It’s absurd to pay federal workers for jobs not being done

[Sanguine]

by Quin Hillyer
 | January 11, 2019 05:43 PM

Only seven House members (all Republicans) showed logic, principle, and political courage on Friday by voting against a bill that will eventually provide back pay for federal workers furloughed during the partial government shutdown.

A very simple, commonsense principle should apply here: If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Period.

It matters not if it’s not your fault that you aren’t working. If you are in the private sector and your employer decides to close shop for the last three weeks of a year because there’s a lull in business, then you won’t get paid — even if the lull in business isn’t your fault. No reasonable person would expect otherwise.

So why should federal civil servants be any different? Why should taxpayers be forced — repeat, forced, under penalty of law — to pay for services not being performed for them? ...

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/its-absurd-to-pay-federal-workers-for-jobs-not-being-done

Interesting POV.

[Elderberry]

This is a sure way to reduce the number of Federal Workers.

I'm sure glad my son wasn't affected by the govt shutdown.

[bigheadfred]

There is a lull at my work. At my employer's suggestion, I am currently drawing unemployment. He pays his share of that tax. Is that reasonable? Or am I a leech?

@Sanguine

[Sanguine]

There is a lull at my work. At my employer's suggestion, I am currently drawing unemployment. He pays his share of that tax. Is that reasonable? Or am I a leech?

@Sanguine

Is your boss going to pay you for your time off after the fact? 

Apples/oranges.

[bigheadfred]

Is your boss going to pay you for your time off after the fact? 

Apples/oranges.

No. But in my head he is still paying me, at a reduced rate, because of the unemployment tax he paid in the 8 years I have worked there. We are mutually benefiting from that tax. He knows where that tax money is going, and for what. Does that make sense?

For the people in government who are working and not getting paid, they should be recompensed. The ones who aren't, shouldn't. Roughly half of the 800,000 out of work can draw unemployment. I am on the fence whether any of them should be able to draw that if that money comes from the federal tax I still pay with my unemployment. I am eligible for $414 a week (the max) and pay 10% Federal tax on that. It is still counted as income by the Feds. It is also optional as to pay it now, or pay it at the end of the year. There is no Idaho state tax on unemployment income.

[Sanguine]

No. But in my head he is still paying me, at a reduced rate, because of the unemployment tax he paid in the 8 years I have worked there. We are mutually benefiting from that tax. He knows where that tax money is going, and for what. Does that make sense?

For the people in government who are working and not getting paid, they should be recompensed. The ones who aren't, shouldn't. Roughly half of the 800,000 out of work can draw unemployment. I am on the fence whether any of them should be able to draw that if that money comes from the federal tax I still pay with my unemployment. I am eligible for $414 a week (the max) and pay 10% Federal tax on that. It is still counted as income by the Feds. It is also optional as to pay it now, or pay it at the end of the year. There is no Idaho state tax on unemployment income.

I agree that your boss, and you, are still paying you.  If it weren't for unemployment taxes, your boss could have paid you more all these years.

And, I'm on the fence about paying people who are not working for not fault of their own, but if they can apply for unemployment, they should have to pay that back when they get their back pay.

[bigheadfred]

I agree that your boss, and you, are still paying you.  If it weren't for unemployment taxes, your boss could have paid you more all these years.

And, I'm on the fence about paying people who are not working for not fault of their own, but if they can apply for unemployment, they should have to pay that back when they get their back pay.

Yes, they should pay it back.

[Frank Cannon]

Great way to end the shutdown is to fire all these maggot infested NON ESSENTIAL so called workers. Let them get real jobs.....if they can.

[bigheadfred]

Great way to end the shutdown is to fire all these maggot infested NON ESSENTIAL so called workers. Let them get real jobs.....if they can.

There is a time limit before they can be fired? I hope Trump holds out long enough that they can be fired.

[Sanguine]

There is a time limit before they can be fired? I hope Trump holds out long enough that they can be fired.

I thought it was 30 days, but that could be wrong.

[Frank Cannon]

I thought it was 30 days, but that could be wrong.

Excellent. We are at day 34. Start firing these deadbeat losers. I want to start with the pedophiles in the TSA and then go to the jerk who reads beer labels.

[corbe]

   I became a Manager at a Wal~Mart Warehouse in the early 90's (Electronics) and the first rule I implemented is that you would be paid for wearing a beeper (you had to stay sober, after all). At any time you would be required to fly to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and 32 back holes in the USA that wanted a Wal~Mart Warehouse. Though implemented it didn't go over well with 'other' Management and I resigned less than a year later and went on to bring my style of misery somewhere else. 
   Eventually started my own Company and resigned from that many times.   
   The moral of the story, if ya aint working you shouldn't be paid, but if you have to answer something/someone, you deserve compensation.
   BUT @bigheadfred unemployment is an insurance and a whole different thing.

[mountaineer]

I worked for the federal government as a summer intern one year. I've worked for state and county governments, as well. Believe me, the various levels of government have always paid employees for "jobs not being done" - and shutdowns have nothing to do with it.

Heaven forbid you're anywhere near the front door when 5 p.m. rolls around, or you'll get trampled to death by certain hard-working government employees.

[bigheadfred]

   I became a Manager at a Wal~Mart Warehouse in the early 90's (Electronics) and the first rule I implemented is that you would be paid for wearing a beeper (you had to stay sober, after all). At any time you would be required to fly to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and 32 back holes in the USA that wanted a Wal~Mart Warehouse. Though implemented it didn't go over well with 'other' Management and I resigned less than a year later and went on to bring my style of misery somewhere else. 
   Eventually started my own Company and resigned from that many times.   
   The moral of the story, if ya aint working you shouldn't be paid, but if you have to answer something/someone, you deserve compensation.
   BUT @bigheadfred unemployment is an insurance and a whole different thing.

Ok. alrighty then. That gets my motor running.

The Supreme Court Says the Health Care Mandate is a Constitutional Tax.

That ruling turns ANY insurance into a tax.

It is too early in the day for a screaming fit so I'll leave it at that.