Unfiltered Story #364528

(Part of my job is payroll. The following happens over email with our payroll company.)

Me: “Hi, can you please process a check for Ms. Washington. This is an advance, please don’t take out taxes. Thank you.”

(They email me a copy of the pay stub to make sure everything looks right before they send her the money. The check says “other income” $500 and has taxes taken out.)

Me: “Yes, can you do it again without the taxes removed?”

(They email me a new stub without taxes taken out.)

Me: “Thank you, and just to check it says “other income,” that is hitting account 1520, correct?”

Email: “If you want to hit account 1520 we’re going to need to process this as an advance.”

Me to my coworker who is copied on the email: “sometimes I feel like they don’t even listen to me…”

Coworker: “My question is how did they know you wanted the check for $500?”

(I read over the emails and realize I never specified a dollar amount. Since I did want the check for $500 I never questioned that part.)