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Social Fund

13 posts
  1. Keith Blayney
    Keith Blayney avatar
    0 posts
    2/2/2017 10:02 AM
    In the past we have used the bottle monies collected from the on-course garbages to fund staff social events. Club policy is heading in a different direction now. The plan now is to deduct between $3 and $5 from each paycheck on a volunteer basis. Anyone else doing this?? Thoughts?



  2. Ronald Conard
    Ronald Conard avatar
    4 posts
    2/2/2017 11:02 AM
    "Hey let me give you a pat on the back, son. But you have to pay for it."



  3. Corey Eastwood
    Corey Eastwood avatar
    80 posts
    2/2/2017 11:02 AM
    Hard to believe.

    Corey Eastwood CGCS, Stockton Golf & CC, Retired

  4. Clay Putnam
    Clay Putnam avatar
    33 posts
    2/2/2017 11:02 AM
    Personally, as an employee, I would never participate in contributing to a company outing or ask my staff to participate in contributing to a company outing. I have used the "soda pop" fund in the past along with other funding methods but never has the staff been asked to foot the bill.

    For the sake of discussion, lets play out the "employee pays" scenario. Employee "A" begins work in March. Pays $4 per paycheck into the party fund, which is scheduled for August 1. Employee "A" quits July 28. Now what? Does employee "A" get his/her money refunded? Even if employee "A" does not quit, how does the staff know all the employee contributions are being directed toward funding the party? Etc., etc. You can see the potential pitfalls. Not to mention this structure is cheap and, IMO, will create animosity with the staff.

    Company outings should be fully funded by the company or funded by alternative means such as recycling programs, etc., IMO.



  5. Peter Bowman
    Peter Bowman avatar
    11 posts
    2/2/2017 7:02 PM
    I can't imagine it would even be legal to deduct future party money from an employee's paycheck.

    On the other hand, I've known some school teachers who all agreed among themselves to kick in a few bucks a week, and then when the pot got big enough they'd all go out and party some Friday after school. No requirement for all employees to contribute, but if you don't contribute you'd have to go somewhere else that day and get drunk on your own dime.



  6. Gary Carls
    Gary Carls avatar
    19 posts
    2/3/2017 1:02 PM
    Keith,

    If these events are meant to be employee appreciation events there is no way the employees should be expected to pay with a deduction from their checks.

    We used to do like you and save our recycle money for such things. If that didn't cover it then I would kick in whatever else I could and sometimes the employees would offer the same. In my early years the City did larger employee events and paid for everything. Later it got a bit pickier. One year one of my guys was told he couldn't have a second piece of chicken (plenty there). At the City-wide employee breakfast another one of my guys was told that he had already been through the line (he hadn't been) and they would not serve him. Some show of appreciation that was!! After that my staff hardly ever went to these things unless they were told attendance was mandatory. Our own group events always were better anyway.

    I'm with some of the others in questioning whether you could actually withhold money from employees checks to pay for such things.

    Gary K. Carls, CGCS, President - Oakland Turfgrass Education Initiative

  7. Keith Blayney
    Keith Blayney avatar
    0 posts
    2/3/2017 2:02 PM
    For those questioning the legality of deducting money, as long as you have a written agreement they sign, it is OK.



  8. Anthony Nysse
    Anthony Nysse avatar
    1 posts
    2/4/2017 8:02 AM
    With nearly every/all employees wanting more money, I doubt they will give it up freely. The club should kick in and cover social appreciation events. Its a good way for the club to show they appreciate the employee(s) and good team building.



  9. Clay Putnam
    Clay Putnam avatar
    33 posts
    2/4/2017 10:02 AM
    Keith Blayney said: For those questioning the legality of deducting money, as long as you have a written agreement they sign, it is OK.


    Employer: "Sign here please."
    Employee: "What's this?"
    Employer: "This says you'll pay us to appreciate you."



  10. William Murphy
    William Murphy avatar
    8 posts
    2/6/2017 8:02 AM
    Clay Putnam, CGCS said:
    Keith Blayney said: For those questioning the legality of deducting money, as long as you have a written agreement they sign, it is OK.


    Employer: "Sign here please."
    Employee: "What's this?"
    Employer: "This says you'll pay us to appreciate you."


    Spot on. Sad, but that is basically what they are saying.



  11. Max Lamas
    Max Lamas avatar
    0 posts
    2/10/2017 11:02 AM
    I would highly suggest you tell the company to scratch that idea. I don't even know if I would have the stomach to tell my employees about such a program.



  12. Sean Hoolehan
    Sean Hoolehan avatar
    0 posts
    2/11/2017 11:02 AM
    There is going to be a lot less cans and bottles making it to recycling.



  13. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    112 posts
    3/7/2017 7:03 AM
    I personally would pay for a shop party to show my appreciation to my workers. I would not chip in to a club one because I do not drink (maybe one or two every now and then) and I do not want to go to a big function for employees when I could be spending time with my own family.

    Its just cheap asking the workers to foot the bill. Just cancel this function and do away with it for good.



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