## Is it Ethical to Ask for a Pay Cut from My Boss?
In today’s work environment, many employees are looking for ways to demonstrate loyalty and dedication to their employers. However, in some cases, this may include considering a pay cut to help the company during tough times. But is this ethical? Let’s explore the considerations.
### The Ethics of Asking for a Pay Reduction
1. **Employee Motivations:** Are you considering a pay cut out of genuine concern for the company’s financial health, or are there other factors at play?
2. **Company Transparency:** Is your employer open to discussing financial challenges and willing to consider all options?
3. **Long-Term Impact:** How will a pay cut affect your career growth and financial stability in the long run?
4. **Employee Well-being:** Will a reduced salary impact your quality of life and ability to meet financial obligations?
### Keywords to Enhance Visibility
#paycut #ethicalworkplace #employeeengagement #salarynegotiation #workplaceethics
### Conclusion
While asking for a pay cut may seem like a noble gesture, it’s essential to consider the long-term implications for both yourself and the company. Prioritize open communication with your boss, discuss all options, and ensure that any decision aligns with your values and career goals. Ultimately, the ethics of asking for a pay cut lie in the transparency, fairness, and mutual understanding between you and your employer.
Totally ethical.
Yea your case that makes sense.
Talk to your boss. What you suggest is god for both you and the company,
Sounds like if he can afford a $16k raise then maybe he can afford a little more? Bring this situation up to him and explain the logistics. If he values you enough to increase it so much then maybe there’s more he can do for you
And everyone on the planet knows you live in ‘Murica. Gotta love it here, eh? Do what is best for you financially. It’s the American way 😉
Couldn’t he hire your wife as consultant? Or would that result in the same situation?
What about using a company credit card for occasional entertains expenses? New tires for your vehicle damaged on company business? A new set of “work clothes?” Decorating costs to change a room into an office, for occasional work use?
You get the idea, I just don’t know what could soak up some of that cash you need to lose off your salary
Tefra is not income based but your child has to have have a qualifying diagnosis, hopefully that’s the kind of Medicaid you are on for your disabled kid
You could also just let him know you are getting kicked off Medicaid, show him the math, and ask if he could swing the extra $500 year. Reducing your wages might be the short term solution, but might affect your future wage growth opportunities.
Does your child have a social worker or case manager that helps you navigate social services? They may not be in danger of losing their healthcare definitely reach out and see if they would be eligible to keep their benefits with your raise (though it may take a tiring amount of paperwork/phone calls)
Maybe ask him for health insurance instead of a raise.
Don’t ask for less, ask for deferred compensation.
Not unethical. As a matter fact, the system is rigged for this to be ‘necessary’. Keep the poor, poor type thing.
This happened to a coworker of mine a few years ago. She got a pay raise like all of us at the beginning of the year so she asked if they could not give it to her. My work said it’s required since it was a COLA, everyone has to receive it.
So she asked if they would reduce her hours worked so she wouldn’t go over a certain amount. They cut her workweek by a day so she could keep her Medicaid. There no way she could have afforded our health insurance offered thru my work. So freaking sad.
I would definitely sit down and lay it all out for him and see if he can help.
I would ask him to pay more as the insurance is taking more than your raise can cover.
Jesus American healthcare is fucking stupid.Â
Fuck unethical, do what’s best for your family.
If Medicaid becomes aware you are deliberately limiting your income, there can be consequences. Please be cautious. Would your boss consider trade in “raises.” Instead of income, a benefit boost? More sick days or vacation days in lieu of a raise? Or 401K match, lower employee cost insurance, etc..
See if contributing $16k to a 401k would offset your income to qualify you?
Can you open a trust ran by your state? I heard that was a legal loop hole
It’s not unethical but it’s also not smart. Run these numbers by your boss and ask for a raise instead of a cut. Show the boss that any raise below XXX amount is detrimental to you and that you’d need at least XXX in order for it to be a living wage for your family.
This is why most assistance is graduated to avoid these cliffs. It sounds like Medicaid doesn’t do that. That sucks.
One question: Is Medicaid AGI? Can you put the $16k in your 401k?
Tbh the raise is worth it. I worked insurance billing. The PPO insurance is so much better. You get a lot more coverage.
Maybe negotiate 20k to cover increased health costs.
Can you do ACA benefits? My husband and I have been on that for years bc his job wants something like $1600/mo in benefits and that’s more than half his pay in the month.
Now we pay $450/mo for a family of three. If you’re in PA it’s now under Pennie, but otherwise it’s the marketplace (idk what it is called in other states)
Just sit down with your boss and show him the math and how it is affecting your family
Put the the raise to 401k so income stays the same as before
Put the the raise to 401k so income stays the same as before
You may be able to get marketplace insurance for less than your work insurance. There is a ratio your state may have which says if your work insurance is over a certain percentage of your income, you can get the marketplace insurance instead and claim the tax credits for the lowest premiums.
It’s a shame that there isn’t a way for your boss to pay you partially under the table. I would still consider that ethical because the 100% on/off line for Medicaid is absurd and Medicaid is urgently needed by a lot of families who have to remain in poverty because it’s too expensive to make more money.Â
One other option that might work is if your boss could donate some money to a trust that can pay some of your bills instead of paying it to you. I don’t know exactly how that works but I’m in the process of seeing what’s involved in setting up a trust that can pay some of my daughter’s bills without impacting her access to services and support like Medicaid.Â
I would ask him for a different compensation. Like less pay for more time off or see if there is a way for them to pay your $300 per month for insurance.
Not at all. I had a really great single mom working for me early in my career. We were so excited to give her a $3 raise. We worked nonprofit with some wonderful people but there wasn’t a lot of money to give out for raises.
Not long later she came in a total wreck because she was losing all her benefits. We did the math and the $3 raise wouldn’t come close to covering her expenses so we took it back. It was a bit depressing but she kept her benefits and finished school. I really hope she’s doing well.
European resident here, just popping in to say the US system is incomprehensibly idiotic
It may be better for you to divorce your wife, and keep your extra income. You can probably be roommates.
What you should really ask for is for them to change the form in which you receive a portion of your compensation. They could cover the cost of your health plan and reduce your salary accordingly.
So you need an approx. $6000/year salary reduction? Can you negotiate with your boss for a reduced hour schedule for less pay – maybe every other Friday off, a month off a year, a shorter workday (I don’t know your base salary or hours or preferred schedule changes) – if he says no, just ask flat out for the $6000 reduction and pocket a 10k pay rise. Note: if you stay close to the 6000/year, be careful of going over it with OT if that would cause an issue. You could also ask for other benefits in lieu of the 6,000 – i.e. WFH, training opportunities, guaranteed promotion schedule, a company car, mileage, etc – in lieu of the salary rise.
For the ethics issue – I’m a humanist, so I look for where the harm is being done to anyone. In this case there is none – you will be able to provide for your disabled son and family; your company will still have a quality worker being compensated monetarily or non-monetarily for their good work; the only thing I guess I’d mention is that you’d be able to access a taxpayer funded resource whereas otherwise you could access a private resource, but you’re staying within the legal framework of your country that designed the system so there’s nothing wrong with advocating for your wellbeing within that framework, especially since that system was designed in the wake of apartheid to advocate against your and many other people’s wellbeing; additionally I’m from a country that gives healthcare to EVERYONE as a human right, almost all developed nations do; this right shouldn’t hinge on money and it shouldn’t prevent or bar people from getting awards from their work.
I would say to ask your boss to give a 9-10k salary increase, and reduced hours or more holiday days, or WFH. And maybe use some of those days off to volunteer to help people in need in your country. You’ll get an extra 10k a year, stay on Medicaid, have a better work environment or schedule, and people in your community will get some volunteer work from you, that’s what I’d say if I had to choose the most ethical outcome IMO.
no ask for more mate