not mention it they are that inept. It will be noticed at some point and the higher the overpayment the more likely it will be chased.


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    #13
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    If your a month in arrears the first was correct.


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    #14
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,336 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    Saywat wrote: »
    Hi,
    I quit a while ago and to my surprise, I noticed they payed me a full month after my resignation.

    You already know it's not your money so you are asking if it is alright to be dis-honest.

    I's not.


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    #15
    StupidLikeAFox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,703 ✭✭✭StupidLikeAFox


    Morally, keeping it is the wrong thing to do

    Legally I'm not sure, I do remember hearing stories that if you lodge your rent to the wrong account for instance, you ae depending on the generosity of the recipient to hand it back. I'm not sure what laws you would have broken. Providing you tendered your resignation etc in the correct manner, what they have done is voluntarily transferred money to your account. I don't see what laws you could have broken here, doesn't seem like there is any fraud or anything, but I'm not a lawyer so don't quote me on it!


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    #16
    JeffKenna
    Registered Users Posts: 4,554 ✭✭✭JeffKenna


    If it's the exact same amount as your normal payroll cycle then it's obviously a mistake from the company.

    Judge the situation yourself, if you go contacting the company you may actually be getting the payroll person in trouble for making such a mistake. Morals as discussed above, are all relative.


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    #17
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Legally it's not yours and you're required to give it back.

    The fact that you are aware of the mistake means that if they come looking for it, you have no leg to stand on if you claim to not have it.

    Because you're in the EU and you have no idea what the future will bring, it would be silly of you to ignore this and pretend it will go away.

    Send the payroll person an email highlighting their mistake and ask them for their SEPA details. Tell them the money will be refunded within one month of your receipt of their bank details, and if you have not heard from them within six months, you will assume they have voluntarily gifted this money to you.

    Repayment of the amount must come at no cost to you.


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    #18
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,891 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Karma is a bitch. Contact them.

    Continuing to pay you could have consequences for other employees (like the company going broke) - even if you don't like the management, the other employees may be your friends.


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    #19
    Brodick
    Registered Users Posts: 109 ✭✭Brodick


    You should have got a P45 on leaving. If you didn't then contact them as you should have it and if you were on PAYE you may be entitled to a tax refund as your liability is calculated on the basis you will be in a job for a full 12 months.

    This will alert them to your no longer being in their employment. They may realise that they have overpaid you or it may be your holiday and notice pay. They might in fact be too embarrassed to ask your to repay it.


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    #20
    livedadream
    Registered Users Posts: 2,457 ✭✭✭livedadream


    look you know the right thing to do,

    you are saying they are inept for paying you the second time but you havnt told them you received the first or second payment, you are just as much at fault as they are,

    you look at it as free money and away you go but nothing good will come from it.

    do the right time ring them and say you received a payment, can they clarify if it was intended, if you cant get in touch with them tell the bank its the wrong account and have it bounced back.


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