If your boss gave you too much money, how tempted would you be to keep it?

Question

This has been a semi-crazy week at work. I ended up working 2 nights and sleeping in late a few mornings trying to fix things. Overall, I think I worked about 38 hours. But my timecard was a mess from clocking in and out so much and I ended up with a paycheck for 56 hours - WOW!

I am an honest person, so I will go straighten this out as soon as the lady who does the checks gets back from lunch. But it made me wonder ... How many people would be tempted to keep the extra large check? Assuming you need the money and are like 99.5% sure you wouldn't get caught?

Answer 1

VERY!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 2

Obviously I Would Keep It, Who Wouldn't, If It Was Loads Of Money Over I Would Give It Back, But If It Was Less Than £100 I Would Keep It

Answer 3

No, i wasn't tempted when a similar thing happened to me, i'm not a dishonest person & i valued my job more than a few quid extra. Besides, what would my boss have thought of the type of person  am.

I was dragged up better than that, lol.

Answer 4

I'd be tempted...a lot!

But, I need the long-term money, more than I need it short-term.  I'd much rather keep the job, and keep getting paychecks in the future, so I'd give it back (or arrange to be short-paid on the next check, since that might be easiest).

Answer 5

DON'T KEEP IT!  If this is a set up, you will lose your job.  If it was a mistake, when they figure it out, you are obligated (by law) to have to pay it back.  Be good to yourself and this company and they will take care of you.

It was never your money to begin with so it does not matter if you need it.  We all need it.

Answer 6

honestly, with this economy on the downside, I'll not hesitate to keep the extra couple bucks if 99.5% i won't get caught.

Answer 7

depends on the boss (treats you well? fair wages? good working conditions and benefits?) and the company (small mom and pop or walmart type?).  If it was walmart, who cheats, lies and steals from it's employees everyday, then I would have no problem.  If I hated my boss because he/she treats me poorly, then I'd have no problem.  But if it was a small business doing the right thing under good ownership, I'd report the overpay.

Answer 8

Number one that extra money does not belong to you and secondly they will get their money back.  It's always best to be honest.  You can never go wrong doing that...I do not care how much money it was or how much I needed it, I'd do the right thing and let them know you gave me too much money.  In the long run I can sleep at night knowing I did the right thing and people will look at you and say " that's an honest person"

Answer 9

I wouldn't

Answer 10

Just keep it. You are probably underpaid and overworked anyway. Just don't spend it yet. It anyone mentions it, you'll have to give it back. Play ignorant.

Answer 11

Given THAT much documentation, you probably should point it out before Bookkeeping catches it and reams both you and your boss.

If there was little to no documentation, I'd be severely tempted.

Answer 12

I would let them know it could be a test.

Answer 13

No! Your a bad person! Deposit the extras into my account and I'll forgive you.

Answer 14

This happened to me before and I let them know of the mistake. Instead of going back to change the records and getting in trouble themselves, they let me keep the extra money.

You're right for going back to change it. By law, they could notice their error pretty much any time and either ask for the money back or take it out of a future paycheck.

Answer 15

I'd keep it if I wasn't going to get caught. Businesses usually turn the majority of profits over to the directors / execs. Your little time error doesn't amount to much difference for them.

The thing is, if you get caught, it'll be a horrible black mark on you ethically and you'll probably be fired.

Answer 16

briefly tempted but it would catch up with you - you would have to live with the lie and I'd much rather sleep at night than be worrying I cheated someone.

Answer 17

this has happened to me before too.  they didn't take out $$ for my insurance.  i called payroll at our national office and explained, and then faxed them a copy of my paystub for reference.  they didn't fix it.  by the next payday they not only didn't fix it, again - they didn't take out $$ for my insurance.  i contacted my insurance company to make see if my policy was still active, they said it was and confirmed it was being paid for.  i asked them to send me something that said that in writing, and they faxed it to me.  i faxed that, along with my now two pay stubs showing that they didn't take the $$.  

two days after the receipt of my second paycheck, i learned that the person processing payroll was let go.  apparently 'someone' had been paying insurance out of something other than our pay (there were two others).  the parent company requested the funds be returned to them.

lucky for me - i held onto the $$ i knew i was supposed to be paying out for my insurance each pay and was able to return the $$ upon request.  it wasn't so for the other two - who assumed they'd received a "bonus" and decided to spend it instead.  even tho it wasn't their mistake - when they weren't able to pay in full upon request, they had to have a portion of their owed $$ deducted from the paycheck over the next how-ever-many checks until the balance was returned.

yea - i tell. i know i'll pay for it later, even if i don't get caught right away.

Answer 18

i would never because i do payroll and accounting and i know that we audit through out the year, i would rather have it adjusted now then have them discover it later and subtract from a check then because you may need the money then and end up with no check because they had to take the difference.

Answer 19

if you don't want a bad habit don't start one.

Answer 20

I'd have it straightened out.  Any increase in pay ups my income tax bracket and makes the IRS think I'm making more than I am (and taxing me through the yin-yang).  And since I'm working for the company, I don't want to take more than I am entitled to since if the company goes under, I'm out of a job.  Chances are if I were to let it slide and got caught later, the person who does the payroll would get chewed out for making the mistake, her reliability would suddenly come into question (has she done this with other, less honest employees???), plus my own integrity may be questioned.  It's just not worth it to me.

Answer 21

I would so keep it - and if I DID get caught just laugh it off.

Answer 22

OK i would like to be able to say that i would sooo totally just go give it back but i am 16 and quite frankly need the gas money i would keep it

Answer 23

This happend to me once, and I was quick to spend my "Manager's Discretionary Bonus" of an extra $500.

Apparently it was supposed to be $50, and I thought I was just doing a kick@$$ job...LOL!

HR spotted it, and was ready to take it all back in one fail swoop, from a later paycheck. I told them off, said it was THEIR mistake, and to stagger the repayment, from their original F up!

Payroll, HR, or accounting might catch your mistake too, even if it was their fault. ;)

Answer 24

I wouldn't be tempted at all.  Ethics first - my conscience would scream at me forever; common sense second - he/she would figure it out eventually, than I would be hard pressed to explain why I took money I hadn't earned; thirdly - what goes around comes around sooner or later.

Answer 25

I would be extremely tempted since they don't pay me much anyway. I would however know that it would backfire big time and I could possibly loose my job so I would be honest and ask my manager about the error.

Answer 26

if i hated the job and the employer...i would definitely keep it.  but there's no way you're 99 percent sure you won't get caught.  you'll be getting a phone call tomorrow or called into the office in a few days.