Transit employee received $620,000 paycheck error, money still not returned

ATLANTA (Atlanta News First/Gray News) — An Atlanta public transit employee received $620,000 in an April paycheck in error, and the money has not been returned.

The employee, who cleaned train stations, was paid $620,000 in overtime in April that they did not earn, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, or MARTA, confirmed to Atlanta News First. The error was not flagged until July. Five months later, the money still has not been returned.

MARTA said the overpayment was the result of a clerical error.

A MARTA spokesperson said the agency worked with the employee in an effort to recover the funds and hoped to resolve the matter without legal action. The spokesperson said the employee has not returned the funds, so MARTA has filed a civil suit to recoup the money.

MARTA hopes to reach a resolution quickly, the spokesperson said.

The worker who has not returned the funds and the employee involved in the clerical error are no longer with MARTA, according to the spokesperson.

Latest in a series of money issues

This is the latest issue involving the transit agency’s handling of money. Last month, MARTA settled with the city of Atlanta for $52 million. The payment followed allegations that the agency mismanaged funds as part of the More MARTA sales tax program, which builds out transit capital projects in the city of Atlanta.

Charles Bridgers, an Atlanta attorney specializing in employment law, said he has never heard of a case involving this much money.

“I’ve really never, never heard of one that has that much money involved in it,” Bridgers said.

Bridgers said that while MARTA is pursuing a civil case against the employee, the employee could also face a criminal charge of theft by taking.

“They didn’t steal it, but by keeping it, they’re retaining something that doesn’t belong to them, and the law can let you collect on that,” Bridgers said.

Bridgers said employees have a moral and legal obligation to speak up when they notice they were paid improperly. He said the problem now is getting the money back.

“MARTA could get a judgment for that amount of money. Then that’s where the hard part comes,” Bridgers said.

MARTA would have to go through collections to try to get the money or comparable assets.

Where the money could go

These are ways the $620,000 could have helped the transit agency.

• Cover wages for 15 station cleaners for a year
• Pay the base salary of 10 police officers, at a time when MARTA is prioritizing rider safety
• Buy a brand-new bus
• Pay for 250,000 bus or rail trips

MARTA’s response

A MARTA spokesperson said the agency is retraining staff and strengthening its processes to prevent this from happening again “as we continue providing safe, reliable transit that connects our region.”