he wanted him to work for what?!?!
@xmichelletarax (370)
United States
September 10, 2012 4:36pm CST
my fiance and i just moved to a new state. he had a job interveiw at a farm about a half hour from our house the other day.
we went, the farm was nice, and large, while i was waiting in the car the farmers son pulled in in a audi convertable. so im thinking this guy has money odds are he will pay well and it would be worth the gas to travel out every day.
when my fiance came back out we were talking on the way home, the guy has a one bedroom trailer for the person that is working to live in...(ok that could be a plus)
then my fiance tells me it pays 400 a week before taxes. i was like thats great considering room and board is included in the job.
BUT then came the bad news.
its 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week... i did the math... thats only like 5.54 an hour to take care of this guys farm (a 3 or 4 person job from the looks of the size of the farm).
we talked about it and decided that it wouldnt be worth it. but it still amazes me that a guy with such a big farm who can afford to buy his kids such nice cars would pay so LITTLE.
would you have taken the job? if you were the farmer would you pay more or do you think thats a fair price when minimum wage is 7.85 an hour?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@mikyung (2232)
• Philippines
11 Sep 12
I will not take that job either. Good thing you made the appropriate calculation there. It's not humane there. If my job is for more than one person is something not fair. If i will be the employer, I would give what is justifiable, as I want treat people like the way I want to be treated. I hope your fiancee can check on new jobs other than that. Good luck 
1 person likes this
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
13 Sep 12
that was my point exactly how could someone put that much work on 1 person and pay so little when he was clearly not hurting for money
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Sep 12
Well you have to got to stop thinking that this guy is so rich, he can pay you anything. You have no idea if he worked his sons just as hard for them to get those nice cars and if he put conditions on them. Also he would have to pay for his cattle, and the equipment he uses, so when you take away the cost of buying the cows, getting the equipment, the tractors, etc. and repairs maybe all he can afford is around $5 an hour.
It is the same if someone said to me, you own an ipad, therefore you can slo afford to buy a Mercedes Benz or pay double for someone to mow my lawn, etc. I wonder if the rent of the trailer is included in the pay. So he might have paid your fiance $5 and so much an hour, but in reality it would be $7 or $8 an hour but he is also deducting the trailer rental as well. So the trailer rental would be about $2 an hour.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
10 Sep 12
Farmers and ranchers don't normally pay by the hour, but a monthly or weekly salary. Although he might be "on" for 12 hours, not all of those hours are real work. That probably includes mealtime, breaks and time to talk about things and even time to piddle around. The six days a week is typical, too. When my Dad worked on a ranch, it was 7 days a week all summer, then a few 5 day weeks after haying and all that was done. Then 6 days a week until snow flew and it was back to 7 days because cattle and hay and other growing things don't stop because it's Sunday or because it's after 5 PM.
Although the hourly wage seems low, there are a lot of advantages to working and living (free) on a farm. Did you calculate in the cost of renting, heat, water, electricity? And probably a few bonuses along the way.
Just something to think about.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
12 Sep 12
actully its 12 hours after you deduct time for all those other things. but it is something we thought about
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
11 Sep 12
Farming wages are always very low. People are not paid based on how much the owner makes. He's the owner, he's going to make far more than anyone he employes.
Farming wages are really low because the US government allows immigrants to work in the US specifically as a farming hand, for below minimum wage. Farming work doesn't require skills, or knowledge, and thus anyone can do it.
Your husband is basically competing with illegal immigrants, when he applies as a farm hand.
You need to learn a skill that has value in the market place. Wielding, electrical, mason work, even flooring or dry wall, or something that has value. Perhaps even open his own business doing something he likes.
The only reason to work on a farm these days is if, and pretty much only if, you intend to run your own farm in the future. There's simply no money in it otherwise.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
13 Sep 12
Wow, so if he can do that, why doesn't he fix cars for himself? Run his own business? You can make a ton of money doing that. I wanted to, but I broke every car I touched. Some have the golden touch, I have the crap touch... everything I touch turns to poo.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
13 Sep 12
he does have experence in mason work, all types of construction and electrical, along with auto machanics and so on but at this point its like apply for what is avalible.
he does want to run his own farm at some point and honestly i wouldnt mind one either, we both grew up on farms .
and farming wages arent always low, the last 3 farms he worked on paid 10 dollars an hour or more.
however i realize it doesnt go by what the owner makes but if the guy is making a fortune he should be able to pay a little more then 5.54 an hour.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
14 Sep 12
he wants to but unfortunatly to start one you need money... to get money you either have to 1. have a job and be able to save money or 2. have good enough credit to get a loan. in order to get good credit you need to have some sort of money...
see the problem?
lol im sorry that you have no luck with cars.
every male in my family for like 6 generations have worked on cars... then there is my brother who cant fix them or drive them (he has wrecked every car he has driven) so once my family realized that my brother couldnt do it they turned to my sister who also has no clue and finally it got laid on me, and i can
@courtknee525 (3742)
• United States
10 Sep 12
That's exactly how the farmer keeps his money..by paying his workers next to nothing. When he says $400 a week that may sound really good but like you said, when you really calculate it out with the hours he would have to work, it's a lot less than minimum wage. I don't think it's right for him to pay that and can't he get in trouble for paying less than minimum wage?
I think the farmer probably just tricks a lot of people that way when he says it's 400 a week. Room and board is pretty generous but still, his workers should make at least minimum wage.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
12 Sep 12
i think so too and i was just like why would anyone want to do that, its just crazy
@prakashsahni (185)
• India
11 Sep 12
If he was paying you such an under price you have taken a right decision and if it was under contract that would all by itself be voidable as according to minimum wages act one can not offer and one cannot accept any job or sign up a contract which is not parallel or complying to minimum wages act. You must have made this point to the farmer and asked him to make a fair offer. However if it was a 3-4 person job then you have taken a right decision in a very smart and instant manner. If anyway it reaches below $7.85 an hour remunerations it is illegal to make such offer for a job.
1 person likes this
@MoonGypsy (4606)
• United States
10 Sep 12
wait a second! isn't it illegal to pay under minimum wage? no, i wouldn't have taken that job. farm work is hard work in no matter what kind of weather conditions. what does he think, that your husband is from across the boarder? lol.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
10 Sep 12
thats what i thought too but apparently not because its a farm or some crap. it is hard work and to be doing it for 12 hours a day would just not be worth it in my eyes.
lol and apparently he does think that. not sure why he doesnt look or act like he is lol.
some peoples stupidity just amazes me
@trisha27 (3494)
• United States
10 Sep 12
No, I think you were right in not taking the job as well. Especially if the minimum wage is 7.85 and that is way below minimum wage. That is ridiculous for that person to even offer that little. I would look for another possible job. Sometimes job sound too good to be true and in this case it was too good to be true. I do also believe that it is illegal to pay someone less then minimum wage.
@xmichelletarax (370)
• United States
12 Sep 12
i thought it was illegal too. but thats what we are doing is looking for something else for him
