h a l f b a k e r yContrary to popular belief
add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, best, random
news, help, about, links, report a problem
browse anonymously,
or get an account
and write.
register,
|
|
|
When you start out in employment, you pretty much just have the clothes on your back, some cast-offs from your parents and maybe a toothbrush.
But employers could use part of your wage to give you the second-hand junk you need. Even better if your employer has a delivery truck or two and the stuff
gets delivered to your door (if you can't be bothered to carry a toaster home).
Suitable for medium sized employers who get tax breaks for recycling.
[link]
|
| |
It wouldn't take much to webcam the stuff and show it on an office computer before choosing. Many businesses subscribing to the scheme would easily make it worthwhile to go round second hand shops building up a rudimentary inventory. Maybe have a first choice, second choice system to avoid race conditions. |
|
| |
Where would the new employee put his or her first few two-masted Chinese sailing vessels? |
|
| |
Interesting idea; personally I think it better to go a step further and provide furnished accommodation for new recruits into the more junior positions. |
|
| |
"Oh man, not pet rocks again! I QUIT!" |
|
| |
One problem is that some types of well-qualified people who deserve better would actually stay put because they like the junk. |
|
| |
//"Oh man, not pet rocks again! I QUIT!"// |
|
| |
Thats not the idea, I should have explained a bit better. You get to choose your junk and you can withdraw from the scheme when you've got enough stuff e.g. table, chair, bed, toaster ... Its a 'starting up home' scheme that both parties benefit from. |
|
| |
//One problem is that some types of well-qualified people who deserve better would actually stay put because they like the junk.// |
|
| |
It would be tempting, but I'm staying put at the moment because of the people. I can work a lot from home. Bigger temptation: a workshop that can be used at weekends to turn junk into <insert halfbakery idea here>. |
|
| |
Doing this has the potential to reflect negatively on the employer. If the "junk" is defective, damaged, or causes injury, the first thing that the employee will say is, "I quit! I can't believe they gave me this crap!" Or lets say that a newer fellow employee was able to get better stuff (due to the randomness of the donations) and now our guy who has been with the company a few months longer is jealous of his collegue. |
|
| |
You need to quit if you have petty bickering workmates like that. |
|
| |
Somewhat. It'd be good if the enormous amount of stuff some employers seem to throw out got reused instead, but i wonder if it would restrict the ability of employees to leave their jobs for other ones or take on mortgages. Their wages would be lower, and though they could sell the junk on, it wouldn't fetch so high a price as money wages. Therefore, i'd be concerned that they'd be stuck with their employer due to poverty and it would delay the point at which they could take on big financial commitments. On the other hand, that might be a good thing because it might delay that kind of decision until one was more mature, and reduce excessive profits for lenders because there'd be less time to pay off a big loan. |
|
| |
However, a lot of people seem to get into full employment by temping. Would this make temping harder or would temps also be paid in junk? Would it be optional. |
|
| |
Oh, and the other thing is that this couldn't work with my "national public service" idea. |
|
| |
I'm going to abstain, but it's at times like this that i wish the HB vote was based on complex numbers. |
|
| |
I cast all my votes in imaginary numbers. |
|
| |
Commenters seem to be missing the point that this is a voluntary scheme. |
|
| |
Employees effectively get to trade in some of their taxable income on tax-free* recycled goods from the employer, which they are presumably getting at a discount on resale value. They get to furnish their homes with slightly used office furniture and IT equipment. |
|
| |
The employer gets a tax write-off for donating/recycling the goods, and saves a bundle on disposal costs (presuming the employees themselves arrange collection of goods). Everybody wins. [+] Except the taxman [+++] |
|
| |
Smaller - and even larger - firms could pool their items and employees into a kind of junk common market - Employer A trades Employee A123's foregone income "credits" for items from Employer B's stock and vice versa. Employees would then have a much larger pool of items from which to choose. |
|
| |
* IANATL - I am not a tax lawyer. Goods-in-kind might be ruled as taxable income. Employer may need to donate to a registered charity to obtain tax write off. |
|
| |