MICROSOFT SENT LETTERS TO FORMER EMPLOYEES TELLING THEM THEY HAVE TO RETURN SOME OF THEIR SEVERANCE PAY

It's bad enough to get fired from your job. But THIS just adds insult to injury . . .

Last month, Microsoft was forced to lay off 1,400 employees. Then last week, some of those former employees received letters from the company informing them that, quote:

"An administrative error occurred that resulted in an overpayment in severance pay by Microsoft. We ask that you REPAY the overpayment and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience to you."

In other words, Microsoft got the fired employees' hopes up by accidentally giving them lucrative severance packages . . . but now they want some of their money back.

Microsoft officials aren't saying how much they overpaid the former employees . . . but each employee was supposed to get 60-days salary, plus a, quote, "generous" severance package which varied depending on how long the employee was with the company.

Here's a new rule: If you're fired and your former employer accidentally gives you too much severance, that money is officially yours to keep. How could Microsoft make such a boneheaded mistake? I'd be furious if I got this letter in the mail.