CompuServe Messages

I am surprised to hear that the Labor Board wouldn't take your wife's case. We have an employee who was treated unfairly by a previous employer, and I have been absolutely amazed at how far the Labor Board is going to help him out. Providing him with counsel, helping him prepare his case, etc. I totally agree with the reasons you have for being an independant contractor, I went through the exact same reasoning process 12 years ago when I started my own business. But now that I've seen it from both sides, both have some valid arguements. A good employer (as differentiated from the ones who don't care, which is where the problems are) goes through a lot to keep his employees working. All employees get paid first, then the government, then the rent, then suppliers and bank loans, then new equipment and upgrades, then the employer himself if there is anything left. And if there's ever a shortfall, it comes out of the employer's pocket, or house, or whatever. So if the company has a bad year, what can you do? You keep employees as long as you can, by then there is no money for severance pay, etc. when you finally have to let them go. By then the employer is way in the hole and the employee wants more! Meanwhile you've paid him for the last four or five months with nothing coming in, and his benefits, and taxes, etc. You could blame the employer for not planning far enough ahead, and if he did, he would lay-off the people sooner. But the same spirit that made someone start the company in the first place usually sees the 'saving big project' just around the corner, and he waits too long. My first 4 or 5 years we went through this cycle a few times, and it wasn't pretty. Thankfully the last 6 or 7 years have been pretty good to us, but I remember those days all too well. PS – If a sysop wants to move this thread to 'take 5', since it has gone so far from video solutions, I don't think anyone will mind! <g>