WILL you PAY FROM your OWN Pocket?
By whyaskq
@whyaskq (7523)
Singapore
January 19, 2008 12:41pm CST
I met up with a friend who was an workaholic and enjoys working after office hours. He needs to pay for any support service after office hours as his maintenance contract covers only office hours.
After providing him the support service he needed, he asked me the amount he need to pay. I asked him to check his previous records for the hourly rate as I have given him the necessary support few times after office hours. What shocked me was that
the company keep no such records. He has been paying from his own pocket the few times.
I asked him why. "I requested the service, so I pay myself". All because he needs to get his job done.
"Arhh.." I am not sure if I should compliment him or make fun of him.
He could very well have waited until office hours to do his work! At that point, I hesitate if I should charge him the full rate for the time spent, give him a discount or provide him a free service. He is even more afraid I will not provide him the service in future if he does not pay.
Friends, what do you think? Should an employee pay from his own pocket while requesting for a service needed in the course of his work? Will you pay from your own pocket? Should I charge him? How should I charge him? Appreciate if you could share your views. Thank you.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
23 Jan 08
I don't understand why he doesn't request your services during working hours so that the company pays for it instead of paying for your services himself, doesn't make sense to me. If I am requesting services for my employer then my employer pays not me - is it because his employer doesn't know that he is requesting this service after hours and thats the reason why he pays for it himself? aah sounds very suspect to me but thats just me LOL
I think you should still charge him a fee at a discounted rate especially if he is going to call on your services from time to time. You need to make a living too and even though he is a friend, if you start working for free then you lose out in the end.
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
21 Jan 08
it's nice of you to think even whether you should charge him. Most people will not even be wondering. They will just charge since after all they have done the work past office hours.
Well, not sure how much this person earns. If he is close to senior management, then perhaps he feels that he can afford to pay. After all, if he gets the job done, he looks good, and that might mean he gets a better bonus. So for the long term gain of a better bonus, he does not mind 'investing' in some extra services to speed up delivery.
I suppose if you sympathise with him, and he is not earning like big bucks (like the boss or like a shareholder) then perhaps you should give him a discount. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. and you can be sure he'll call on you the next time he needs help.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
20 Jan 08
I think you must treat this friend very well - he must be the last of an to-be-extinct (he is the last survivor) race of stupid dodos.
No matter how cheap your service costs, I reckon each session is still going to tear his pockets by a fair bit. He paying out of his own pocket to do work for the company is plain stupid. Unless the company is in dire circumstances, I don't think his behavior will even be looked upon positively by the boss.
Should an employee pay from his own pocket while requesting for a service needed in the course of his work? NO.
Will you pay from your own pocket? NO.
Should I charge him? How should I charge him?
Yes unless you are very good friends. But then again, if the money goes to the company, I would charge him as little as possible if it is within my office hours. But since his office hours are likely the same as yours, you will have no choice but to charge him. After all, it is your free time you are sacrificing. If it is a one-off once in a blue moon thing, it is alright - especially if you are friends - but if it is not, he is not paying for your meals right?
PS.: What an interesting situation, whyaskq. Way to go! :)
@makemoneywithadsense (431)
• Cambodia
19 Jan 08
Well it depends,
If he requires your service because he should have the competency to do so, he pays for his learning.
I'm not sure he's so much workaholic; it maybe he is threatened to lose his job if he can't answer all the necessary requests.
