Normal people losing money, that’s one thing. You can almost set your watch to it, truth told. But a big corporate company losing a bunch of money inadvertently? That’s not just odd — that’s real.
Oh, and they’d like the money back. KTHNXBYE=).
Unceremoniously (but, sadly, not out of the norm in these current times), Microsoft laid off 1400 employees. 25 of those unfortunate few became fortunate, as they were apparently overpaid in their severance packages. Score! Woo-hoo! Bonus! Take that, big business!
AHEM. Done yet? Because Microsoft would very much like amount returned them in one monetary form or another. A letter from the House that Bill Built to the employees stated:
“We ask that you repay the overpayment and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to you,”
Said letter then made its way onto the intarwubs. Much lamenting ensued. Also, photos of kittens. So, is there a happy ending to the story?
Actually, yes, there is a happy ending. Lisa Brummel, Microsoft’s senior vice president for human resources, called most of the 25 employees, telling them they could keep the money.
“I decided it didn’t quite feel right.”
That’s kind of her and the company. I mean, it’s not like making the employees pay back the money wouldn’t have been a total marketing nightmare in this day and age. A much imagined monolithic company (once investigated for holding a monopoly) forcing a bunch of laid off former employees to pay back a screw-up on the company’s fault? Nope, no way, no how, no problem at all with that marketing image at all.