This isn't too uncommon. In some states, some employers can garnish wages that are overpaid. I personally think it's stupid, but it's up to state law and any documents you signed if you have to pay it back. The Fair Labor Standards Act might protect you (it should), but we know America doesn't care about working people.

I googled this and pretty much every response from a lawyer said pay it back. If its a large amount of money over a long time though personally I'd go get a consultation and see if there are any exceptions.

Contact a lawyer and see if you can arrange a payment plan. It is unreasonable to expect you to pay the whole amount back in one go.

Something like this happened to my brother once. He got a big raise at his annual review. He though it was just a big raise… The next year they told him that payroll had made a mistake and they had paid him too much - And please pay it back. He said, sorry I don’t have it and they deducted some amount of money every payday for a year until it was repaid. By the way he left that job for another about the time he got it all paid off. Once in my case, I quit to go to another job. On my last day I got my pay and accrued vacation pay. A couple of weeks later plus a few days, I got an envelope with two more weeks pay. I didn’t ask any questions. I deposited the money in a savings account. Six months later I still hadn’t heard anything so then I spent it. (I am not giving my real name or any other details, by the way.) As awful and unfair as it seems, I think the employer can get the money back. But who has that much money in a lump sum? They can work out a repayment plan. If it’s from long enough back perhaps some statute of limitations applies - But I wouldn’t bet my life on it. Start looking for a new job regardless, any company that incompetent and heartless is not a good place to work.

remember to check your pay, to see if youre getting the right amount, from now on ;) ducks though