Swine Flu: Stay Home

[BridgeTroll]

Crys... Great!  I am happy for both you and your employees.  Then you are WELL aware of other small businesses that are struggling to make payroll and simply survive.  Suppose they cannot pay for people to not work.  Are they "bad businesses"?  Should they be forced to close down and layoff if they cannot provide what you are able to? 

Shwaz is NOT implying what you accuse him of.  What he was saying is when they do call out now... they do not get paid.  Seems fair to me to put some responsibility on the employee.  If they want to get paid for being sick they should be required to show a doctors diagnosis.  Seems fair to me.

[CrysG]

Crys... Great!  I am happy for both you and your employees.  Then you are WELL aware of other small businesses that are struggling to make payroll and simply survive.  Suppose they cannot pay for people to not work.  Are they "bad businesses"?  Should they be forced to close down and layoff if they cannot provide what you are able to? 

Shwaz is NOT implying what you accuse him of.  What he was saying is when they do call out now... they do not get paid.  Seems fair to me to put some responsibility on the employee.  If they want to get paid for being sick they should be required to show a doctors diagnosis.  Seems fair to me.

BT,

No I'm not saying that those small busness are bad. What I AM saying is that I CHOSE to put the well fair of my workers above some profits. And you know what? It's paying me back. How? When my workers are sick they stay home, they don't come in and spread it to everyone else. If the schools close they don't have to stress about what to do. And last years turn over rate? 0% which means I'm not having to pay to train an a new employee. I asked my workers if they are happy and they are. Reason....Good wage.....good health care....and PTO......Do I own a 2nd BMW? No....am I having to stand in a bread line? No.


And you talk about responsibility, where is the responsibility of the current employers? Again I'll use myself. Do I require a note? No I'm not their momma and they aren't staying home from school. Do some use a sick day to go to the beach? Yes, and they come back from it fully charged and ready to do their job. Sometimes people are "sick" without a physical ailment.

[BridgeTroll]

Hmm... it is great to hear of your success.  I really am.  I would like to hear from others who have a different experience.  You and I both know that for every employer with your experience their are many others with a differing experience.

How would we help businesses who cannot afford to do what you are??

[Shwaz]

No I'm not saying that those small busness are bad. What I AM saying is that I CHOSE to put the well fair of my workers above some profits. And you know what? It's paying me back. How? When my workers are sick they stay home, they don't come in and spread it to everyone else. If the schools close they don't have to stress about what to do. And last years turn over rate? 0% which means I'm not having to pay to train an a new employee. I asked my workers if they are happy and they are. Reason....Good wage.....good health care....and PTO......Do I own a 2nd BMW? No....am I having to stand in a bread line? No.

So because your business is profitable enough to support PTO every other business should too? Everyone can do it because you can and still have 1 BMW. How many business's out there are barely breaking even?

I work for one of the largest companies in Jax and we've had to put a freeze on raises for 2009 / 2010 and also canceled 401-K contributions but that meant more people could keep their jobs.

Maybe the next company on the block can still afford these employee benefit's but does that mean I should expect my company to as well. No. I want this job to be here for the long haul, I've worked too hard to get where I am and wouldn't jeopardize that for a 5% pay raise, 401-k $$$ or paid sick day.

[BridgeTroll]

Exactly Shwaz... I'm thinking PTO is a luxury item.  Crys chooses to and is able to provide that benefit to her employees.  What if her business takes a turn for the worse.  Does she still supply those benefits?  Keep the benefits and lay off an employee?

[CrysG]

No I'll do what's best for my workers. I'll take a pay cut before I lay someone off and have to cut basic benefits. That's the difference between your world and mine. My company isn't growing we're breaking even as well. BUT I don't view basic benefits as an option, they are apart of the total cost of doing business.

And again I'll point out what all of you want to stick your head in the sand for. The rest of the world is able to give it's workers the time off. The rest of the world is able to function with giving the time off. Most American companies don't give pto not because they can't afford it but because it would cut into their bottom line.

PS. I paid for the BMW in cash....it's called saving for your wants.

[CrysG]

Shwaz,


Yeah I know all about companies cutting raises and not matching 401k. My sister's company did that too. The CEO also put in about 20 42' LCD's in the executive's office, along with switching all the top sales people's phone's to the new touch blackberry's. They chose to put the executives before the workers.

[Shwaz]

Yeah I know all about companies cutting raises and not matching 401k. My sister's company did that too. The CEO also put in about 20 42' LCD's in the executive's office, along with switching all the top sales people's phone's to the new touch blackberry's. They chose to put the executives before the workers

I may work with your sister!

No I'll do what's best for my workers. I'll take a pay cut before I lay someone off and have to cut basic benefits. That's the difference between your world and mine. My company isn't growing we're breaking even as well. BUT I don't view basic benefits as an option, they are apart of the total cost of doing business.

So is your salary is part of the "cost of doing business"? There are plenty of business owner's not making a dime just to keep their companies a float and hold onto their employee's. Is it fair to force mandate on them by way of the federal government to pay for their employee's not to work.

[BridgeTroll]

No I'll do what's best for my workers. I'll take a pay cut before I lay someone off and have to cut basic benefits. That's the difference between your world and mine.

Your right on there!!  Apparently you are able to.  See the difference?  It is very clear to all the rest of us who cannot afford a pay cut.

You are right... there is a BIG difference between your world and mine.  Congratulations!!

[CrysG]

Shwaz,

Would you say they are a line of brands? lol.


You make it seem like they would be getting paid vacations. It's paid SICK leave. Don't people have the basic human right to be sick and try and recover without a) coming to work and making everyone sick. b) staying home and not eating?

And don't you have a right as a well person not to have to work next to someone sick.


And I'll remind you AGAIN....and again until we are all blue in the face. Other countries do this. You make it seem like American companies are weak. I'll give you an example. Walmart has offices in other countries. Those offices HAVE to follow the host countries laws in regards to time off. Is Wal-mart on the verge of going under? No. Are those stores paying less? No. Why doesn't Wal-mart offer those same benefits here? Because they don't have too, not because they can't afford too.

[BridgeTroll]

I am not talking about Walmart.  Everyone has a right to choose where you work.  No sick time at Walmart??  move to the next that does.  I am refering to the small business owners other than yourself... who cannot afford a pay cut nor pay workers to not work.

[Doctor_K]

Shwaz,

Yeah I know all about companies cutting raises and not matching 401k. My sister's company did that too. The CEO also put in about 20 42' LCD's in the executive's office, along with switching all the top sales people's phone's to the new touch blackberry's. They chose to put the executives before the workers.

Top sales people are workers.  So are CEOs, in spite of the fact that they've been painted as evil by the current culture and politics of the day.  They got rewarded for their contributions to the company.  I don't see the problem.  And please don't tell me that the CEOs did nothing for the company.

Most American companies don't give pto not because they can't afford it but because it would cut into their bottom line.

So it would.  And American companies are in business to make a profit.  That's the point of going into business, is it not?  Wouldn't your bottom line be affected by being *forced* to offer PTO to your employees as well, as opposed to *offering* it voluntarily?  Your bottom line is being directly impacted and in essence mandated by a government-imposed law like that.

That's that much more time that they're not contributing to the company's bottom line, yet are still being paid. 

Again I say, it's on the individual companies and corporations to offer their own time off, for both sick and vacation; not the government.

[CrysG]

BT,

I'm tired of talk to you about this. You would defend your point no matter how many fact based points I show you. No matter how many small business owners I have e-mail you from around the world. Just like I choose to give PTO other business owners choose not too, not because they can't but because they don't have too.

[CrysG]

Shwaz,

Yeah I know all about companies cutting raises and not matching 401k. My sister's company did that too. The CEO also put in about 20 42' LCD's in the executive's office, along with switching all the top sales people's phone's to the new touch blackberry's. They chose to put the executives before the workers.

Top sales people are workers.  So are CEOs, in spite of the fact that they've been painted as evil by the current culture and politics of the day.  They got rewarded for their contributions to the company.  I don't see the problem.  And please don't tell me that the CEOs did nothing for the company.

Most American companies don't give pto not because they can't afford it but because it would cut into their bottom line.

So it would.  And American companies are in business to make a profit.  That's the point of going into business, is it not?  Wouldn't your bottom line be affected by being *forced* to offer PTO to your employees as well, as opposed to *offering* it voluntarily?  Your bottom line is being directly impacted and in essence mandated by a government-imposed law like that.

That's that much more time that they're not contributing to the company's bottom line, yet are still being paid. 

Again I say, it's on the individual companies and corporations to offer their own time off, for both sick and vacation; not the government.

The government regulates a million things to companies from where they dump their toxic waste to how many bathrooms you have to put in your building. Where are you to complain about that? Where is your picket sign to get rid of those laws?

[Shwaz]

Shwaz,

Would you say they are a line of brands? lol.

You make it seem like they would be getting paid vacations. It's paid SICK leave. Don't people have the basic human right to be sick and try and recover without a) coming to work and making everyone sick. b) staying home and not eating?

And don't you have a right as a well person not to have to work next to someone sick.

It's like your BMW - you wanted one so you saved and purchased one. I bet it's exhilarating to drive... I actually know first hand it is. But do I think everyone in America deserves this luxury. I do. If they plan and save and earn one. Maybe instead of dragging America's small business's down they (sick worker's) can plan for a rainy day - at least enough to not go hungry the day they're sick.