Thread: Microsoft Overpays Laid-Off Employees, Wants Money Back

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,498666,00.html

Microsoft Overpays Laid-Off Employees, Wants Money Back

What Bill Gates giveth, Bill Gates can taketh away.

Microsoft says some of the 1,400 employees it laid off last month accidentally got too much in their severance packages -- and now it wants the money back.

"This letter is to inform you that an inadvertent administrative error occurred that resulted in an overpayment in severance pay by Microsoft," reads a letter sent to an unnamed employee and posted on the TechCrunch blog. "We ask that you repay the overpayment and sincerely apologize for any overpayment to you."

Blacked out are the employee's name and address and how much Microsoft says he owes. The letter bears a Microsoft letterhead and a date of Feb. 18.

Contacted by CNet News, a Microsoft spokesman confirmed the letter was real and hinted that some other laid-off employees had been underpaid in their severance packages.

He or she declined further comment, deeming it "a private matter between the company and the affected people."

Microsoft wants the money back within two weeks. The incentive? An adjusted employee tax statement from Microsoft. Otherwise, you're liable for the income tax on the extra cash.

On Jan. 22, the day the layoffs were announced, Microsoft reported its net income for the Oct.-Dec. 2008 quarter was down 11 percent from a year previously, but was still a healthy $4.17 billion.

=================================================

This rotten SOB has a net worth in the billions and he's crying over what probably amounts to a few grand tops. He really is a piece of s--t.

Surprised they did that. One job I worked at insisted it be direct deposit, and then without warning just took it back and then some and it took people a couple of years to get the mess straightened out. That's why I don't do direct deposit. Don't appreciate people just comming in and taking what they want.