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I am skeptical of this claim because if you do work for a big corporation, as you claim, this would be grounds for harassment and there are laws against that.
I couldn't make this stuff up--it would never occur to me. And I can tell you that the intimidation was not NEARLY as bad when I worked for government, or in small business, as it was in Big Business. In government, we still had to sign a paper which went to our bosses and then up the line, showing our level of contributions (and I don't think that is right AT ALL), but there was no subtle or outright demand that we contribute. In the two large businesses I have ever worked for, the expectation was not subtle at all--it was an outright (non written) statement that you'd BETTER contribute and you'd better contribute PLENTY if you expected to get a promotion or even keep your job when the next layoff came around.
Frankly, it baffles me--which is why I am asking WHY it is so important to business leaders that they force their employees to give up money to United Way.
And laws? Be serious. The business can always claim that your lack of promotion, or your inclusion in the next layoff, was just due to "poor performance." Big Business has legal departments that make sure they cannot be sued for stuff like this. The company will know EXACTLY what it can and cannot do.
Laws only matter if the business can be proven to have broken one--and it will NEVER be that clear, even though everyone who works for the business knows they will pay dearly for not paying the EXPECTED AMOUNT of United Way contributions (in my company, a supervisory job requires at LEAST the "Leadership Level" contribution of $1,000).
You're stories sound terrible. I'm self employed, so I don't pressure myself. However, my wife gets this but she gives nothing every year. But she also gets regular solicitations from the hospital she works for to contribute to certain funds that the hospital uses to purchase equipment. I'm always stunned how many give to a business to subsidize its operation. Its technically a non profit, but that's just a tax classification. The profits go to the Catholic church.
I would tell my employer I would be willing to donate my time for something like Wounded Warrior, Special Olympics, or a charity walk. That way I would at least feel like I contributed and not worry that the money they extorted from me likely benefitted the charity very little.
This is one of the perplexing conundrums that comes around every year, and I can't figure out what's behind it. It's about the United Way, and the strong-arm tactics employers use to force employees to contribute.
My employer is a large and typically cut-throat Big Business. It does NOTHING for charitable reasons, and the employees themselves are worked to death while losing more and more of their compensation every year in cost-shifting of benefits. The corporation is so tight with money that when it keeps people working 24 to 36 hours straight on a "plant emergency," it won't even subsidize meals (the managers generally pay for meals for the team out of their own pockets). In order to circumvent labor hour laws, we are "off the clock" (unpaid) for anything over regular hours--which is "legal" since we're "exempt employees."
Every year the United Way drive comes up, and employees are blackmailed into participating. If you don't participate at all, you WILL be laid off in the annual reviews, no matter WHAT your job level or performance (yes, it happened more than once). The higher up, the more money you are expected to contribute, and for those of us in our peak earning years, the amount is VERY painful. Especially when you have your own charities that you like to support directly, and you don't approve of the United Way.
My question is this (and I ask this to those who have INSIDER KNOWLEDGE): What does the employer (the Big Business) get out of the United Way Campaign? It is NOT just goodwill, since this corporation has none, and could care less how people view it. Is it a direct payment to the greedy CEO and his top-level executives? Is it simply a power play, that the Narcissistic executives get a power-kick from forcing employees to give up their very hard earned money? Or does it have something to do with the fact that the corporations get to charge the employees bi-weekly, while only handing money over to United Way once or twice a year (a tactic used by UPS to get large amounts of interest on money that belongs to clients?)?
I agree. I've been on the receiving end of the strong arming regarding donation.
Funny. Are those corporations donating the percentage of profits they are demanding from their employees?
I couldn't make this stuff up--it would never occur to me. And I can tell you that the intimidation was not NEARLY as bad when I worked for government, or in small business, as it was in Big Business. In government, we still had to sign a paper which went to our bosses and then up the line, showing our level of contributions (and I don't think that is right AT ALL), but there was no subtle or outright demand that we contribute. In the two large businesses I have ever worked for, the expectation was not subtle at all--it was an outright (non written) statement that you'd BETTER contribute and you'd better contribute PLENTY if you expected to get a promotion or even keep your job when the next layoff came around.
Frankly, it baffles me--which is why I am asking WHY it is so important to business leaders that they force their employees to give up money to United Way.
And laws? Be serious. The business can always claim that your lack of promotion, or your inclusion in the next layoff, was just due to "poor performance." Big Business has legal departments that make sure they cannot be sued for stuff like this. The company will know EXACTLY what it can and cannot do.
Laws only matter if the business can be proven to have broken one--and it will NEVER be that clear, even though everyone who works for the business knows they will pay dearly for not paying the EXPECTED AMOUNT of United Way contributions (in my company, a supervisory job requires at LEAST the "Leadership Level" contribution of $1,000).
We had some in our department who outright REFUSED to contribute to UW, and they had a "Wall of Shame" on the bullentin board where they posted their names - they also printed the names in the monthly newsletter. One of those savvy people reported it to the Union Steward, who made the United Way flunkies take down the "Wall of Shame" and leave those folks alone. By the way - no one thought ill of those who wouldn't contribute, so they had nothing to be ashamed of. They were admired for having "guts". I wish I'd had guts - I did donate my token dollar.
Last edited by Mrs. Skeffington; 01-01-2014 at 11:05 AM..
Well, they've only had three CEO's do prison time, that should tell you something.
The money you give goes to kickback schemes and huge bonuses, not people in need.
If you give them a buck, less than a nickel would trickle down to some poor needy sap.
The rest gets skimmed off by professional crooks including your employer.
Well, they've only had three CEO's do prison time, that should tell you something.
The money you give goes to kickback schemes and huge bonuses, not people in need.
If you give them a buck, less than a nickel would trickle down to some poor needy sap.
The rest gets skimmed off by professional crooks including your employer.
Don't even get me started on CFC or Red Cross
It would be nice if there was a way to publicly shame these business's that empower this practice.
Is there a list of companies that strong arm their employees in regards to this?
We are told the consumer decides everything in the markets (BS of course) so shouldn't we empower the consumer even more with this information "openly and freely"
When I was working (retired now) my employer did the same thing. They strong armed/shamed you into participating. I found that I could choose what charities I wanted to donate to under this program and which ones I did not. It gave me peace of mind that I wasn't contributing to a group whose views/ agendas I didn't agree with and which ones I thought were reputable and were actually serving the people I wanted to help.
UW usually is only interested in huge organizations, large corporations, counties, GOVT agencies etc. They go after the CEOs and offer trips, a kickback percentage, bonus for "100% participation etc." CFC works the same way. That's where the money you donate actually goes. That, and hiring mistresses, hush money etc. You usually won't see it in a small company because it isn't worth their time. The CEO's, County comissioners, mayors etc who boast of "100% contribution" or nearly 100% usually see kickbacks and gifts much larger than their salaries and this is what has resulted in the prison terms for William Aramony, Oral Suer, Normal Taylor (charges later dropped in exchange for cooperation and wearing a wire), Gary Phillips III, and I forget the mistress that killed herself in federal prison. This is one top notch charity!
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