Do I write my old company a check?

[neufox47]

I didn't notice at the time of payment because I knew they owed me for unused vacation and possibly sick days etc. Also I thought there was a delay when I started to when I received my first paycheck. They say there wasnt. I no longer have access to the HR system so I can't verify many of these details.

It is a publicly traded company.

[Marshall Tucker]

Been there. For about the same dollar amount. Throughout it seemed that the accounting/payroll people were trying to get it resolved very quickly, as if trying to hide their blunder. After the total amount changed for the 3rd time during discussions, I demanded a detailed itemization of all the errors in payment, and a signed statement by a senior accountant as to exactly why the overpayment happened. I received no further requests for repayment after that.

Never worked in payroll (thank god) there was a time when I was very involved in high level exec comp, moving & expat gross-ups, etc. Above is the way to handle. Guarantee you send that letter, certified mail return receipt, and you won't hear another word.

Thing is, being sorta close to some of this, I can't imagine our payroll people asking for it back. Suggest "I respectfully request a detailed description of the error, and the circumstances that led to the error, by a director-level professional."

[Obstruction]

Been there. For about the same dollar amount. Throughout it seemed that the accounting/payroll people were trying to get it resolved very quickly, as if trying to hide their blunder. After the total amount changed for the 3rd time during discussions, I demanded a detailed itemization of all the errors in payment, and a signed statement by a senior accountant as to exactly why the overpayment happened. I received no further requests for repayment after that.

Accounting dept. covering their collective ass is the first thing I thought of here. If the numbers don't add the auditors (internal or outside) will make a major stink and the individual numbers peons will get sanctioned some how or another.

[tripice351]

Fuck em. How any times have people here been under paid for various reasons, and had to go fight to get what is rightfully owed? And how many times has the boss came out and said "We realized we didn't pay you for xyz, here's another check." First scenario out numbers the 2nd by about 100 to 1.
If they can prove it, down to the penny and accounting every hour you ever worked and were ever paid, and accounting for taxes etc, then they can go thru the proper legal channel. If not...

[ex-powderbroker]

Accounting stepped to my girl yesterday to inform her that she had been overpaid 3k. She goes through all of her receipts with them, looks like she was shorted 1500$. Go figure.

[farmer]

I'm looking at getting myself into the situation where I owe my current employer about $5000 by leaving after <1 yr. We filed for bankruptcy a couple days ago, and with my work permit, I have to leave the country immediately after being laid off. Needless to say, I'm not waiting for that to happen.

Odds they go after me for the money? Hoping that everyone in corporate is too busy with the bankruptcy to worry about remembering the specifics of my offer letter.

[abraham]

I'm looking at getting myself into the situation where I owe my current employer about $5000 by leaving after <1 yr. We filed for bankruptcy a couple days ago, and with my work permit, I have to leave the country immediately after being laid off. Needless to say, I'm not waiting for that to happen.

Odds they go after me for the money? Hoping that everyone in corporate is too busy with the bankruptcy to worry about remembering the specifics of my offer letter.

Is that the death valley area job?

[TBS]

I'm looking at getting myself into the situation where I owe my current employer about $5000 by leaving after <1 yr. We filed for bankruptcy a couple days ago, and with my work permit, I have to leave the country immediately after being laid off. Needless to say, I'm not waiting for that to happen.

Odds they go after me for the money? Hoping that everyone in corporate is too busy with the bankruptcy to worry about remembering the specifics of my offer letter.

Was this for relocation expenses? A signing bonus?
In those kinds of situations, reimbursement is usually only required if termination is your choice - Generally not if it's Company's decision to terminate. Read the terms of your deal again.

[PNWbrit]

I'm looking at getting myself into the situation where I owe my current employer about $5000 by leaving after <1 yr. We filed for bankruptcy a couple days ago, and with my work permit, I have to leave the country immediately after being laid off. Needless to say, I'm not waiting for that to happen.

Odds they go after me for the money? Hoping that everyone in corporate is too busy with the bankruptcy to worry about remembering the specifics of my offer letter.

Work permit and gadsden flag? Am I missing something here.. seems a strange combination.

[frozenwater]

Only one consideration here. Do you need the reference e and would it be withheld due to your actions. There is no other reason to pay.

I am sure you worked on a bonus or. Commission plan and just as they are not interested in paying you once that one group who is on the fence books, you owe them nothing for the one client who cancelled after you left. If it's straight accounting error - there bad.

(Did I ever mention I actually came to that place booked o. Their site, paid on their site and at. Check in they demanded another 20 dollars because "the site did not charge me correctly).

[farmer]

To try answer everyone's questions without quoting you all:

Didn't end up having to go to death valley, but same company.

Yes, relocation and signing bonus. I only have to repay if I quit, but I don't want to wait to be laid off, which would force me to go back to Canada.

Reference is no big deal. My boss was looking for jobs with me on Thursday. It's just corporate that would be likely to try fuck me over, and by the end of this they are not likely to exist, even less so than those of us on site.

[riser4]

To try answer everyone's questions without quoting you all:

Didn't end up having to go to death valley, but same company.

Yes, relocation and signing bonus. I only have to repay if I quit, but I don't want to wait to be laid off, which would force me to go back to Canada.

Reference is no big deal. My boss was looking for jobs with me on Thursday. It's just corporate that would be likely to try fuck me over, and by the end of this they are not likely to exist, even less so than those of us on site.

Nice catch-22. Hopefully you are smart and didn't spend the whole $5K. If you have to give it back, think of it as a bribe to stay in the country. Potentially worth it for you. What i don't get is why you can stay if you quit but not if they lay you off. That seems exactly backwards. If I were writing the guest worker policy I would not want to effectively encourage people to buy their way in.

[BCMtnHound]

What i don't get is why you can stay if you quit but not if they lay you off. That seems exactly backwards.

Laid off = saturated job market, so available jobs should go first to unemployed citizens. Quitting is supposed to suggest there is fluidity in the job market, and so locals should not be unreasonably affected by non-citizens in the same employment pool.

[riser4]

Laid off = saturated job market, so available jobs should go first to unemployed citizens. Quitting is supposed to suggest there is fluidity in the job market, and so locals should not be unreasonably affected by non-citizens in the same employment pool.

Ok, sure, there's that and it goes a long way. However, I am still stuck on two things a) the person who lands the first shitty job they can find just to get through the door with no plans to keep the job, equals a calculated move and not the kind of dishonest person I want staying as it basically means they are buying a work permit; b) the person like farmer who [potentially] gets laid off through no fault of their own because the company they work for is incompetent, they did everything right and above board, shouldn't they get some kind of consideration? Laid off does not even come close to always meaning a saturated job market. It often means something a lot more sinister. And generally, no, I am not a fan of H1B status. I am even less a fan of situations that end up being pay to play. That's corruption and should not be tolerated.

[Jeffreaux]

Short answer; fuck no. They cant collect. Keep it but use it for something productive.