Employee giving programs - Offensive?

[ua_guy]

There's a campaign at work to encourage employees to donate money to the company. The donations go to patients at our facilities who need financial assistance. I totally understand how this helps patients/families and can be a great thing, but asking the employees to give out of their paychecks? I've always found that a little weird/offensive. We employees make the facility exist, and most of us aren't paid handsomely, so why are we targeted and asked to give to our employer's customers? I suppose any of us employees could end up financially disadvantaged and receive money from the program, but it's not like our employer is going to give us care for free, it still has to be paid for, even though we are employees.

Maybe I'm thinking about this the wrong way?

[QuarterMillionMan]

This from the person who wants me to forgive student loans, why offensive, lol.

[Fishindude77]

Everyone should do some charitable giving, either money or time.
We always did a big United Way campaign at work and encouraged employees to participate. As a company, we budgeted XX% of our annual profits to charity, and gave it to whatever cause we felt worthy at the time.

Nothing wrong with opting out of your companies program if you prefer to give elsewhere.

[disneysteve]

I see nothing wrong with companies having these programs. I also see nothing wrong with employees choosing not to participate. Now if the employer is pressuring people to participate, that would be a problem.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The problem I see is that the employees feel obligated to donate and if they don't donate then the employee might feel like the employer will "remember it" and possibly hold it against the employee in the future.

[ua_guy]

Maybe I'm off-base on this one. It seems weird for an employee to donate money back to an employer who makes profit off their labor. Or for an employer to ask for that from its employees.

I have no issues with other programs. I've given to United Way through work and other organizations, but never back to my own employer who pays me to work for them.

[disneysteve]

What you’re describing doesn’t sound like you’re giving to the company itself but rather to a charitable fund they’ve established. Big difference. Are your contributions tax deductible? If so, it’s no different than any other charity.

[ua_guy]

What you’re describing doesn’t sound like you’re giving to the company itself but rather to a charitable fund they’ve established. Big difference. Are your contributions tax deductible? If so, it’s no different than any other charity.

Yes and yes. It's a fund they've set up and donations are tax deductible. But the money goes right back into the organization since it covers the cost of care for people who can't afford it. Don't get me wrong, I see the charitable cause. I'm only furrowing my brow about the company asking its own employees to donate. We work here for a pittance. Isn't that enough charity? lol

Like I said, I might be being a grouch about this. I feel like I've already given at the office. With the long hours and such.

[kork13]

Is the company TELLING? ("You need to donate.") Are they ASKING? ("Please donate to the hospital's charitable fund" or "Everyone is encouraged to...") .... Or are they OFFERING? ("The hospital has this charitable fund, and we wanted to make everyone aware that it's a great way to help the needy patients that we all see on a daily basis.") Or perhaps the hospital provides a matching donation to encourage/support employee participation in the fund? These latter 2 options, I'd have ZERO problem with. The first is obviously wrong. The second... Yeah, it's maybe bad form. But there's nothing inherently wrong, unethical, or offensive about it. If there's any indication of reprisal due to non-participation or reward for participation, that's an ENTIRELY different matter. But if individual employees simply feel peer pressure (with zero consequences from supervisors/company/etc., whether positive or negative), then it's just on them to make their own choices. If they can't resist peer pressure.... sorry?

It's not directly comparable, but the US Air Force has 4 sponsored charities (shameless plug...because why not?) -- 3 supporting indigent spouses of veterans, and 1 providing emergency financial assistance to active duty members. Every year, there's a 1-2 month charity drive for them, and everyone is encouraged to participate, even if only with a token amount ($1/mo, or $5 one-time, or whatever). Difference here is that the Air Force (or VA) wouldn't otherwise spend money supporting them -- spouses sort of fall into a blind spot for most VA & military benefits/programs... But what I'm saying is that I understand the feeling of being pressured by leadership to donate to a sponsored charity. Done properly, leadership never really knows who contributes or how much (besides a total amount donated by the organization writ large), which alleviates alot of that imagined pressure that you'll be punished for not participating. I can't say for certain, but I expect (hope?) that this is how such charity drives work in most companies, including your own.

[rennigade]

Least you're being asked and not forced to foot the bill to things you do not want to pay for. This thread is also ironic.

[ua_guy]

Oh no, I don't suspect any wrongdoing or coercion, that's not it at all. There's nothing directive or obligatory about the campaign. It's my own offense....I give at the office all day long and I work extra when needed, and my pay never changes--and now my company wants me to donate part of my paycheck to them too? lol. I'd prefer to give outside of work to other causes, maybe that's what this amounts to.

[bjl584]

I think it's okay, depending on how it's presented and if there is any pressure put upon people to participate.
As long as there aren't negative consequences to employees who opt out, then I think it's fine

[ua_guy]

Least you're being asked and not forced to foot the bill to things you do not want to pay for. This thread is also ironic.

Oh buddy, I'm a taxpayer just like you and I can show you all the things in state and federal budgets which I do not like and would not agree to pay for, except it's the price of admission for my lot in life, living in this country. The difference is, I choose not to b*tch about it. I'll just make more money. I'm talking about voluntary donations here - one that seems a little weird since it hits the bottom line for the company I work for.

[myrdale]

OMG do you not understand how ironic if not blatantly hypocritical your complaint is?

You want to TAKE my money and give it to people who can't be bothered to pay for the loans they signed up for, yet when you're asked to donate to a cause you get offended!!

OK now that I have that out of my system, back to the subject of the post. I don't think it is offensive. I do think it is stupid.

Years ago my Mother found money had been taken out of her check with out her knowledge because "everyone in the office" was expected to donate towards some charity. She got her money back. At least in this case they are asking people to sign up.

You might be interested in reading what Jeff Allen had to say about when they implemented a similar system at the Twentieth Century Motor Company.

[ua_guy]

OMG do you not understand how ironic if not blatantly hypocritical your complaint is?

You want to TAKE my money and give it to people who can't be bothered to pay for the loans they signed up for, yet when you're asked to donate to a cause you get offended!!

OK now that I have that out of my system, back to the subject of the post. I don't think it is offensive. I do think it is stupid.

Years ago my Mother found money had been taken out of her check with out her knowledge because "everyone in the office" was expected to donate towards some charity. She got her money back. At least in this case they are asking people to sign up.

You might be interested in reading what Jeff Allen had to say about when they implemented a similar system at the Twentieth Century Motor Company.

I don't think you're understanding the argument. I don't expect anyone to share in my offense, but I do expect to be able to understand what has already been written. No, this isn't hypocritical or ironic except in whatever illogical rage you have against the mean tax man, but I can assure you, this isn't that.