Microsoft seeks money from laid-off workers

Microsoft seeks money from laid-off workers

www.msnbc.msn.com

updated 52 minutes ago

SEATTLE - A few weeks after launching the first wide-scale layoffs in its history, Microsoft Corp. admits it messed up a key part of the plan.

The company is asking some laid-off employees for a portion of their severance back, saying an administrative glitch caused the software maker to pay them too much.

Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, would not say how many of the 1,400 workers let go in January were overpaid, or by how much. Microsoft has said severance would be calculated by length of service and position in the company.

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The question that I have is this...

If the company that just laid you off gave you too much in your severance package...would you send them a check to make up the difference??

In this case it's Microsoft and I've got to admit that I'm on the fence about this one.

On the one shoulder (the angel), myself being a reasonably honest citizen, would give the money back. I also would have not spent huge amounts of a package that seemed overly generous. I would have been expecting something like this.

On the other shoulder (the devil) says "screw 'em" and if you think I'm sending you a check for the difference you can kiss my a%^!!! If a multi gazillion dollar behemoth like Microsoft can't add well in the severance dept...well too bad!!
Also, since Microsoft has Bill Gates and Paul Allen close at hand, one would think that they and their respective huge fortunes would pay this off for their laid off workers and say "thanks and I'm sorry that it had to come to this"...or something like that.

Which are you....angel or devil?????

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[edit on 23-2-2009 by wolf241e]

lol, ummmmm give me a lower paying, but still good job, don't send it to India, and I'lll refund. yaaaaaaaaaaay

I guess that would depend on if these employees would want to be re-employed when and if the time came by Microsoft. If they don't I can guarantee there names will be put on a no-rehire list. So it is really up to the individual.

haha they shouldn't have used EXCEL to do their payrole!

This might be the first mass lay off but it wont e the last!

reply to post by NatureBoy


hahahaha!

I'd keep it and let them sue me and make it as hard as possible for them to get it back out of me. Tough.

Still not nearly as bad as IBM did their people. Hey! You have a job! just move to India and work there at 1/3 the pay.

Why aren't Americans rioting in the strees? Oh I forgot...if it doesn't happen to them personally, they can't be bothered! And that's exactly what got us into this mess to begin with.

I suppose it would have to depend on how well the company treated me during employment.

If I was treated as part of the team, then yeah, I'd probably give them what they want back.

If I was simply used as a commodity, then heck no, they can deal with their own mistakes.


It all comes down to how the company treated its employees.

I live near Microsoft's headquarters. They are going ahead with the expansion of their facilities. There are several huge buildings under construction. Maybe the severance money is needed to pay for the extra elbow room.

PressPass: Does this acceleration of the campus expansion mean that Microsoft also intends to increase staffing faster than previously planned?

Smith: We will continue to hire quality people to be a part of our Microsoft team as the company grows, but making room for new employees is not the only reason we need more space. We also have overcrowding issues with current employees. By accelerating development now, we will have enough room for the new people that we expect to hire in the coming years, and also relieve our current overcrowding.

source

...would not say how much they were overpaid...

worst case? 5000 employees times what say at absolute max a year's salary of oh say hypothetically $100K a year? what's that? $500,000,000?!

come on. when you're let go from a company there are typically so many checks and balances and legal loopholes and hoops to be covered and jump through and paperwork to do and signatures to collect that it would be almost impossible that someone would not have noticed this. if they mismanaged this so badly, they deserve to eat it. sorry.

oh wait...they've never done this before!

This is regoddamndiculous..
I dunno about the employees, but guess what... its not thier fault yuo overpayed. Glitch in the system my butt. ALL thier hard work and dedication, only too be hadn slid out the door, and they have the nerve to give back some life support, the company sees as chump change?

I don't take money I didn't earn, so yes I would give it back. I can understand that mistakes happen.

What would bother me, however, is if no one discussed with me before my release just how much my severance was going to be so when I got my check and I noticed it was higher than normal I could have called or emailed the company to ask about it. That money might have already been spent on bills and then what - how would you produce money you didn't have or have a job to replace right then?

If they did discuss it before-hand then the employees should have noticed the amount was too much and set it aside, just in case.


[edit on 23-2-2009 by sos37]

If I was made aware of the formula used to determine severence pay then, yes, I would absolutely return the money.

If I was unaware of the formula and then was informed I had been overpaid and given the formula, yes I would return the money but I would very upset about it.

I imagine there may be people who have already spent theirs, and I believe they shouldn't be held responsible if they were not given the formula.

So I wonder how the lay off and severance pay conversation goes w/ Microsoft and its employees...