Microsoft backtracks on severance issue

Yusuf

it was a mistake from the get go for Microsoft to send out the letters. According to the article

"I thought it didn't make sense for us to continue on the path we were on," she told CNET News. Twenty-five workers were overpaid and about 20 underpaid, Microsoft said.

Brummel said she has spoken or left messages to most of those affected.

Brummel said those overpaid received, on average, about $4,000 or $5,000 in extra pay.

so it boils down to 25 * $5,000 = $125,000 :(( what is this much money for company with billions of dollars.

Yusuf

Christian Graus

Yusuf wrote:

25 * $5,000 = $125,000 what is this much money for company with billions of dollars.

I have plenty of money in the bank. If I get short changed $5, I'll still ask for it. Microsoft didn't become rich by giving money away. In any case, I'd imagine the HR person who overpaid them has pursued it in fear of their own job, not that Bill Gates was called and asked what to do.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.

Yusuf

I agree, I am not asking for MS to give out *free* money. Someone has made serious mistake out there. It is how they decided to handle the mistake really the issue here. Given the state of the economy, this been their first time to let go these much people, I would have used to steer good PR using the $125K. I am sure they might spend far more than on some of their ads anyways. So, the point it how they decided to handle the whole issue, not giving loose change to people. :doh:

Yusuf

Chris Austin

Yusuf wrote:

so it boils down to 25 * $5,000 = $125,000 what is this much money for company with billions of dollars.

It has nothing to due with the dollar amount, it's the principle behind it. How would you react to being short changed just a little bit at a grocery store?

Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece. --?

Yusuf

Chris Austin wrote:

How would you react to being short changed just a little bit at a grocery store?

If I overpaid a little bit more and then I realize it, I would let the clerk keep the change. The issue is not short changing here. MS could have used this for good PR. It was their mistake, and they have all the right to ask for it, but given the situation, it would have given them either good PR or avoided all the negative criticism that stemmed from it

Yusuf

Christian Graus

But, you're still talking as if every decision made by someone at MS, is made at the top level. I left my last office job and they overpaid me, they asked for it back. They did what every company would do in the circumstances, until it got to the attention of someone who wasn't just blindly doing their job, and then they made a decision that it wasn't worth that money ( or rather, worth the PR cost ) to fight it. I bet the person who overpaid them still got their butt kicked, tho.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.

Christian Graus

Yusuf wrote:

MS could have used this for good PR

Again, they plainly have done, once the people who could make that decision, became aware of it.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.

Yusuf

Christian Graus wrote:

you're still talking as if every decision made by someone at MS, is made at the top level.

I don't think I raised the issue of top level. All I said was Microsoft as a company. Regardless of who has the knowledge and who took what action, it represents the company, unless the company disowned the decision. If I have to take a decision it will reflect on my company. The company may not agree with my decision, but they will have to live with it. I may pay a price for my decision though.

Christian Graus wrote:

They did what every company would do in the circumstances, until it got to the attention of someone who wasn't just blindly doing their job, and then they made a decision that it wasn't worth that money ( or rather, worth the PR cost ) to fight it.

I think that seems the case. But again, regardless who took what action, the company as a whole gets the credit or blame.

Christian Graus wrote:

I bet the person who overpaid them still got their butt kicked, tho.

no question about it...

Yusuf

Chris Austin

Yusuf wrote:

f I overpaid a little bit more and then I realize it, I would let the clerk keep the change.

I personally wouldn't nor can I comprehend not requesting your money back.

Yusuf wrote:

The issue is not short changing here. MS could have used this for good PR. It was their mistake, and they have all the right to ask for it, but given the situation, it would have given them either good PR or avoided all the negative criticism that stemmed from it

My understanding is that they sent a polite letter asking for it back. I don't how that can be taken in a bad way.

Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece. --?

Christian Graus

Chris Austin wrote:

I don't how that can be taken in a bad way

Because it's Microsoft. Like I said, the same thing happened to me, and I didn't mind, I minded a little that I'd thought I was getting paid x amount and found that I had been mistaken, but I didn't begrudge paying it back.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista.