jtwsr
UKC Forum Member
Registered: Dec 2004
Location: maryland
Posts: 596 |
"laid off" letter from a boss
To All My Valued Employees,
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this
company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy
has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good
news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten
your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.
However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you
decide what is in your best interests. First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts
employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there
is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by
what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen
my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons
of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the back story.
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square
foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted
into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company,
which by the way, would eventually employ you. My diet consisted of Ramen Pride
noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota
Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home
on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business --
hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a
modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove
flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead
of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling
through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look
like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and
lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and
my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too,
will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am , mentally check
in at about noon , and then leave at 5pm , I don't. There is no "off" button
for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend
all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe
this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend.
There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip
like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of
that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never
realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the
right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who
didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to
the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has its benefits but the price I've paid is
steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you,
is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell
you why: I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay
enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes.
Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes
on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then
guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and
regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most
of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000
for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada.
Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the
guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000
people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at
home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check?
Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of
this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd
quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who
wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why
your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the
economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government
mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing
that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired
more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees
would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better
salaries. But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't
defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do
you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America
and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it.
Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America
are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could
be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.
If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be
swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead
with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's
future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and
retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the
productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs
will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it
will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this
country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape
forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and
with no employees to worry about....
Signed,
Your boss
__________________
http://www.SPLITOAKKENNELSUPPLY.com
410-808-2151
Toll Free: 1-888-820-0431
Jeff Wilson
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01-30-2009 01:16 AM
