It’s hard enough losing a job, but paying back some of the money received through severance payouts is just not something you would want to do. The employees we’re talking about are from the first round of layoffs by Microsoft, accounting for 1,400 jobs.

 

The software giant sent them a letter (made available by Tech Crunch) with the following text:

 

 

Although the exact figures to be paid back remain unknown, it’s quite hard to imagine Microsoft would have been unable to do without them. On the other hand, they have all the right to run after their money, especially in difficult economic times. The question is, who pays for the error?

 

Microsoft has confirmed that the letter circulating the media is genuine, but has not made any comments on how the error occurred in the first place.

 

The company announced earlier this year that it will slash up to 5,000 jobs, the largest reduction of this kind in its entire history. Microsoft also announced it would reduce headcount-related expenses, vendors and contingent staff, capital expenditures and marketing.

 

The announcement came just as the software giant reported losses in the quarter ending December 31, 2008, in an economic context that includes a weaker PC market and a continuous shift to lower priced notebooks.