Ethical Question

[Fitter 0]

How would you feel if your company started a new charitable organization and was counting on all employees to do fundraisers, added a special place on timecards for you to fill in how much you want to give each pay period, was going totally public with it and having committee meetings to make decisions and plan for the growth of the new charitable organization?

What if you’re not particularly interested in this type of charity, or if you already give more than generously to charities that you’ve believed in?

Do you just, “Go with it?” Or do you decide not to attend and/or participate when everyone else is so gung-ho about it all?

[DrewsLou 3]

Wow. Good question. If it was something I wasn't interested in or opposed I probably would not participate. Pressuring someone to support what they do not believe in is wrong and I don't agree with it. But if it was something I could take or leave I would probably get involved.

However, if it is the focus of the company I work for I might need to look elsewhere for employment if I disagreed so strongly.

Hope I made sense?

Thanks for the interesting thought.

[Fitter 0]

They aren't pressuring as in, "Do this or else," it's just that everyone is making a huge deal of it trying to get on TV, in magazines, etc. It's been in the working a long time and finally surfaced. I'm not saying I don't believe in this particular charity, but it's certainly not my number one choice by far, so it feels like it's another thing on my pile to do that won't go away.

[Luna 0]

I think everyones been approached to do something for some kind of fund raising they didnt particularly want to participate in. I say if there's just some kind of monetary donation you can give and can easily afford, go ahead and go that route. It shows you care enough, will keep people from wondering "Why didnt they help?" and hey, it's giving to someone who needs it.

[Yoda 0]

Yeah, I hear ya on this one. Working for the Federal Gov't, we have ALL types of charities and campaigns that are always coming our way....give here, give there etc...and then of course there are the charities that come knockin' at your door or calling on the phone. It gets frustrating and disturbing. I have always refused to get caught up in it. I have my own charities that I support for my own personal reasons and IMHO it is nobody's business (ie. at work etc) about it. So, my standard response is a strong yet kind, "no thank you, my support goes to different various charities and I'm all tapped out with those". It just gets to be too much sometimes.

I know it can be tough for some who may perceive that they will be disadvantaged somehow in the workplace if they don't participate though...if that is the case, then HR should be talked to about the way this is all occuring.

[LindaV 0]

I thought you were quitting your job to pursue the slumber party thing full-time. Otherwise I agree with everyone else. You only have so much of your money and time to go around.

[Josette 2]

I work for state gov and today we just got our combined campaign books for us to contribute to numerous charities. I don't contribute. I donate every year to american cancer society and I also contribute to ele's place (a center for grieving children) that I used to be a counselor at. I don't feel guilty for not donating at work. I just choose not to let them make me feel guilty in any way. 25 years ago my little brother was struggling with a rare kidney disease and my parents were struggling to take care of three kids under ten and pay his medical bills so they went to United Way, which my dad always contributed too, and they turned my parents down for help of any kind because "your son isn't dying". He died a few months later and my family has never donated another dime to that charity. I'm very choosie about who my money goes too.

[Fitter 0]

"I have my own charities that I support for my own personal reasons and IMHO it is nobody's business"

AND

"I'm very choosie about who my money goes too."

... is exactly what I'm talking about. I did quit my job, it's my other business that just started this really great organization. Needy women have to apply and show good cause why they need funds to rekindle their spirit and get their lives back on track so I know money will go directly to a really great cause.

I've already contributed financially by adding extra money to my order, which I'll do each time I place an order. However, the reason I quit my corporate job is to get grounded, healthy and caught up with life. My time at my F/T job is wasted when there's so much to do at home, hence my existence at LBT. So now I'll finally have time, after 2 decades, to catch up with life, yet we're talking about things like car washes and other fund raisers? I haven't washed my own car yet!

I don't want to sound harsh, and perhaps I'm being too selfish with my new leisure time? But it's not leisure time - it's time to build my new business and paint my house! Ask Vinesqueen about my boring white walls, they've been screaming for years.

But in the team spirit... But I'm mentally tapped out... but all other women are so excited about it... But I want to devote time to rescuing Pitbulls... But it will help women... but but but....

Anyone want a car wash

[Yoda 0]

I learned a long time ago that u can only allow yourself to be pulled into so many directions.....

gotta do what's good for you and yours!

[Stitchy 0]

That's a hard question, Fitter. I think that if you are supporting something that you believe in and are feeling tapped out, charity-wise, you shouldn't feel pressured to support something else.

I would talk with your HR people (or whomever is appropriate) about your desire to not participate. Ask them who will know? Will participants or non-participants be made public? (There should be some confidentiality there.) If either list is published, others are going to know who is NOT participating and that is not right. If the lists are going to be made public, you might want to contribute a nominal amount just to keep from being harrassed.

As far as your time, that's even harder. I don't know what to say. If you don't participate in that, it's pretty obvious. You listed some pretty valid reasons. Especially about quitting your other job becuase you really need your time. Maybe do one thing and that would be enough.

[FunnyDuddies 6]

I am pretty sure it is illegal to offer incentives to employees to participate in charity. So the company doing this is not really ethical in their practices by doing this.

Other than that, what you choose to do with your money is up to you. If you are feeling chritable you should give your money to the charity that you believe in the most. My husband and I donate 15 percent of our income each month to our church. They are the ones who decide where the money goes, and we know that we can trust their choices. We also donate to Cancer organizations directly because they have effected us personally.

[Fitter 0]

So wise. I guess the best thing to do is call my team and let them know I'm only able to contribute financially for now.

After the huge 1994 Northridge earthquake, a neighbor came by to show me her trunk loaded with boxes of food. She said to, "Hurry to the donation center and get your free food while it lasts!" I was disgusted with her because she I got off lucky with minimal damage. The only charity either of us needed was fresh Water. We watched our neighbors' homes burn to the ground with everything they ever owned. By the time the weakest ones even had a chance to think about food, it was all gone by greedy grabbing hands. I haven't been able to donate to a food bank since.

[vinesqueen 2]

One of the things I've learned because of having Cushing's is that I only have so many spoons to go around. It's called The Spoon Theory.

Every day, you are given a random number of spoons, but every activity you have will cost you a spoon. When you are out of spoons, you are done for the day. Things like take a shower, get dressed, cook a meal, go grocery shopping, talk on the phone, mow the lawn or go to work or think about complicated issues or projects all take a certian amount of energy or spoons. If you only have 25 different activieds that all require a spoon, but you only have 10 spoons to spend, what do you do? What do you do if you don't know how many spoons you get each day?

There are so many important cheriable organizations out there, but you only have so much energy and resources to spend. You only have so many spoons. I think it is wonderful that your organization is focused where it is, but if they are asking for spoons you don't have, you don't have them.

But car washes are good excersize... Oh la la charity carwash girls...

[Fitter 0]

Quote by Fuddyduddy: "I am pretty sure it is illegal to offer incentives to employees to participate in charity. So the company doing this is not really ethical in their practices by doing this."

Nobody said there are incentives, and nobody appreciates your accusing Slumber Parties as being an unethical company. Why taint another thread when Slumber's 10,000 female distributors did more to rebuild the French Quarter in New Orleans after Katrina than anything else I've personally experienced? We even held our National Convention there so 2000 generous women could help the economy instead of selfishly taking it somewhere posh and pretty.

Katie Couric was proud to have us on the Today Show, and our Number One distributor is from St. George, Utah, practically (if not) the Morman Capital. Maybe you could get your church to match us?

[Fitter 0]

Vines... do you have one extra spoon to finally help me paint? It's really going to happen, and I even asked Coco to help pick out paint colors to please YOU!

I love your spoon theory, but I'm fresh out. Maybe after a few months I'll have some extra ones. Car washing really is good exercise though, but so is walking those poor locked up Pit Bulls at the local shelters. There are as many as 60% Pit Bulls in our local shelters at one time that have been forced to fight or breed and then dumped. I don't have enough spoons.