this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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Antiwork

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  1. We're trying to improving working conditions and pay.

  2. We're trying to reduce the numbers of hours a person has to work.

  3. We talk about the end of paid work being mandatory for survival.

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[–] lutesolo@midwest.social 74 points 1 year ago (6 children)

As someone on the receiving end of this, it may not pan out for you. I was verbally told I was getting a raise, then my paychecks showed I got a larger raise. I thought nothing of it and enjoyed the extra money, thinking of myself as a hard worker who was worth the extra.

Months later, someone noticed the discrepancy. Queue the company informing me that the overpayment will be taken in one lump sum from my next paycheck, which would have made me unable to make rent. I convinced them to spread the repayment across as many checks as they had overpaid, but that was a pretty miserable experience to say the least.

[–] Norgur@kbin.social 84 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can't really happen here, since the contract had the twisted numbers as well. So they have that amount in writing with signatures and all.

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think in some cases you could get fucked if it can be shown that it's an obvious mistake

[–] Swarfega@lemm.ee 0 points 1 year ago

I mean, if you switch this around so it's the business paying less then people here would be going irate if the business just said "well we are paying what the contract states". I get it, people hate work. But that doesn't mean you get to screw your employer.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 71 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

You in America? If so, you got screwed and need to call your state labor board.

At least in Florida, they cannot pull that shit. If they put it in your bank account, it's yours. End. Think of all the scams people could pull if they could drop money in your account and then demand it back.

SOURCE: Worked for a payroll firm. If we overpaid someone, or paid the wrong person/account, too damned bad, all we could do was ask nicely for it to be returned.

CAVEAT: The bank can sure as hell pull your funds if it's their mistake.

[–] BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is likely state dependent. I've seen them pull back funds from people in MD. That was some years ago now though so that may not still be possible there.

[–] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

What they can do and what is legal aren't always the same.

[–] Neve8028@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

It's legal in MA. I was paid double once and they took it back. I looked into it and sure enough, it's totally legal as long as it's within a certain timeframe.

[–] BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I should clarify that it was legal in MD when they did it (this may no longer be the case). I had to talk to the company lawyer for guidance when it happened since I was part of the HR team at the time.

[–] ryathal@sh.itjust.works 5 points 1 year ago

They might not pull funds, but they can absolutely deduct that money from future checks.

[–] Serdan@lemm.ee 62 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm pretty sure that would have been illegal where I live. Paying someone the same amount each month is an implicit contract. You can't just suddenly go "whoops" and not pay for a month.

[–] Vlyn@lemmy.zip 26 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Depends on what's in the contract, black on white. If the contract says x amount and they pay you y (and you don't speak up), they can get that money back as it was a bookkeeping error.

If the contract says the higher amount then they can't take it back, written contract always wins over verbal.

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not where I live they can't. See my other comment. If your employer gives you money, it's yours, period.

I see this idea a lot online. Guess either employees don't understand their rights or the employers are equally ignorant, both VERY likely.

And no, it's unlikely the employer knows better and is fucking around. The magic words are "labor" and "board", who will find in favor of the employee and throw a fucking to the employer. We handled payroll for quite a few shady employers, but none of them were dumb enough to play around with the money.

[–] Vlyn@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

That's not how it works in both Germany and Austria. If you have a contract you get paid based on it, if there is a bookkeeping error you have to pay the money back if the company accidentally gives you too much.

The only contracts that are invalid are when the number is very obviously wrong in the context. For example the contract says instead of $50k a year you get paid $500k a year or $5k a year, then the entire thing is void as it's an obvious error.

If the contract says $55k and the company wanted to pay you $45k.. their problem, contract counts. Your boss might be pissed if you keep insisting on the $55k and might fire you, especially if you verbally agreed on $45k. But oh well, that's another topic.

Oh and in the UK? The employer is even allowed to deduct that money from your future wages. So much about knowing the law :)

[–] Serdan@lemm.ee 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] Vlyn@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 year ago

Yeah.. except for that tiny detail:

There are three conditions that must be satisfied for the defence to be applicable:

  • You employer has made a statement of fact which made you believe that the money was your own;
  • You acted in good faith and without knowledge of any claim for recovery from your employer and as a result, changed your position in terms of the money; and
  • You were not involved in the cause of the overpayment.

So if you signed a contract for a sum of x and the employer never said they are going to pay you more, you're already acting in bad faith based on the first point. The second point is tough to argue, literally the only way to win this is if you have a verbal "contract" only and claim you never watched your bank account and just didn't notice the extra money (but then if your employer tells you about the wrong payments you have an issue again..).

In the real world you'll probably pay the money back 99% of the time, except if you want to burn bridges and leave (going after you for smaller amounts is not worth the time in court). Your professional relationship will be ruined though, which you may or may not care about.

[–] teruma@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

In California at least, they're allowed to ask, but I don't think they're allowed to require.

[–] FUCKRedditMods@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

(Should be “cue the company” not queue)