Weird payment received

[Teeki]

I received a huge pay from work yesterday, and I know I'm not getting any bonus. So I called HR and she found a copy of my pay slip for me, which said I got my regular leave payment from work, plus just under $4,500 government leave entitlement (net).

I'm confused about why that amount has been paid now, because I'm getting 24 weeks leave pay from work, which began 01/10, so hasn't finished yet. I opted for the 18 weeks government leave pay to start after that, so why would I get it now? And why that lump sum? It's not the total, is that a months worth or something?

I have no idea what this is about, can't get through to centrelink and want a bit of an idea what it could be before any of it gets spent.

[briggsy's girl]

Your work have messed up. Fao pay employers on advance for your scheduled ppl start date. Generally six weeks payment at a time. Your employer has paid you six weeks worth of ppl at once instead of paying it over the intended six weeks

[Teeki]

Ah that makes sense, thanks! Will give them a call about it after Christmas because I suspect I've paid a lot of tax on this one.

[briggsy's girl]

i dunno - if it's six weeks of pay (not sure of basic wage but it's something between 600 and 700 a week) it sounds like you've paid next to no tax. unless they've paid a larger portion (it may be more than six weeks worth of payment)
definitely check!

[Teeki]

The total net payment was just under $6k, and the portion from work is $1,322. On the phone she said the tax was just over $3k. I can't work out if that's normal oe not though lol.

[briggsy's girl]

if you were taxed 3k on a 6k payment, you've been quite a bit over taxed - and if you got 4.5k from the government it sounds more like they've paid 7-8 weeks of ppl (i just checked - it's just over 620 per week). it's possible that the payment cycles haven't married up so your employer has been paid a larger amount (i've seen it range from 6 up to 18 weeks paid in an installment - where 8 weeks has been paid for first installment, the next is 6 and the final is 4 - it's very much paid to match the pay cycle your employer dictates)

[Razzberry]

My employer did the same to me, I told them I wanted ti fortnightly but they said they pay it as soon as they receive it from FAO so I just had chunks of money, then none, then chunks etc, was very annoying but they refused to do anything about it!