$29,000.00 Tip Given - Notre Dame says, 'Oops... give it back!'

by jeanniebeanz 17 Replies latest jw friends

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  jeanniebeanz

  Notre Dame Sues Caterer Mistakenly Given $29G Gratuity

  Thursday, September 17, 2009

  The University of Notre Dame has a new tip for a catering employee they mistakenly gave a $29,000 gratuity check: Give it back.

  A lawsuit filed by the Indiana university claims Sara Gaspar used the accidental check to pay bills and buy a new car, MyFOX Chicago reported.

  Notre Dame claims the check, which was supposed to be for $29.87, not $29,387, was issued on April 17 and alleges caterer Gaspar never notified university officials about the blunder.

  Gaspar claims when messages she left regarding the check went unreturned, she assumed the amount wasn't a mistake. She also said her supervisors told her the check was legitimate and they would pass on her messages to the human resources department, MyFOX Chicago reported.

  "I guess because it was there and I was in a bad situation, I went out and spent it," Gaspar told the South Bend Tribune. "I was so excited ... I thought, I could pay some of these bills."

  Her attorney claims that because the funds were listed as "gratuity" and not "wages," Gaspar did nothing wrong.

  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,551367,00.html?test=latestnews
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  flipper

  JEANNIE- Interesting thread. Surely this woman didn't think she would get away with buying merchandise and paying bills with this alleged " check " did she ? I mean, hey , I understand times are rough and many people are tight financially, myself included . But you would think this lady would not have assumed she really deserved THIS MUCH $$$$. I would think she had some kind of records indicating how much she really earned by tips.

  That being said - I hope they realize how desperate she was and don't penalize her too severely. However it all depends on if the courts buy her story that it was an honest mistake on her part and that she didn't KNOWINGLY try to deceive. . Should be an interesting trial
• 

  purplesofa

  I say

  Let her keep it!!!!!!!
• 

  Farkel

  Leave the cannoli. Take the check.

  Farkel
• 

  Steve_C

  A few years ago I discovered a deposit that was made to my checking account, but I hadn't made it. It was a direct deposit for $800+. Since it was an odd amount, like $879.34, I figured it was someone's payroll check. I immediately contacted the bank, who said they'd take care of it. A month later the funds were still in my account. I contacted the bank once again, and they assured me it would be taken care of.

  After the second month, I decided to transfer the money to my savings because I didn't want to accidentally spend any of it (but it wasn't like I couldn't have used it). I guess at the same time the bank finally decided to correct the error, because almost immediately after the transfer I received a terse phone call from the bank. They almost seemed threatening when they informed me that I would have to return the funds. I explained that they could find the money in my savings. I received neither a thanks nor even a softer tone.

  I had previously worked in a savings & loan, so I know that I probably saved someone's job by not spending the money; two months is way too long not to resolve an electronic transfer issue. I can only imagine what the person who was really entitled to the funds was going through.

  Anyway, my opinion is that that this woman considered this a 'blessing', but deep down inside knew that she wasn't entitled to the money.
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  Witness 007

  We all would want to keep it but imagine if it was your check {cheque} you would want it back too.
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  Farkel

  Steve_c,

  : because almost immediately after the transfer I received a terse phone call from the bank.

  Yeah. "No good deed goes unpunished."

  Several times I have returned money to grocery checkers who gave me change for a twenty, when I only offered a ten. Rather than saying thank you, they snatched the money out of my hands and scowled at me as if I had tried to steal it. That aside, I still felt good for doing the right thing.

  Farkel
• 

  Satanus

  What would ayn rand do?

  S
• 

  babygirl75

  I say it's the University's Mistake, especially not returning her calls about it! She at least made the effort to see if it was legit. After some time, I would have done the same and used it!! She is entitled to keep it IMO.
• 

  JeffT

  She should not have spent the money, obviously it was a mistake. But it sounds like she tried to return it, and her lawyer may have a point about the "gratuity."

  Funny banking story. About twenty years ago the company I was working for paid off a short term loan at the end of September. Check was for a bit over $100,000. When I did the bank rec the check had not cleared, but I didn't think much of it because it had only been a few days. End of October the check still hasn't cleared. I told my boss (the CFO) he asked if the people we paid off we're saying they didn't get it. I hadn't heard a word from the so he said it would turn up, in the meantime we had plenty of overdraft protection. End of November the check still hasn't cleared. I called the payee and they said they should the loan paid off in September. When I told the CFO his eyes lit up a little and he said "we need to deal the boss." So we march into the bosses office, tell him and his eyes light up. At that point all three of us go talk to the treasurer. The boss wanted to put the money in savings and collect the interest. The Treasurer says we need to find out what happened. About two days later the check cleared, turns out it had been misplaced when a bank office was moving. But we had a lot of money for awhile.