Sacked Microsofters can keep cash

HUMAN RESOURCES MONKEYS at multi billion dollar software concern Microsoft will be hanging their heads in collective shame today.

As we reported yesterday, the company accidentally overpaid reundancy settlements to some recently-sacked ex employees, and immediately asked the poor unfortunates to give the money back.

At the time, the extent of the overpayment was not known, either in terms of how many people were involved, or how much each individual was being asked to repay.

As it turns out, around 25 people were overpaid by between $4000 and $5000 and 20 people were underpaid by a similar amount.

But disgruntled ex-employees decided to take the matter to the public and soon copies of the letters asking for repayment were all over the Interwibble, causing a tide of criticism levelled against the super-wealthy company.

And it looks like people power has struck another victory for the downtrodden masses as Microsoft has withdrawn its request for repayment of the paltry amounts, with head of HR Lisa Brummel telling Cnet, "I thought it didn't make sense for us to continue on the path we were on."

Later, in a statement Brummel added, "Last week, 25 former Microsoft employees were informed that they were overpaid as a part of their severance payments from the company. This was a mistake on our part. We should have handled this situation in a more thoughtful manner. We are reaching out to those impacted to relay that we will not seek any payment from those individuals."

Those who were underpaid have been reimbursed. µ