If you have a choice

[EquusNomVeritas]

I would have to say that your decision should be made basis on whose money it is that you are considering here. I take it that it is extra profit from your business. So you have to ask yourself, to whom does this profit actually belong? You, or the business? If the profit belongs to you, then charity is a great way to spend it. But if the profit belongs to the business, then it should go first to your employee. If your employee has a just claim to that extra money, then it is his (or hers). Sending it to charity is, in that case, not so very charitable, because you would be sending someone else’s money to the charity. This in turn is similar to the workings of socialist government, a topic that I discussed here. If the employee has no claim to the money (ie if the money earned is actually yours) then sending it to charity may actually be the right thing to do, because the employee has agreed to work for you at his (her) current pay. Giving him (her) a raise is still acceptable in this case, but only if you know that you can actually afford it. Alternatively, you can split the money, giving some to charity and some as a bonus to the employee.

 

[cmt]

labbo606:

at least the people who are working have enough to eat and drink, they get paid medicare plus food stamps. some of the poor people can not even have enough to eat.

Your duty as an employer is to take good care of your employees. Charity for the poor, should come out of your own pocket of what you earn from the business. You are trying to make your employees do all the giving. That is not right.

 

[jman507]

I’d check out of the raise would cut any benifits that the person getting a raise would get. If that employee would have their benifits cut, I might check with them first. They may want the cuts in benifits for the raise or they may not. You might give them a modest raise that will not cut the benifits, but give them some more confidence, who doesn’t like getting a raise? If you have some money left over then give it to charity. But I’d really try to make sure that the workers are getting taken care of and they have a just wage.

If after all that you have some money left over to charity then give it. I cannot say what your employees think, since I don’t know them, but they may be sympathic if they know that the charity your giving to is in the area. They may very well know people being helped out by it. Hang up the thank you letter and let them know that they helped made that possible. Having known some poor people, they have been generous to others, remember what it was like in that situation and knowing how much the help meant to them.

I’ll make sure to say some prayers for you. Knowing that one of the sins that cry to heaven is taken advantage of labourers, you put yourself on the spot. It sounds like you very much care for their well-being. So I say keep that up.