Background: I recently left my old job working at a software company to work for a new company. HR accidentally sent me 3 extra paychecks after I left and now they are requesting it back. I was only making 50,000 at my old job and was basically living paycheck to paycheck. I have $5,700 that they are requesting I pay back. That’s about all the money I have rn and puts me in a bad position.
For those wondering, I didn’t knowingly try to get more money from them. While I was working for my old company, they were acquired, so at one point, my paychecks were switched over being paid by the acquiring company. So I didn’t know how behind they might have been. I have left jobs before and still gotten two paychecks after I left because they delayed payment on the front end. I thought the paychecks I was receiving from my old company after I left were still supposed to be for me and they were just a backlog.
This really sucks and I am put in a bad position financially because of an HR mess up. I realize I probably have to pay it back by law but I am coming here for some guidance on what others would do or if there is any way I can fight this or pay less.