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Companies who use the government to subsidize their pay in this manner should be taxed into oblivion. Same with employers who keep employees in the safety net t

Companies who use the government to subsidize their pay in this manner should be taxed into oblivion. Same with employers who keep employees in the safety net to cut costs. And honestly if a company feels the need to cut the salary of a $30k employee, please point them out so I can never shop there again.

downerending 6y ago
This seems to be happening at a local state employer. Basically, it's a way to extract some dollars from the feds and put it in the state's coffers. Not sure how to feel about that, or if it really matters.
- dvtrn 6y ago
  Not sure how to feel about that, or if it really matters. Speculation incoming: I would think it'd matter to whatever incumbent power at the state level gets called out on it and has to answer to angry constituents wondering why their government allowed a local agency to effectively squat on usable Federal dollars. takes off rose-tinted glasses, remembers he lives in Illinois Hey wait a minute
- MattGaiser 6y ago
  My provincial government openly did this. They laid off all sorts of workers to put them onto the federal books.
  - Overtonwindow 6y ago
    The point of a business is to make money and cut costs.
    - claudiulodro 6y ago
      > My provincial government
      - vkou 6y ago
        Some politicians campaign on a platform of running government like a business. Although most of the time, what they mean by that is much worse. Your federal government can print money, your province can't. It's much better for your province to have the same loan on the federal books, than it is on theirs.
MattGaiser 6y ago
> Companies who use the government to subsidize their pay in this manner should be taxed into oblivion. It is a subsidy only in that it changes employee behavior. The article cites "getting misery out the door" as a reason for layoffs over pay cuts. If the stimulus reduces misery, that incentive is eliminated.
Overtonwindow 6y ago
That’s a very noble position to take, but since when has any company suffered actual, short or long term, harm due to their fiscal management of labor?
scarface74 6y ago
I agree if you are not including health care. There is no reason that a company should be responsible for employee’s healthcare in the US. This should be either fully covered by the government or private market with a public option and reasonable subsidies.

downerending 6y ago

This seems to be happening at a local state employer. Basically, it's a way to extract some dollars from the feds and put it in the state's coffers. Not sure how to feel about that, or if it really matters.

dvtrn 6y ago
Not sure how to feel about that, or if it really matters. Speculation incoming: I would think it'd matter to whatever incumbent power at the state level gets called out on it and has to answer to angry constituents wondering why their government allowed a local agency to effectively squat on usable Federal dollars. takes off rose-tinted glasses, remembers he lives in Illinois Hey wait a minute
MattGaiser 6y ago
My provincial government openly did this. They laid off all sorts of workers to put them onto the federal books.
- Overtonwindow 6y ago
  The point of a business is to make money and cut costs.
  - claudiulodro 6y ago
    > My provincial government
    - vkou 6y ago
      Some politicians campaign on a platform of running government like a business. Although most of the time, what they mean by that is much worse. Your federal government can print money, your province can't. It's much better for your province to have the same loan on the federal books, than it is on theirs.

MattGaiser 6y ago

> Companies who use the government to subsidize their pay in this manner should be taxed into oblivion. It is a subsidy only in that it changes employee behavior. The article cites "getting misery out the door" as a reason for layoffs over pay cuts. If the stimulus reduces misery, that incentive is eliminated.

Overtonwindow 6y ago

That’s a very noble position to take, but since when has any company suffered actual, short or long term, harm due to their fiscal management of labor?

scarface74 6y ago

I agree if you are not including health care. There is no reason that a company should be responsible for employee’s healthcare in the US. This should be either fully covered by the government or private market with a public option and reasonable subsidies.