Palkkakehystä

Palkkakehystä is a Finnish term that translates to "wage ghost" or "salary phantom." It refers to the phenomenon where a salary or wage is paid out to an individual who is no longer employed by the company, or who has not performed any work for the company during the period the payment covers. This can occur due to administrative errors, system glitches, or in rare, fraudulent cases.

The reasons behind a palkkakehystä can be varied. Often, it stems from a delay in updating payroll records after an employee has left the company. If the departure is not promptly communicated to the payroll department, their regular salary might continue to be processed. Another possibility is an error in the timing of payments, where a salary is issued before the employee's start date or after their official last day of employment. In some instances, it could be a deliberate act of fraud, where a fictitious employee is created, or an actual employee's details are misused to divert funds.

The consequences of a palkkakehystä can be significant for the employer. It represents an unnecessary outflow of funds and can lead to financial losses. Furthermore, it points to potential weaknesses in internal control systems and payroll processing procedures. Companies typically have procedures in place to detect and rectify such errors, often through regular audits and reconciliation processes. When discovered, the employer usually attempts to recover the erroneously paid funds, either by seeking reimbursement from the individual or by adjusting future payments if the individual is still employed.