Threatening prosecution for cashed check!!!

[corrieo]

I recently received a check in the mail from my employer. I had been on maternity leave and decided not to go b ack to work and I thought this was payout for vacation and comp time accrued while I was on leave. I cashed the check ($942) at a local supermarket. I recently received a letter from them saying that there was a stop payment on the check and they were going to prosecute me if I don't pay back the money plus $20 in bank charges. I am in Oregon. Did I break any laws here and is there anything that they can prosecute me for? I guess the stop payment was put on the check because my employer had put me back on payroll accidentally and a paycheck was automatically generated.

 

[calatty]

You didn't break the law by cashing the check since you reasonably thought it was yours, but you have to pay money back now that you know it is not yours by right.