<prompt> Human: Ok so late last year my company announced they were closing my location. They were giving out 2 forms of compensation. First was a severance package and second was a retention bonus to certain employees as incentives to stay till the end. I was given an offer of both, just under 10k for severance and 25k retention. Then the offered some jobs in another location. I was told if I transfered I would keep my retention but lose my severance but would get 5k as moving expenses. I liked my job and liked the area they wanted to move me to so I accepted the transfer. They gave me a check for 30,000 usd. It was a payroll check so it showed all the deductions and showed that the gross amount was just over 50k so that after taxes it was 30k. I was surprised but happy that they covered the taxes. So I move and use most of the most on furniture and moving expenses and replaced my car and all. This was back in August and September. So today I get called into hr and told that they overpayed me and I now owe them just over 12k as long as I give it to them this month or if I wait till next year to pay them I owe them about 19k due to the additional money I would get back on my taxes when I file due to the money they over payed me. I have between 3 to 4 thousand left in the bank. I have no idea how I can get that much money to pay them. If I wait till next year thats almost half my salary. That does not even leave me enough to pay my rent never mind eat. Is this even legal? What can I do?  <response>: If they actually overpaid you, they have every right to reclaim that money.If you have any proof that what they offered you is what you got paid, they dont really have any recourse, but Id think twice about continuing to work for a company that pays out what they agreed to and then later demands repayment of almost half the amount. 