Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Give Me Back My Money!

Apparently Microsoft overpaid the severance for some of the 1,400 workers they just laid off...and asked for the money back! Can you believe it?

When Chris was laid off by a past employer, they had also overpaid him - and asked for the money back. We did NOT give the money back. Are you kidding? We have 3 children to feed and the desire to keep a roof over our heads. Chris was not a highly paid executive, so I am sure that the overpayment "written off" as an operating loss, but to us the "extra" money was very important to the continuation of our livelihood. The way I see it, that money is like the food that our dog steals out of our hands (he can be quick): there is NO WAY that I am going after the food or asking for it back. It is his. He can have it.

Large companies fail to remember that people are not FTEs - that there are lives that are affected by their actions. As a business owner I understand the need to keep business forefront, but I also have not forgotten the people who have gotten me this far and continue to help me move forward.

So Microsoft, write it off. To the people behind the financial oversight: please realize that you gave quite a few people an extra week or two of being able to meet living expenses - and feel good.

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