Microsoft lets laid-off employees keep overpayments

After a lot of (well-deserved) public outcry, Microsoft has decided to let the 20+ laid-off employees to whom it paid too much severance keep the money.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has more information.

"(Senior Vice President of Human Resources Lisa) Brummel said that she had personally called 22 of the 25 affected individuals letting them know that they did not need to repay the funds. ... She said the overpayments ranged from in the hundreds of dollars to $5,000 per employee."

The 20 or so folks who were among the 1,400 employees Microsoft cut in late January have been refunded their money, as well, according to Seattle PI blogger Joseph Tartakoff.

It's good to see Microsoft do the right thing -- even when it takes a heck of a lot of negative press to make it happen.