Recently Microsoft (MS) overpaid 1400 ex-employees. And now MS wants refund from them.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10805_3-10169119-75.html

My questions:
Q1: Should the employee return that amount?
Q2: What can the company do, legally, if the ex-emp refuse to refund?
Q3: Would anything change if it's a contract position? (eg.: MS overpaid an agency, and that agency pays an individual)

Please consider ethics and morals. But also consider that the payment is made thru the legal routes and it's for your hard work.

In my views, it's in gray area. For direct deposit, the company can revert the transaction. But with direct deposit for more than few years, I almost never verify my deposit amount every salary day.

What would you do?

If it's not illegal, I do not feel comfortable accepting it as legal. But at the same time if it's not illegal, why not enjoy it? After all it's paid by your company for your hard work.

Thanks.

I read on the Times of India website just now that Microsoft has now asked those laid-off employees to keep the excess pay.

When I was in Canada, a company that I worked for 15 days, did ask me to refund overpaid salary. I did pay them back.

I guess a company can take legal action if the amount is substantial.

Rgds.

Rajan.

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