diff --git a/payroll/api.py b/payroll/api.py
index 98f2b2c7..af4e9292 100644
--- a/payroll/api.py
+++ b/payroll/api.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import json
 
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.http import JsonResponse
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
+from django.http import JsonResponse
 
 from core.utils.generic_helpers import get_previous_months_data
 from payroll.views import EditPayrollBaseView
@@ -88,30 +88,31 @@ def post(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         )
 
         return JsonResponse({})
-    
+
+
 class EmployeeNotesApi(EditPayrollBaseView):
     def post(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
         try:
             data = json.loads(request.body)
             if not data:
-                return JsonResponse(
-                    {"error": "Missing request body"}, 
-                    status=400
-                )
-            notes = data.get('notes')
-            employee_no = data.get('employee_no')
+                return JsonResponse({"error": "Missing request body"}, status=400)
+            notes = data.get("notes")
+            employee_no = data.get("employee_no")
 
             if not notes or not employee_no:
                 return JsonResponse(
-                    {"error": "Both 'notes' and 'employee_no' are required"}, 
-                    status=400
+                    {"error": "Both 'notes' and 'employee_no' are required"}, status=400
                 )
             employee_data = payroll_service.get_employee_data(
                 self.cost_centre,
                 self.financial_year,
             )
             employee = next(
-                (item for item in employee_data if str(item["employee_no"]) == employee_no),
+                (
+                    item
+                    for item in employee_data
+                    if str(item["employee_no"]) == employee_no
+                ),
                 None,
             )
             if employee:
@@ -123,17 +124,10 @@ def post(self, request, *args, **kwargs):
                 )
             return JsonResponse({}, status=204)
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
-            return JsonResponse(
-                {"error": "Invalid JSON format"}, 
-                status=400
-            )
-        except ValidationError as e:
-            return JsonResponse(
-                {"error": str(e)}, 
-                status=400
-            )
+            return JsonResponse({"error": "Invalid JSON format"}, status=400)
+        except ValidationError:
+            return JsonResponse({"error": "Invalid data provided"}, status=400)
         except Exception:
             return JsonResponse(
-                {"error": "An error occurred while processing the request"}, 
-                status=500
-            )
\ No newline at end of file
+                {"error": "An error occurred while processing the request"}, status=500
+            )