The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Austerity Measures Cause Unrest

Posted on | May 7, 2010 | 10 Comments

No, I’m not talking about the riots in Greece. I’m talking about what economic analysts call an unexpected near-term budgetary shortfall at the Other McCain household. The “unrest” is Mrs. Other McCain’s concern about unpaid bills.  The IMF isn’t going to bail me out and, unlike the Greek parliament, I don’t have a riot squad to protect me.

Brief explanation: In April, I entered into a fee-for-service arrangement with an organization that had promised to send me a check on May 1. However, there was a change of personnel at the organization, in which payroll duties were reassigned to a young lady who failed to complete the necessary paperwork in a timely manner.

After waiting all week for the check, this morning I called the organization and spoke to a friend who explained this unfortunate situation:

FRIEND: “. . . So you won’t get paid until May 13.”
ME: “Because the girl didn’t do the paperwork?”
FRIEND: “Right.”
ME: “I hope you’ll see to it that she is properly spanked.”
FRIEND: “That’s probably not in my job description.”
ME: “But you’re going to be smiling about that mental image the rest of the day, aren’t you?”
FRIEND: [Laughs] “Uh, yeah.”
ME: “You’re welcome.”

Alas, gladdening the hearts of my friends doesn’t pay the bills, and the electric company won’t accept naughty humor in lieu of cash.

However, some readers have been wondering how best to celebrate National Offend a Feminist Week, and hitting the tip jar today would certainly be appropriate.

Think about it. Somewhere today there’s a young lady in an office who is responsible for my temporary financial distress.

And she has no idea why her boss keeps smiling like a goofy kid.

If that’s not worth $20 in the tip jar, what ever could be?

Category: Economics, National Offend a Feminist Week

Comments

10 Responses to “Austerity Measures Cause Unrest”

  1. Count Vikula
    May 7th, 2010 @ 5:13 pm

    I know some people that would fill the tip-jar for a list of donors to the American Future Fund 501(c)(4) organization (not to be confused with the FEC-reporting American Future Fund PAC).

  2. Count Vikula
    May 7th, 2010 @ 12:13 pm

    I know some people that would fill the tip-jar for a list of donors to the American Future Fund 501(c)(4) organization (not to be confused with the FEC-reporting American Future Fund PAC).

  3. Roxeanne de Luca
    May 7th, 2010 @ 6:05 pm

    Depending on the laws of the state that governn your employment agreement, they may be required to pay you today. (In a lot of the states, the short version of the law is thus: no matter how many internal screw-ups you have, you must pay people at least every other week.) Often, just calling up, with a citation to the relevant statute, and a threat to follow up on statutory remedies (which are often to contact the state’s Department of Labour with a complaint, which often gets you about $500 or $1,000, plus your paycheck), is sufficient to get them to cut you a check that day.

    They can do it, I’m sure; that payroll normally prints off checks every other week does not mean that they can’t do it any time that they want to.

  4. Roxeanne de Luca
    May 7th, 2010 @ 1:05 pm

    Depending on the laws of the state that governn your employment agreement, they may be required to pay you today. (In a lot of the states, the short version of the law is thus: no matter how many internal screw-ups you have, you must pay people at least every other week.) Often, just calling up, with a citation to the relevant statute, and a threat to follow up on statutory remedies (which are often to contact the state’s Department of Labour with a complaint, which often gets you about $500 or $1,000, plus your paycheck), is sufficient to get them to cut you a check that day.

    They can do it, I’m sure; that payroll normally prints off checks every other week does not mean that they can’t do it any time that they want to.

  5. Stogie
    May 7th, 2010 @ 6:20 pm

    I’m in the same boat — didn’t get paid for my last job and will have to pursue it legally.

  6. Stogie
    May 7th, 2010 @ 1:20 pm

    I’m in the same boat — didn’t get paid for my last job and will have to pursue it legally.

  7. T. Smith
    May 7th, 2010 @ 10:56 pm

    I’m in for $20.

  8. T. Smith
    May 7th, 2010 @ 5:56 pm

    I’m in for $20.

  9. Bob Belvedere
    May 8th, 2010 @ 8:53 pm

    Linked to at:
    Offend A Feminist: Love Honor And Obey

  10. Bob Belvedere
    May 8th, 2010 @ 3:53 pm

    Linked to at:
    Offend A Feminist: Love Honor And Obey