A Chilean office assistant who was accidentally paid 330 times his monthly salary has won a legal battle allowing him to keep the funds, according to reports by The Metro.
The employee worked for the food company Dan Consorcio Industrial de Alimentos de Chile and normally earned £386 (around Rs 46,162) per month. However, in May 2022, a payroll error deposited £127,000 (approximately Rs 1.51 crore) into his account.
Initially, the man reportedly agreed to return the excess payment. But within three days, he resigned from his job and stopped responding to the company’s communications. The employer subsequently filed a legal complaint, accusing him of theft.
After a legal battle lasting three years, a judge in Santiago ruled that the case did not constitute theft. Instead, it was classified as “unauthorised collection,” meaning it could not be treated as a criminal offense.
Despite the court’s ruling clearing the employee of criminal charges, the company has stated it will continue pursuing recovery of the funds through civil proceedings.
In a statement to Diario Financiero, the company said: “We will take all possible legal steps, particularly an application for annulment, to have the ruling reviewed.”
This unusual case highlights the complexities surrounding accidental overpayments and employee rights under Chilean law.
