Ethical quandry...

[gmoney]

I have a very small business (three guys, small office) and currently pay about $500 a year for "janitorial service" consisting of getting the trash cans emptied five times a week and vacuuming once or twice a week. The guy doing it is a real nice guy, a college bio-chem student, working nights doing these tasks for most of the other businesses in the building. I'm sure he can use the money... his folks seem to be doing "odd jobs" for a living as well, as they sometimes come in to work on drywall or painting projects in the building.

On the other hand, my business and I are feeling the pinch of the economic "recovery" after weathering the last two years and I'm looking for ways to cut costs. It would be easy enough for the three of us to take turns taking out the trash and doing the vacuuming, but I really hate the idea of squeezing the money out of this young guy's pocket. Then again, at only $10 a week, it might only be his beer money.

So, do I look out for myself and end the arrangement? Or do I surrender to my liberal guilt, keep paying this guy, and look for other places to cut and/or improve earnings?

[Bertha Venation]

1. My opinion:

$10 per week isn't that much. Keep paying him.

Does he do the bathroom too? Hope not for $10/wk.

Maybe the guys are willing to take a $3.33/wk pay cut?

OTOH I don't own a business.

It's just my opinion and just a suggestion. Good luck in making your decision.

[nini]

2. if 10 bucks a week will make that much difference to you..

then you need to do it.

If something else can be cut or a bit more time put in somehow..etc.. then try and work it out so he can keep his money.

500 a year sounds like a deal to me and may mean the world to this kid. Try and ask him about his situation to get a better idea of his situation too.

[DuctapeFatwa]

3. Keep paying it. If you ask your employees to do it

You will have to either raise their pay, or become yet another boss who adds on work without adding pay. You won't like how that feels, so you will end up doing it yourself, and $10 a week will look like a bargain.

[alwynsw]

4. Been there, done that

If you can at all (it's your call), pay the $10. You'll sleep better. You know why.

[gmoney]

5. Thanks...

I guess it wasn't that big a quandry. (For the record, the landlord pays for the bathroom cleaning--not sure who does it.) What got me started was I had an unexpected car repair last week of about $500, and I'm already stretched pretty tight. But as someone once said, you can't really "shrink yourself to greatness" so I guess I just have to get out and sell and crank up the earnings!

I'm sure Josh will thank you all.