Jul
Is there any direct relationship between an employers responsibility to their employees and such employees family responsibilities and basic living stipulations?
Yesterday morning, one of the office ladies here at work, a bookkeeper, informed us that her elderly parents were in danger of losing their home and had no food on the table and hence requested for us to urgently increase her salary to enable her to assist her parents in these difficult times, we’d already given her an increase in March, an increase well above the inflation rate, I then ask, what bearing does an employee's personal expenses and family commitments have on an employer, I fail to see the link if there even is a link?
Would you in the position of the employer allow an increase on such grounds considering the employee's performace has already been evaluated in dtermining her salary level?
Answer:
Bull life is hard, and the sooner you learn to rely on only one person, and that is yourself, the better. The bookkeeper can’t anticipate to get 2 raises per year, she should tackle the problem of her parents herself, sell their house and let them move in with her will sort the problem out quickly. How much money is she expecting to get in order to be able to pay two bonds ie hers and her parents? Every one is struggling, and anyway if you do it for her you will have to do it for every one else that work for the company.
Answer:
No , i dont think that the employer should be responsible of their employees's family etc , sounds harsh but thats business. We however had a similiar situation a while ago , My boss felt sorry for the guy and wanted to help , so he suggested giving the guy a loan from the company with an agreed amount being deducted from his salary every month as just an advance on his salary wasnt enough to sort out his problems. So ya if the company wants to help out , which they’re not obliged to do so , loans are always an option. Maybe you can recommend this to her if the company concurs.
Answer:
As far as I'm concerned, provided you’re paying the stated employee a market related salary, you’ve no obligation to further increase her salary.
Life is tough but that's just the way it goes. If she cannot afford to support her family then she needs to cut back on some other expenses.
Where will it end … if you give her an increase now then what happens the next time she runs into trouble … you might even have every employee coming to you with a family crisis.
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You have no responsibility for people living above their means. There’s this culture of give give give, and it annoys me. People have to begin sorting out their own issues, and not expect anyone else to do it for them.
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Ag shame on you Bull, I'll bet their mercedes is about to be reposessed as well or they are about to lose their second home, a farm in Knysna.
We whites are such bastardo's
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Do her parents live in Zimbabwe? Then they must have voted for the wrong people. That is very, very serious.
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Am I missing out on something here in Germany??. I must try that tactic, and see whether the boss gives me an increase !!!
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It doesn't work in France, anyway, even though an old, trusted and valued employee might add it as a sub-clause during a pay negotiation. I think employers should also be subject to the rules of basic humanity, the same as anyone else - in other words, do as you would be done by. But that does not mean you’ve to be stupid, either. If the case is a genuine exception, and the employee is valued - the recent pay-rise advocates she’s - then again, it is a case for your judgement as a human being. But if you feel that it is unwarranted, then that should be the end of it. You also have to bear in mind that the other employees should not get to hear of it if you do decide that she deserves some gesture. If they do, you're in trouble.
Answer:
This is a continual and an ever increasing problem at our company - and it is really a “two edged sword”
I’ve a sales consultant - who had gotten himself into a massive amount of debt - he is our top performer - but when he has money problems he swiftly drops from the top to the bottom - which just compounds the problem because then his commission earning also drop -
I honestly believe the employer has to show empathy, but draw the boundaries that you are talking about - employee's must NEVER get the idea that their financial problems can EASILY be solved by just going and asking for a loan or an unscheduled increase…
With the skills shortage today in South Africa - one has to be very careful about not showing a certain amount of empathy because companies are willing to pay BIG TIME for those skills which gives employee's a lot more leverage over employers -
I don't say it should be that way but HELL a lot of things shouldn't be the way they’re in this country….