One of the permanent employees where I work is in charge of processing the returned payroll checks from employees who for some reason or another did not pick up their paycheck. I guess there are several options on being paid for this organization. Direct deposit, a check mailed to your residence, or the check mailed to the grocery store you work at. Now for me, direct deposit would be the way to go. Get your money in your account and you don't have the hassle of having to deposit the check at the bank, etc. But apparently that is not the option or choice of a lot of the employees there.
It is amazing how many checks get returned that this employee has to then process. Checks come back as undeliverable from the post office. Why you wouldn't give your employer your correct address, I don't know. Or big stacks of checks will come back from the stores with notes on them saying "employee never came to pick up their check."
Now I don't know about you, but if I am going to put the effort in to going to work, getting up, getting ready, driving to work, I want to be rewarded for it. And obviously the reward is the paycheck. So why someone wouldn't pick up their check I just don't understand.
As part of my duties at work I open and sort the mail. Every time I see a returned check or an envelope with checks being sent back from a store, I am utterly amazed; again wondering why someone doesn't put out the effort to get the rewards, literally, of their labor. And these are not small checks. These represent 40 hour work weeks at a nice hourly wage. Again, I don't get it.
So, what the employee does to process them is this. For returned checks from the post office, they try to see if there is an updated address in the computer. If there is, they just send the check back out again. (Checks are good for 180 days). If they were returned by the store, the employee will send the checks to a home address if there is one listed in the computer. Sometimes employees use the store address as their address, which again is a bit odd to me. For every check that the employee cannot redirect to be sent somewhere else, they keep the check in a locked file drawer for 6 months. If someone sends a letter or calls for their paycheck, the employee will then verify identity and send the check out. If the check remains in the file drawer for 6 months, the employee then takes the checks to Accounting, who holds onto the check for 2 years. Again, if someone asks for their check during that time then it gets sent out once identity is confirmed. In the event the check remains unclaimed for 2 years, Accounting sends it to the State for holding. Ever hear sometimes commercials "you may be owed money" and then it lists how to check if you do have unclaimed money? That is some of the monies there that people may be entitled to.
I just continually ponder why someone would not pick up their paycheck as I think they would need that income for living expenses.
Do you think you might have unclaimed money out there waiting to be claimed by you? I know I don't, lol, because I claim any money I can get when I can get it :)
I also don't get why someone doesn't collect their check! Do they not work regularly there? Even so I would also never lose a penny that I earned...I didn't know so much process is involved once check is returned!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood day
I was surprised too with the process of handling the checks when returned. I hadn't seen that part of a business before. It was fascinating to learn that! I am with you, I don't ever want to lose a penny I have earned!
Deletebetty
That's crazy that someone would not pick up a final paycheck. I make sure to get mine every Thursday because I refuse to work for free. We've had employees who haven't picked theirs up for maybe a week or so after they quit but they always end up coming in.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Ann, I refuse to work for free too! And I'm careful to tell the other temps not to start work until our starting time, lol :) Why give away something free? Good that your employees do eventually pick up their checks! They are entitled to them for the work performed :)
Deletebetty
I find it quite mystifying that people would forget or delay collecting their pay check.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Mind blowing for me! Thanks for visiting!
Deletebetty
It’s very odd! You have to wonder what happens in regards to taxes. The employee is still obligated to pay taxes on that and the company still needs to get them their W2. I suspect many people in America are just not paying their taxes.🙄
ReplyDeleteYou should see the amount of returned W2s that came back that were not able to be delivered. Trays and trays of them from the post office! The employee who handles this says that most of the people who don't pick up their paychecks probably don't pay taxes either. And of course if taxes are taken out, the government gets to keep them if someone doesn't file their return. You should also see the levies/garnishments that come from the different state governments as well as the IRS for people and unpaid taxes. I think these people might just not make enough money? Or slip under the radar somehow.
Deletebetty
I would opt for direct deposit as well. I can't understand not picking up your last check. That is odd.
ReplyDeleteHappy Monday Betty!!
It is odd! And direct deposit is so easy these days. Perhaps these people don't have checking accounts? Happy Monday to you too Lori!
Deletebetty
I always check the list for unclaimed money, but as of yet, not found any. I guess that's because I am one of those people who makes sure they get their paycheck.
ReplyDeleteI should probably check those lists out and hope I have unclaimed money, lol :) But I'm like you, I make sure I do get my paycheck :)
Deletebetty
So weird! We keep track of every penny coming in and going out. Well, maybe not every penny but enough to know if we are missing a paycheck!
ReplyDeleteFor sure that the "average" person would keep track of a paycheck! It is weird indeed!
Deletebetty
Well I must say you have increased my education. I had no idea that many checks were not picked up. I think of possible wrecks while someone is on vacation, etc, but normally people arrange for their checks.... Anyway thanks for the entry. WOW!
ReplyDelete;-)
This was all news to me too Jack. Just goes to prove we learn something new every day!
DeleteBetty
That is just nuts to me that people don't come to pick up their last check. It must be nice no to need income. Where I work, we many women that come back to work part time after being a stay at home mom. They don't really need the income. It's just to kill time or just have social interaction outside the house. Wish I were one of them.
ReplyDeleteThat would be nice not to have to work but I do enjoy getting out there and being productive. If I was like them, I probably would donate my paycheck to a worthy charity.
DeleteBetty
That's odd for someone not to pick up their paycheck. And I can't imagine not choosing direct deposit. I don't think my job even gives us a choice; everyone has to have direct deposit.
ReplyDeleteI found money for my sister on the unclaimed money website for SC. It was a utility company deposit that she forgot about when she was moving out of state.
That is neat Danielle! Glad to hear some one benefited from those sites. Maybe I will have to check our state's some time and see if I have money due.
DeleteBetty
This is one of the strangest things I have ever heard. NO I cannot imagine why anyone would work -- for even an hour -- and not be interested in claiming the wages they have coming. The only way I have unclaimed money is that there are SEVERAL people who owe me and TG money (this goes back over twenty years), that we will never see. One woman "bought" a choir dress that had been Erica's, only conveniently forgot to pay me. When I was a court reporter, my employer gave a portion of money that belonged to me, to someone else ... even though I was able to painstakingly document that the money was mine. TG has done work for which a certain person (now deceased) never paid him. That's the only way it's going to happen to me, unless I have a rich uncle I don't know about ... not likely, hahaaa! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you were a court reporter Jenny. I almost did that but went into medical transcription instead. I thought it was a fascinating field. I wish I too had a rich uncle lol. No such luck!
DeleteBetty
Indeed I guess they work for fun...
ReplyDeleteIntensity
I guess so. Not my cup of tea lol.
DeleteBetty
That is stranger than STRANGE! I did find your employer's processes interesting. I wonder if, perhaps, they're in jail or passed away. I suppose the State takes all that into account.
ReplyDeleteThat is something I didn't consider if they were in jail. If so, lots of them were in it lol. I know when I worked at unemployment we would get letters from people in jail looking for their unemployment checks lol.
DeleteBetty
My father used to get paid in cash every month like 3 decades ago. He woukd bring home a brown cover every month that had a standard template printed at the back and filled with the payment details
ReplyDeleteJayashree writes
Interesting. Being paid in cash could be a good thing I think.
DeleteBetty
How strange! I've heard of this happening, but don't know anyone who let's their paychecks slide.
ReplyDeleteI remember the old days of having to pick up a check at work, then go to the bank, wait in line for a teller, and deposit or cash the check. When Direct Deposit came along - what a wonderful thing!
It does seem strange indeed! I do remember those days of the "hassle" of getting a check into the bank or cashed. Direct deposit was the best thing invented since sliced bread, lol :) When I worked for the medical transcription company at the very beginning of it before they changed their policy, you could get your checked mailed to you or direct deposit. I had it mailed since I hadn't set up direct deposit right away. Actually the check was delivered FedEx. The driver always brought dog cookies when he rang people's doors in case he encountered a dog. We had our other corgi, Koda, who would get the treats. It got that Koda would recognize the engine of the FedEx truck when it pulled into our cul-de-sac and be waiting at the door for his treat. Horrors the day there was a substitute truck driver! After I signed for my check I had to get Koda a treat from our stash. Whenever the doorbell rang, he always expected a treat after that and he usually got one lol. Trick or treating times were fun :) (Actually we would keep the screen door open and hear the trick/treaters coming up and meet them at the door to hand out their treats). A few years later the company changed their policy and everyone had to have direct deposit (I'm sure to save money).
Deletebetty
I don't believe I have any unclaimed money out there. That is really something. Why wouldn't someone follow through to get their paycheck. I am also amazed at how long it is held for them to claim it.
ReplyDeleteIt does continue to amaze me that people don't pick up their checks. Ahd so much paperwork to keep track of them too! The employee thay does this work probably gets back about 50 checks a week. Some he can forward on but a good percentage he can't.
DeleteBetty
Direct deposit has made everything so easy. My daughter, Valerie, is one of those with a check floating around somewhere. She had a job for about 5 minutes, and never got her first and only paycheck. She didn't have a bank account for direct deposit, and no one explained how to get the check to her, then she was only put on the schedule to work one shift and never heard from them again! She's got a $35-40 check somewhere.
ReplyDeleteFind the corporate office of the company and either call them or send them a letter with all her details. I bet they have a call center where they will open a case and investigate it. If she worked,she should get paid for it.
DeleteBetty
That is truly weird. I have retired but we had direct deposit only for a very long time. Can’t imagine why people wouldn’t pick up pay checks.
ReplyDeletehttps://cassmobfamilyhistory.com
I'm with you; I don't get why people wouldn't pick up their paychecks. It fascinates me when I see the amount of returned checks that this employee processes. Direct deposit is the way to go for sure! We too have had it for years with the jobs we worked and now for my husband's retirement and my current working situation. Thanks for visiting!
Deletebetty