Overpaid Ex-Microsofters Get to Keep the Money

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Overpaid Ex-Microsofters Get to Keep the Money



After the predictable backlash over the release of a letter asking some former Microsoft employees to return overly generous severance pay [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89631-Microsoft-Overpays-Fired-Workers-Asks-For-Refund], the software giant has had a change of heart and mind, announcing that they'll get to keep the extra dough.

Now that - with this update to the story - Microsoft isn't dealing with quite as nightmarish a PR fiasco, we're finally getting some more details, as well. Of the 1,400 employees whose positions were axed by MS back in January, an administrative error resulted in 25 of them accidentally being given severance packages $4,000 to $5,000 higher than they should have been.

A letter sent to one of these 25 former employees explaining the error and asking them to refund the money surfaced on the Internet over the weekend, and predictably spread like wildfire through the proverbial grapevine. Lisa Brummel, Microsoft's Senior VP of Human Resources, learned of the letters only after the copy appeared on technology blog TechCrunch. Brummel then proceeded to individually call each of the 25 employees in question in order to personally tell them that the company would no longer be asking them to return the extra cash.

"I decided it didn't quite feel right," said Brummel.

So, great news for those 25 - less awesome for the other 1,375 who didn't find an extra five grand in their severance checks.

Well, make that 1,376. Somebody probably got fired for this mix-up.

(Kotaku [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498666,00.html])

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Galletea

Inexplicably Awesome
Sep 27, 2008
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So of course they drop the issue after bad press, in an attempt to make themselves seem less evil. We know the truth. Not really surprising that they did that though.
 

Shadow Law

New member
Feb 16, 2009
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If I got fired from my job and they ask me to give my last check back to them my head would explode with anger and I wouldn't hold myself responsible for my actions afterward.
 

L.B. Jeffries

New member
Nov 29, 2007
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I wonder if their lawyers sat down and explained to her that should one of them refuse to pay the money back, the necessary lawsuit would be far, far worse PR.