Employees at National Semiconductor were given 30-G video iPods to celebrate the company’s best fiscal year ever. Now, after a recent layoff, employees are being asked to return the iPods.

This has to be the stupidest idea ever from a PR and marketing standpoint. Not only do you lay off the employees, but you also demand back something that at the time was perceived as a gift. This is idiotic: National Semiconductor wants 35 iPods back. To a company that big, 35 iPods is nothing. And now, with this stunningly greedy corporate move, they’ve earned themselves some really horrible PR.

Yay for corporate america! Always ready to rape you just that little extra bit harder when times are tough.