Overpayment as an Hourly Worker

[Ashley West]

Jurisdiction

New Jersey

I was a student worker as a grad student two months ago and I clocked in for too many hours without notifying payroll on time. My employer sent me a notice of overpayment, but the calculations are not making sense to me. My employer states that I was overpaid for my last two pay periods totaling about $1000. However, I never received my last check (it was held back), which exceeds the $1000 overpayment amount. When I informed payroll that I did not receive any compensation for the second pay period that I was overpaid for (including the hours that I actually did work). They claim that I still owe about $500. I don't understand how this is possible if the paycheck withheld from me was more than $1000 (the amount of overpayment).

1. Can I contact the IRS about this?
2. What will happen if I choose not to pay?

 

[cbg]

1.) You can, but it won't do you any good. This does not fall under IRS jurisdiction, If you must involve a government agency in this (and I do not recommend doing so, at least at this time) the one to contact would be the NJ state DOL.

2.) Any one of a number of things could happen, ranging from nothing at all to their suing you.

Have you asked for a breakdown from Payroll showing how the $500 was arrived at?

 

[Betty3]

You might ask payroll for a written explanation of how they arrived at what you owe & go from there.