No tax on overtime question

[Treeshark]

Our employees love the built in (mandatory) OT they get. They would much rather work 12 hr shifts, 14 out of every 28 days, and get the built in OT after 40 hrs worked each week.

I get that schedule would be pretty sweet, but I assume that employees know about it when they are first hired right?

The situation I think is bunk is when a company gets busy and then forces OT vs hiring more (to save money). Then turn around and lay off people when it gets slow.

Work is a voluntary arrangement in which both parties are knowingly using each other, so my sympathy either way only goes so far. People can always talk with their feet I suppose.

 

[mevertsen]

Your taxes sound incredibly simple to me. How do you propose to make it any simpler?

They seem simple...

ACA and health insurance requirement sheet, child tax credit, earned income tax credit questions, deductions itemized vs standard deductions...

Vs..

About 6 questions.

We see you made $xxxxx this year, is that correct? Yes, if not correct it.
We see you've paid this much this year, is that correct? (Actually expecting the IRS to keep track of receipts through the year for each payer).

Good, this is how much you made, and this is how much you paid, you owe X percent of your income, so, its off by a few dollars, pay the difference now, or enter your bank information, so we can send the difference.

Done.

No deductions, no standard deduxtion, no massive tax code, no extra forms for each situatio, no credits, no exceptions. Percent of gross income. For every single person and corporation. (Graduated scale for increased income, similar to how we are now). Albeit at a lower rate, because this plan eliminates deductions.

Retirement, earned income, home business, corporation, investment income, every gross dollar that hits your pocket.

Fewer IRS examiners, and any reports of skating the system get investigated and prosecuted vigorously.

 

[BuzzH]

I get that schedule would be pretty sweet, but I assume that employees know about it when they are first hired right?

The situation I think is bunk is when a company gets busy and then forces OT vs hiring more (to save money). Then turn around and lay off people when it gets slow.

Work is a voluntary arrangement in which both parties are knowingly using each other, so my sympathy either way only goes so far. People can always talk with their feet I suppose.

Correct. When I choose to work OT I know I'm getting taken advantage of...but its my choice to allow it.

No company is paying OT to benefit anything other than the company...fact.

They get off very cheap by not employing a second person. No hiring, no training, less benefits paid, less insurance premiums paid, less 401 match paid, etc.

 

[mevertsen]

I know the above is a pipe dream.

But our tax code is Ridiculous.

We have so many laws (not just the tax code), that make no sense.

Our ability to modernize laws and systems is clouded by our rats in congress, who want to make sure their major donors are taken care of.

Its 2026, and what should take all 5 minutes on my phone, takes 1.5 hours, for a simple return. How many hours are wasted trying to figure out income tax returns?

 

[cgasner1]

I personally think a lot of your are very disconnected and don’t realize how bad off some people are. You’re all right about you shouldn’t have to work ot to make it but a lot of people are. This will be a nice bonus for me but won’t change my day to day by any means. To a single person raising a child I could be a huge help. A lot of people in this country would feel pretty fortunate to have a quarter of what most people in this community have.

 

[mevertsen]

I personally think a lot of your are very disconnected and don’t realize how bad off some people are. You’re all right about you shouldn’t have to work ot to make it but a lot of people are. This will be a nice bonus for me but won’t change my day to day by any means. To a single person raising a child I could be a huge help. A lot of people in this country would feel pretty fortunate to have a quarter of what most people in this community have.

Problem is that single mom isn't likely picking up an OT shift.

She's working 2 jobs and not getting any OT.

(My wife knows about that).

The BBB and the OT deduction, and no taxes on social security, absolutely was buying votes.

The votes they were buying were the old retired guys, who were pissed at Biden about cost of living (can't say I blame anyone for being mad at that), and the guys working overtime are often more conservative, blue collar type workers. Linemen, miners construction, etc.

The single mother and the salaried professional in an office 9 to 5, who are just as critical to making sure the wheels don't fall of the car of this nation, wont see a benefit.

 

[BuzzH]

I personally think a lot of your are very disconnected and don’t realize how bad off some people are. You’re all right about you shouldn’t have to work ot to make it but a lot of people are. This will be a nice bonus for me but won’t change my day to day by any means. To a single person raising a child I could be a huge help. A lot of people in this country would feel pretty fortunate to have a quarter of what most people in this community have.

Thats the shittiest of shitty places to be...lots and lots of time beyond 40 hours having to make ends meet at the sacrifice of properly raising and spending time with your kid(s).

Its almost like employers aren't paying high enough wages for cost of living or something???

Do you think many companies care about that?

 

[WyoCoalMiner]

I get that schedule would be pretty sweet, but I assume that employees know about it when they are first hired right?

Yes.

The situation I think is bunk is when a company gets busy and then forces OT vs hiring more (to save money). Then turn around and lay off people when it gets slow.

Our work, for a variety of reasons (variable monthly coal needs from customers, geology, major equipment outages, etc) has variable workforce requirements from month to month. Rather than do what you mentioned we run with largely an average number of employees needed for the year all while knowing some months may require more voluntary OT than others. This is communicated to the workforce, so they understand the approach. The goal is to avoid the exact issue you mention. Rarely do we have to force OT. I can only think of a couple months over the last 14 years. When it did happen, it was during hunting season. We know more will be gone than normal and plan for it, but it was also when a customer asked for more than planned. Those two things collided and forced OT was needed to keep the customer happy. Our employees are proud of being responsive to our customer's needs.

Work is a voluntary arrangement in which both parties are knowingly using each other, so my sympathy either way only goes so far. People can always talk with their feet I suppose.

Right on! And they should. As soon as anyone thinks the deal isn't fair, they need to move on.

I guess I have been more fortunate than a few others on this thread, in that everywhere I have worked except for one company, was a far more team-based environment where issues weren't viewed as us vs. them, management vs. hourly, but rather we are all pushing towards the same goal. It makes everyone's day so much more enjoyable.

 

[cgasner1]

Thats the shittiest of shitty places to be...lots and lots of time beyond 40 hours having to make ends meet at the sacrifice of properly raising and spending time with your kid(s).

Its almost like employers aren't paying high enough wages for cost of living or something???

Do you think many companies care about that?

Do you think the guy hanging Sheetrock to buy diapers has a choice? You keep acting like everyone has a degree and a great job.

 

[mevertsen]

Do you think the guy hanging Sheetrock to buy diapers has a choice? You keep acting like everyone has a degree and a great job.

With the cost of houses per square foot, I truly do wonder if the dry wall guy is getting paid what he should, vs the developer taking a criminal cut.

If the developer took a lower amount, knocked the price of the house down overall, and the dry wall guy could actually afford a house with a stay at home mom, seems to make more sense to me.

 

[SAJ-99]

I personally think a lot of your are very disconnected and don’t realize how bad off some people are.

Not me. I’m guessing 50-60% of Americans are basically making these paycheck calculations every day. But you can’t not pay taxes and celebrate a win. This will all get worse before it get better. Automation is a whole lot cheaper than overtime, PTO, health benefits, etc. then we shrug and say “sorry you chose that job”.

 

[BuzzH]

Do you think the guy hanging Sheetrock to buy diapers has a choice? You keep acting like everyone has a degree and a great job.

Was there any ambiguity in my comment about shittiest of shitty places to be?