Wednesday, July 28, 2004

That's Un-American

Apple pie, baseball, hotdogs, the previous are many times appended to the phrase “That’s American as...” Here’s a story I find un-American.

A young individual close to me, is employed in a table waiting capacity at Olga’s Kitchen. Yesterday evening, this individual returned from picking up their paycheck, and I overheard, and commented, on the following, and I am paraphrasing.

Olga’s employee:  “Well, I picked up my check.  I earned eighty-eight bucks, but my check is only for fourteen dollars and some change”

Me:  “What?  How come?”

Olga’s employee:  “Because I have to claim tips.”

Me:  “Well, claim less tips.  The government has no clue as to how much you make in tips, unless you tell them.”

Olga’s employee:  “I can’t.”

Me:  “What do you mean you can’t claim less tips?”

Olga’s employee:  “We have to claim at least fifteen percent of our sales for the night in tips or the company disciplines us.”

Me:  “Come on, that can’t be true.”

Olga’s employee:  Seriously, if we claim less than fifteen percent of sales as tips, the manager posts our names and we can also be removed from the work rotation.”

Me:  “That just isn’t right”

Think about the above conversation, people, and what that means.  Think about what it means when a business is part of the IRS’s enforcement arm.  I’ll never eat at an Olga’s again, they’re un-American.

Posted by John Venlet on 07/28 at 02:23 AM
(7) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Page 1 of 1 pages