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Almost 50 Hamilton City Council workers got an unexpected bonus when they were told they could keep about $15,000 overpaid to them in a payroll blunder.
Payroll and process errors led to 49 staff - 30 waged and 19 on salary - being overpaid in December, the Waikato Times reported.
Initially only waged staff were asked to pay it back but after taking legal advice the council now said all overpaid staff could keep the money. Those who had started repaying it would be reimbursed.
Hamilton City Council chief executive Michael Redman yesterday said the buck stopped with him over the blunders.
He said recovering the money was the council's preference, but after taking legal advice it was decided to let staff keep it.
He was "acutely aware" the public perception would be that staff were keeping ratepayers' money they didn't earn, and he expected criticism for that.
- NZPA
