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Interesting, even if you give them the lunches it would be a huge stretch to say a fitness center and massages benefit the company. Sounds like a rule that is

by gph 10y ago

Interesting, even if you give them the lunches it would be a huge stretch to say a fitness center and massages benefit the company. Sounds like a rule that is hard to impossible for the IRS to enforce. I hate rules like that, we ought to create a better rule or get rid of it altogether. Because I'm guessing if a factory lowered their wages while providing the same perks as google the IRS would probably say something.

quotemstr 10y ago
> a fitness center You'd be amazed how much exercise helps with concentration and reduces stress.
- gph 10y ago
  Yea I get that, but you can extend that logic to just about every domain of life. Should they be allowed to buy all their employees the best mattresses available because a good night's sleep helps productivity? Should they pay for a nanny because help with child care makes you more productive? With that logic you could fund your employees entire lifestyle if you made the case that it helps them be more productive.
  - mljoe 10y ago
    Is it "customary" for a company to pay for mattresses? Maybe if the company runs an oil rig, but a tech company? This even goes for things like salaries. If a company pays salaries that are way above the market rate, this could be seen as [corporate] tax fraud. But there often isn't a bright line in law, which is frustrating to us engineers who think deterministically.
  - morgante 10y ago
    > Should they be allowed to buy all their employees the best mattresses available because a good night's sleep helps productivity? Yes, potentially though it'd probably help to have data supporting that. But things like company housing or sleep pods can materially benefit the company (for one thing, if you can take a nap at work you'll work longer hours). > Should they pay for a nanny because help with child care makes you more productive? Sure, potentially. In fact, employer-provided childcare is a tax-free benefit.

by gph 10y ago

quotemstr 10y ago

> a fitness center You'd be amazed how much exercise helps with concentration and reduces stress.

gph 10y ago
Yea I get that, but you can extend that logic to just about every domain of life. Should they be allowed to buy all their employees the best mattresses available because a good night's sleep helps productivity? Should they pay for a nanny because help with child care makes you more productive? With that logic you could fund your employees entire lifestyle if you made the case that it helps them be more productive.
- mljoe 10y ago
  Is it "customary" for a company to pay for mattresses? Maybe if the company runs an oil rig, but a tech company? This even goes for things like salaries. If a company pays salaries that are way above the market rate, this could be seen as [corporate] tax fraud. But there often isn't a bright line in law, which is frustrating to us engineers who think deterministically.
- morgante 10y ago
  > Should they be allowed to buy all their employees the best mattresses available because a good night's sleep helps productivity? Yes, potentially though it'd probably help to have data supporting that. But things like company housing or sleep pods can materially benefit the company (for one thing, if you can take a nap at work you'll work longer hours). > Should they pay for a nanny because help with child care makes you more productive? Sure, potentially. In fact, employer-provided childcare is a tax-free benefit.