payroll error

[momzilla]

What is the name of your state? Michigan

Can an employer garnish wages of an employee after discovery of a clerical error?
20 year old daughter has worked for a large auto parts warehouse as a stocker since Oct. In January, without any discussion, her pay was increased by $1.50 an hour.
She was informed today that they have discovered this error and want her to repay $420, and of course, bump her hourly rate back to what it was originally.
Can they force her to repay them for their mistake?

[Beth3]

Of course. Your daughter isn't entitled to keep money she didn't earn.

By the way, this entire problem could have been avoided had your daughter spoken up when she first noticed her pay rate was incorrect. By my calculation, she let them overpay her for seven weeks and said nothing. She had an obligation to her employer to report the error and she's fortunate they haven't disciplined her for dishonesty for not doing so. She could have ended up owing them thousands had they not caught the error when they did.