Are payroll errors illegal?

Asked by: Mrs. Susan Mayer  |  Last update: January 23, 2026
Score: 5/5 (19 votes)

Underpaying an employee can result in legal action by the employee, while an employer is entitled to regain wages after overpaying an employee. Mistakes are an unfortunate business reality, but mistakes with payroll are different – and potentially extremely problematic. When you overpay an employee, you lose money.

What happens if a company messes up payroll?

When this happens, California employees are entitled to a full day of wages at their regular rate for each day it takes their employer to fix the mistake for up to 30 days.

What is the payroll error policy?

It is recommended that employers make payroll corrections immediately and not wait until the next pay period. Employers should also investigate the cause of the payroll error and make the necessary corrections to avoid future wage payment errors.

How long does a company have to correct a payroll error in Texas?

The Texas Workforce Commission will investigate the claim and give an order of determination. Either party has 21 days to contest this determination. If there is no appeal after 21 days, the employer has 30 days to correct the payroll error.

How do you handle payroll discrepancy?

The best way to handle this is by being as forthright as possible and correcting the error. Your employee needs that information in writing. The employee payroll error or discrepancy letter should be kept in the employee file and in your internal records, as well.

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Can you sue a company for pay discrepancy?

If you're not paid the same as workers of another race, gender, or ethnicity for performing substantially similar work, you can sue for violations of California's Equal Pay Act.

Who is responsible for payroll errors?

Employers in California must make a genuine effort to rectify payroll inaccuracies and comply with the law promptly. If an employer is uncooperative or the payroll discrepancy persists, you may have grounds for a legal claim.

What consequences might there be for payroll errors?

As with other payroll mistakes, there can be serious knock-on effects, including misdirected payments and incorrect tax withholdings and filings. These errors can require significant administrative work to correct, in addition to federal and state tax penalties, reputational damage, and potential legal complications.

Can I sue my employer for not paying me correctly in Texas?

Wage Claim Process

If an employer unlawfully withholds wages in violation of the Texas Payday Law, the employee has choice to make about which remedy to pursue—he can sue the employer in court, or he can seek an administrative remedy under the Act.

What is the acceptable payroll error rate?

Once you understand the errors you're making, you can easily take steps to stop making them. From there, you can set a target error rate and a clear benchmark to maintain a highly accurate payroll. You should strive for an error rate of 3% or lower.

How long does an employee have to report a payroll error?

If the payroll error is not resolved, employees have two years from the day of the paycheck error to file a complaint with the federal Wage and Hour Division, which oversees back pay.

What is payroll abuse?

The ACFE defines it as “a fraudulent disbursement scheme in which an employee causes their employer to issue a payment by making false claims for compensation.” Put another way, this fraud happens when a dishonest employee manipulates their company's payroll system so they or another worker can receive wages they didn' ...

How to handle payroll errors?

The first step is to correct the deduction error in the payroll system. Next, you should adjust the following paychecks to reimburse the over-deducted amount. You should notify all affected employees of the error, and clarify when they'll see the corrections reflected in their pay.

What would you do if you underpaid an employee because of a payroll mistake?

If the employee was underpaid, it is in your best interest to pay the employee the difference immediately. Wages are due on the regular payday for the pay period covered, as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. State law may apply as well.

How common are payroll errors?

82 million US employees, or 54% of American workforce, are affected by payroll problems. On average, a company has 80.15% payroll accuracy rate. Time/attendance and expense errors are most common that occured for 1139 times per 1000 employees.

Is it illegal to withhold payroll?

No, a company cannot withhold your paycheck if you quit. California law requires employers to issue the final paycheck immediately for employees who get terminated or resign with at least 72 hours' notice. If you do not provide notice before your resignation, the employer must issue the final paycheck within 72 hours.

Can you sue for being underpaid?

File a Wage Claim or Lawsuit

You have two routes following a suspected wage violation. You can either file a wage claim with your state's labor department or you can go ahead and file a lawsuit in court.

Can my employer sue me for a mistake?

Typically, an employee is not held liable for ordinary carelessness or negligence in the performance of their duties. However, if an employee acts outside the scope of reasonableness, causing damage or injury to either property or persons, an employer may be able to sue an employee for negligence.

Can you refuse to work if you haven't been paid?

Legally, you may have the right to refuse work if your employer hasn't paid you, but this can vary by state. Always seek legal advice before taking such actions.

Do employees have to pay for mistakes?

The California courts have held that losses occurring without any fault on the part of the employee or that are merely the result of simple negligence are inevitable in almost any business operation and thus, the employer must bear such losses as a cost of doing business.

How do you communicate with payroll errors?

To write a payroll processing error letter, follow these steps below:
  1. Define the error.
  2. Explain what led to the error and what you're doing to correct it.
  3. Follow up with a formal letter that documents your communication and process for handling the error.

What is the penalty for inaccurate wage statements?

Labor Code § 226(e) provides that where an employer fails to provide wage statements, the employee is entitled to recover actual damages or $50 for the first pay period in which a violation occurs and $100 for each subsequent pay period, subject to an aggregate penalty of up to $4000, plus costs and reasonable ...

How long does a company have to correct a payroll error?

In California, employers have up to 30 days to correct payroll errors. If they fail to rectify underpayment or issue late paychecks in that time, employees are entitled to a full day's wages at their regular rate for each day the mistake persists.

Who is liable for payroll?

Payroll liabilities are amounts owed by an employer to employees, government agencies, insurance carriers and other entities as a result of processing payroll. These expenses must be paid by a specified date.

How long does an employer have to pay you back pay?

Generally, a two-year statute of limitations applies to the recovery of back pay. In the case of willful violations, a three-year statute of limitations applies.