Clinical RawlsianFeb 25, 2023

In America, whenever a person buys a good or service, they must almost always pay upfront in cash or a cash equivalent (check, debit card, etc.) or accrue a high interest debt (credit card). Yet, employers almost always pay employees in areas with a 1-2 week lag for the labor employees sell them.

Essentially, employees are forced to give their employees interest free short-term loans.

Show threadClinical Rawlsian
There is no reason employers could not pay employees in advance for hours worked. at minimum, employers should be required to pay employees weekly rather than bi-weekly or monthly. If an employer elects not to pay employees weekly, they should be required to pay employees in advance rather than in arrears. If an employee is paid for hours that they subsequently do not work, it can just be deducted from the next paycheck.
Feb 25, 2023 at 4:26pmTusky
Show threadcharm city slickerFeb 25, 2023
@MadMadMadMadRN not only this, but honestly i think terms of employment should be filed with the government and some central bureaucracy should distribute wages based on terms agreed by employers and employees with collection of said payments done by the government from employers. That way the worker is always paid for the work they've done and if the employer can't pay they are immediately in trouble. The burden should be on them, not vulnerable workers
Show threadClinical RawlsianFeb 25, 2023
@the_megalopolis Absolutely. And there should definitely be some type of third party verification of hours worked given how rampant wage theft is across the economy. Allowing companies that have repeatedly been caught stealing time from employees keep track of hours worked is like hiring someone repeatedly convicted of burglary to be a night watchman.
Show threadmtswFeb 25, 2023
@MadMadMadMadRN if not paid in advance, that weeks estimated payroll should be put into escrow in advance so if there's a conflict over wages owed, the money is in neutral hands rather than defaulting to not paying the workers
Show threadmtswFeb 25, 2023
@MadMadMadMadRN on union film jobs, (where the company you're working for is an LLC that will be dissolved after the film is delivered) the union typically requires the production post a bond for a month or so worth of pay. The bond is released at the end of production only when the union confirms there are no outstanding claims. It's a good system!