Does your business depend on their software?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090223/microsoft_overpaid_severance.html

Microsoft has to hit up laid-off workers for money
Monday February 23, 2:45 pm ET
By Jessica Mintz, AP Technology Writer
Office error: Microsoft asks laid-off workers for money back, says glitch inflated severance

SEATTLE (AP) -- A few weeks after launching the first wide-scale layoffs in its history, Microsoft Corp. admits it screwed up a key part of the plan.

The company is asking some laid-off employees for a portion of their severance back, saying an administrative glitch caused the software maker to pay them too much.


Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, would not say how many of the 1,400 workers let go in January were overpaid, or by how much. Microsoft has said severance would be calculated by length of service and position in the company.

--snip--

My possible start-up will run on Apple.

You're not at the mercy of a single vendor, you have the source code when you need it, and if all else fails, you can fix it yourself.

If the person responsible for the glitch was among the laid off.
Or maybe that person was just helping some coworkers, a farewell gift so to speak.

A glitch :rofl:

Unfortunately doesn't necessarily apply if you have a pre-existing relationship, but say you bank with B of A and Chase sends you a check for 5 million out of the blue, made out to you, no strings attached, it's your money.

The reason Microsoft has to ask for the money back is because they signed a severance agreement with those badly calculated numbers in it - both parties are held to to the contract equally.

The point being - sounds like the accountants should have been RIFd first.