CFOSnafu.com » Accidental zeros take bonus from ho-hum to ‘I’m done!’

Accidental zeros take bonus from ho-hum to ‘I’m done!’

October 27, 2008 by Shane Borer
Posted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest news & views, Tech failure

It never hurts to double- and triple-check paperwork — especially when an error could send fellow employees on a permanent Jamaican getaway.

When Oklahoma officials informed Jo Harris that her state employee bonus check had a major error on it, she probably expected to be shorted a few dollars. Instead, the slip-up worked in her favor: Three accidental zeroes ballooned her check to an impressive $850,000.

But like most grand things in life, it was only temporary. State accountants picked up on the error within a few days, before the payment went into her bank account. They informed Harris that she should watch her account for any suspiciously large deposits.

Many money-minded employees might’ve played dumb at the request, but not Harris. She said she’d let officials know if the extra money entered her account. Her reasoning: “I don’t go to jail for anybody.”

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