Nothing totally coherent today folks… just some rambling thoughts that I’d like to hear your responses to!

Everyone I’m sure has been reading about how many governments and businesses are cutting pay and giving unpaid furloughs to employees in order to save money and avoid layoffs.

California… the drunken sailor with the migraine hangover and empty wallet… seems to be the one most in the news about this.

Pay cuts and furloughs. Admirable? To a point. But only if the pain is shared by everyone including the bosses… which doesn’t happen all that often.

Most people will accept a lower paycheck in lieu of no paycheck when they still have mouths to fee and bills to pay but if they don’t see everyone sharing the pain it devastates morale and will send the brightest on a search for a more “equitable” employer.

Has anyone here been subject to pay cuts or furloughs?

If so have your bosses “shared the pain” or just ordered in lunch instead of going out?

If they haven’t “shared” how has that affected morale at your workplace?

Even in lieu of layoffs it will still set up frictions in the workplace… some employees will see it as unfair that they have to take a pay cut instead of seeing a marginally productive fellow get the ax or feel only the marginally productive one should be the one getting the pay cut instead of them.

Which would you prefer… across the board pay cuts? Axing the marginal worker instead? You keep your rate of pay but cut the pay of the marginal worker?

I can see furloughs, even unpaid, backfiring. Studies have shown that Europeans are just as productive as Americans yet they are given anywhere from 4-6 weeks, albeit paid, vacation a year.

What happens if Americans decide they like having extra time off… even unpaid??

Could this be the wedge needed to force and increase from the two week standard or even pass a law mandating paid vacations or the right to take “sabbaticals” similar to the time off granted under the Family Medical Leave Act?

Would you like to be able to take time off… even unpaid… without fear of losing your job for whatever reason you want?

Would you rather the whole idea of pay cuts and furloughs to just please go away?

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