Overpayment Of salary Dispute

[peoplespaul]

Hi all,

 

Where do I stand in your opinion

 

Background

 

I was working for a government based company, which then had all the jobs evaluated (single status across jobs. (has been done in many Local authorities i believe)). I left the company in July 2007 and subsequently received letters saying I had an overpayment of salary and too pay them back.

 

My Contract states I was a consultant and my pay grade with student placement in brackets.

 

In the January I had my evaluation, where I had been given a pay rise ( I have this in writing), this stated my job role as a consultant (as does my contract) and also stated that my previous salary was as a student placement (I think this may be relevant.) will call this pay rise A

 

I then received another letter (pay rise B) in Feb. addressed to me stating that my salary was different to pay rise A it stated that it knew I was a student placement as have the other did, but said my job role was an assistant for a job which was under a different project and the job didn't exist on the site I worked at. The value of pay rise B was a significant amount lower then pay rise A. Pay rise B ( was a significant amount lower then others in my role )

 

At this I then contacted my union representative as I wasn’t very pleased.

 

I then got paid at value A until I left the company.

 

Once I left the company (July) I got a letter stating I owed them money for over payment of salary.

 

of which i replied to the company asking for a breakdown of how the value they claim I owe them, I got this and it stated I had been overpaid salary each month from Feb. till I left.

 

This has gone on for a while now letters back and forth, and I keep getting invoices sent to me although I haven't accepted liability for this (or there incompetence!)

 

I have received a letter now stating that debt recovery or court proceeding will be taking place if I don't pay.

 

to add more confusion I know non student placement staff were on a different salary to myself and also other student placements were all on different salaries (with a 12k range in difference in salaries!). They have messed the whole evaluation up for all staff to my understanding.

 

 

I intend to seek legal advice as to my understanding I’m right, with written evidence of the job evaluation relating to my contract (pay rise A).

 

Also I’m pretty sure that a few breeches have been made.

 

1, I was given a pay slip with one value and actually given pay to a lower amount.

 

2, the threatening of this debt being passed to the "bad debt department" if there is to be any debt, it's none of my making. Therefore shouldn’t be referred to as bad debt.

 

3, The company I worked for was based at the university I attend, so they blocked my student account so I lost any access to computers and any systems computer based etc (may I add I’m in my final year) they could not have done this if they wasn't based at the university etc. unethical and abuse of power.

 

4, members of staff there knowing about the dispute and approaching me whilst I was at the university as a student, to my understanding a breech of confidentiality, perhaps DPA ? as these members of staff shouldn't know about this ?

 

5,I got offered a repayment scheme of a stupidly high amount £1100 a month or there about, (which I’m assuming anyone who works realises £1100 is well out of the disposable income boundaries each month)

 

anyway I refuse to accept liability and pay this back until they can prove I am liable ? Which again I’m pretty sure I’m not.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on where I stand,

 

Thanks,