being overpaid

A friend of mine is working for a company and is being overpaid by nearly 500 euro a month. She agreed a rate of pay verbally on the phone before she started and is now being paid more then that. She's said it to a manager whom she is close to (and has worked with for a number of years in previous jobs) and she has suggested to not say anything but she is worried. What she is being paid IS the standard wage for someone in her position. I suggested she leave it for a while but what are her rights? Is it legally stealing?

I'd advise her to ask for a written statement of terms, which employers are obliged to give. See:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/c...ontracts-of-employment/contract_of_employment

One of the terms is rates of pay. If this is the higher amount, well and good. If not, er, not sure what to suggest!

To be honest she should go to payroll and sort it out - its deceitful and I would question her managers principles too. If she has been overpaid however, payroll cannot take back anything from her account without her prior written permission - if she chooses not to give her permission for whatever reason, well I dont know what happens then.

She should check her written terms of employment and, as advised above, ask payroll what rate she is meant to be on. If they say she's on the correct rate then that's fine. It's not worth having that sort of think hanging over her head.