WWYD - Paycheck bounced - UPDATE #44

[M5ward]

OP here. Thanks for all the good advice.

I cannot take the check to her bank because I no longer have the check. I guess our bank returns it to hers or whatever they do with checks after they are deposited. On the plus side, I was not charged any fees by my bank they just reversed the deposit. I did not draw any checks against this amount, so I will not be hit with any insufficient fund fees.

Let me explain that this person is not very good at communicating as it is. She does not return emails right away, she does not answer her phone but lets it go to voice mail. So there would be no point in calling her as she will not pick the phone up.

I collect the payments from clients during the week and bring them to her on Friday at which time I receive my "paycheck". If she does not have a replacement check for me on Friday plus my regular paycheck, she will not be getting the payments I have collected. I will be going to her bank to cash them on the following day so she had better have the funds in there to cover the both paychecks. And I really hope she does not hit me with some sob story because I have bills to pay too!

I wish I had known about the check bouncing when I got my check this past Friday and I would have taken that check to her bank. We don't find out until tomorrow if that check bounced or not. Ugh, I hate all this.

You need to contact YOUR bank and find out where the bounced check is. It should have been returned to you not your employer. I own a business and when I deposit a check from a customer that bounces for NSF, that check is returned to me so that I can collect from the check writer.

 

[kim929]

Banks don't usually have the actual check since most of the time it's done electronically. The send you an image of the check and that is what you redeposit into your acct. Once you put the check through your account and it is returned, you can't take the image to their bank and cash it, you have to redeposit it. I would take the time and go to their bank and cash it from now on. Good Luck....

 

[sksjasams]

This happened to my DH recently. He started a new job in September. Part time for a very small school bus company. I had been out shopping all day on Black Friday 11/25 and I got a call about 5pm from our credit union, saying that the paycheck we deposited 11/14 was being returned. I was stunned, as you can imagine, especailly after shopping all day! I had also just submitted online payments for all our bills for the month. I was shocked, but I wasn't really worried. I knew it just had to be a mistake and we would get the money right away. DH only gets paid once a month, so we really counted on that money.

DH was gone hunting for the weekend, so I decided to call her. I called from our home phone and she didn't answer. I called from my cell phone and she picked right up. She said the IRS had emptied both of her bank accounts and she was broke. She couldn't pay it. She made the comment that she just had enough money for food for her family, and I commented that I hoped we would have enough for food too. She said she would see what she could come up with. She had her daughter drop off $250 that night. She paid another $250 a couple weeks later and then caught up on the next paycheck.

She was very apologetic and said she didn't know why some checks bounced and others didn't. I suspect the other employees knew enough to cash the check at her bank. That was what our bank advised us to do from now on. They said they would have to put a 10-day hold on any check from her in the future, so DH just cashes it at her bank the day he gets paid.

I was just so thankful that my bank had taken the time to call personally to let me know. I was able to borrow some money from my mom and our DS in order to cover everything so none of our payments bounced. It really could have been a disaster.

Good luck OP!

 

[EllenFrasier]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

 

[VAfamily1998]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

I've experienced the fingerprint thing before--but not a $7 fee. That is outrageous.

 

[Deb & Bill]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

You really need to find a new job quickly. And leave this freeloader. Make her pay you the $7 you spend cashing the check at her bank.

 

[hereyago]

So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

Well you think it's a stupid policy, but it's an easy profit for the bank and the bank is all about business and profits. Think about how many people either don't have any bank account what so ever and cash their checks there because the check is from a bank account there, 7.00 really easy way to make a profit.


As for your boss, I'd make sure she includes that 10.00 fee from you bank in the check. Also if it becomes a pattern, yea I'd honestly have a discussion about if she kept bouncing my paychecks I'd start charging HER a NSF fee just like a business, and I wouldn't be kidding. You don't mess with people's money.

And I"d also save all paperwork: insufficient funds letter,emails,etc to show that if it keeps happening, there was a pattern of her bouncing payroll checks and creating check fraud.

 

[Leajess99]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

I would call and speak to the Manager as I don't see how they can charge you to cash THEIR bank's check.

ETA: What bank??

 

[rantnnravin]

I would call and speak to the Manager as I don't see how they can charge you to cash THEIR bank's check.

ETA: What bank??

sounds like Chase

 

[EllenFrasier]

I would call and speak to the Manager as I don't see how they can charge you to cash THEIR bank's check.

ETA: What bank??

It was a Citizen's bank.

 

[happygirl]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

If it was me I wouldn't take another check from her. She pretty much told you she has a habit of writing bad checks. I would talk to the bank manager I have never heard of a bank charging to cash a check that wrote on them.

 

[hereyago]

You really can't be mad at either bank, it was "Betty the check bouncer"lol that created this mess.

Now, sometimes things happen, but when she is telling you oh, usually the bank covered it before, then her butt is shady.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I had the same experience also. Just another way for the banks to make money.

 

[lucyvp]

It was a Citizen's bank.

Can you open a basic checking account there so that you can cash the check for free?

 

[rigs32]

M&T Bank charges a $10 fee to cash one of their checks if you are not a customer. It's becoming standard policy.

As for the fingerprint, anyone can get a fake ID or the ID of someone who looks enough like them to cash fake checks. We prosecute a LOT of people who do this based on those fingerprints. Think of them as insurance for the banks - the less often fraudulent checks are cashed, the less likely a bank is to hike up your fees.

 

[Bell30012]

Bank of America, Chase, Citizens have all started charging fees to non-customers that cash checks even if drawn upon their banks. Opening an account there just to cash your paycheck is a good idea... EXCEPT that unless you have direct deposit or maintain a certain balance they will be charging you a monthly fee.

 

[marie1203]

OP I am not sure of you can still do this but a few years ago you were able to call the bank and put a hold on the amount of money your check was for. Maybe you want to look into that to save the $7.

 

[Disneychix]

I am not certain why you have to cash the checks at her bank? Can't you cash them at your bank and not pay the fee?

 

[daughtersrus]

OP here with an update. Finally got an answer from her. She said that two checks went through the account at the same time and there wasn't quite enough money to cover them. She said her bank always covered her before so I'm guessing this is not the first time she has written more checks then she has funds to cover.
My bank took 6 days to charge me a fee $10 - so I let her know about that today. She said she will include it in my paycheck for this week, so that was good.
I went to her bank tonight to cash the check and they charged me $7.00! because I don't have an account with them. I said to the teller, but the check was drawn on her account from this bank and he said that's our policy. I also had to put a finger print on the check - what's up with that? I had a photo ID and everything. I hate banks as it is, this just adds to the list of reasons. So it cost me $7.00 to cash my own paycheck. I had planned to cash the next few weeks paychecks at her bank but not at a cost of $7.00 a pop. Stupid policy.

Since she's adding the $10 to your next check, she will probably be reporting it as income and you'll be taxed on that amount as well.


As others have said, maybe open an account there just so that you can cash them at no cost.

 

[bemily]

OP, open a basic account at Citizens if you plan on sticking with this employer to save the $7. But, when you go in to cash it or deposit it (if you do open an account) make sure you ask them to cash it first. Ex-husband's child support checks are written from a Citizens account, so I opened an account there, but when I went in to deposit it, it was not cashed first, so now I specifically asked so it is actual cash going into my account and not his check.