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Hospital staff get baked potato as a 'Christmas bonus' from work (and got taxed on it)

cross-posted from: lemmy.world/post/9823286

‘Tis the season to celebrate our loved ones, and also for employers to show how much they care.

Whether by throwing a Christmas bash or handing out extra cash, businesses around the world are broadly expected to offer their dedicated staff a festive token of their appreciation.

And who deserves more recognition than the workers who keep our healthcare systems afloat?

Yet, the senior management team at one hospital apparently decided that rather than boost their staff’s pay or treat them to a slap-up meal, they would provide them with…

Potatoes.

The questionable move was broadcast to social media by an X/Twitter user who calls herself Amanda B.

She explained dejectedly: “My work is doing a potato bar as our Christmas bonus. I’m literally getting a hospital potato as a bonus.”

She then added: “They also said it has a $15 (£11.85) value so it will be taxed on our next check. Does anyone need an assistant so I can just quit right now?”

cypherpunks , (edited )
@cypherpunks@lemmy.ml avatar

this “story” is spam, actually.

the dearth of people in this thread who can identify it as such is sad evidence of a lack of media literacy.

edit: i can’t reply to @kescusay because i deleted this post from lemmy.ml, but, i see they replied:

It’s the Independent, not spam. Indy100 is part of the Independent.

so, ok, I looked, and yeah, I see this “indy100” site is indeed part of a business called “The Independent” which carries the name of a former newspaper.

But this story, like most of the content on indy100, appears to have no basis in reality. It is not “news”, it is dishonest garbage pretending to be factual for the purpose of selling the audience’s attention to advertisers. aka spam.

Carighan ,
@Carighan@lemmy.world avatar

No it’s a potato, not spam. Spam looks very different.

kescusay ,
@kescusay@lemmy.world avatar

It’s the Independent, not spam. Indy100 is part of the Independent.

archomrade ,

Remember bonus pay is withheld at 22 percent, so don’t eat all of it otherwise you’ll owe the IRS a quarter of a potato at tax time

ook_the_librarian ,
@ook_the_librarian@lemmy.world avatar

Did that article have blank templates to fill in tweets? It seemed like there was a quota of tweets the author had to fill in the spaces for and missed one.

AnarchistArtificer ,

It might be spaces for ads

ook_the_librarian ,
@ook_the_librarian@lemmy.world avatar

https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/8d7a1b16-55e1-4147-8e9e-517d7dd31c81.jpeg

This is what I see.

31337 ,

If I refresh, I briefly see that, then the tweet loads in. There was either a temporary error, or you’re blocking embedded tweets (which is probably wise).

ook_the_librarian ,
@ook_the_librarian@lemmy.world avatar

Ah, thanks. I feel slightly less cynical now :)

FellowEnt ,

My previous employer’s Christmas ‘bonuses’ included a single plastic kids bike pedal, a spray-painted (nice shade of orange) spanner, and fake money. I’d take the potato any day.

TheGrandNagus ,

I find this way more insulting than my zero bonus lol

NENathaniel ,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

Tbh I’d take a potato over the nothing I got, looks tasty

bighatchester ,

And I thought my $160 Christmas bonus was disappointing…

june ,

Better than my Christmas severance.

NENathaniel ,
@NENathaniel@lemmy.ca avatar

I got $25 :D

HiddenLayer5 ,

Perhaps a sign that the hospital admin needs a potato canon to the face, in their next group Minecraft session.

Thcdenton ,

deleted_by_author

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    Labrad0r , (edited )

    I obviously don’t know the specifics of the situation, but DNR on its own doesn’t mean “stop providing medical care”. The stat tests were probably to ensure grandpa didn’t get to the point of needing resuscitation.

    Edit: And I don’t mean for this to be combative, it’s just that goals of care/end of life planning conversations are hard enough for the patient, family, and care team. It’s even worse when people think that DNR means “I’m giving up on my myself/mom/dad/grandparent/etc”. Resuscitation is a pretty traumatic experience, and the person may not want to go through that if the chance of them having a good quality of life afterwards is low. Everything else is still available to them if that’s what they want.

    Breezy ,

    I once got my old boss a potato for his birthday, it was a 25 dollar gold coated potato though. I dont see the gold one anymore. potatoparcel.com

    AnUnusualRelic ,
    @AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world avatar

    A fifteen dollar potato has to be a fairly nice potato though.

    Drusas ,

    At that price, the potato better be providing some extra services.

    Sprokes ,

    I think American will now start tipping hospital staffs.

    AnUnusualRelic ,
    @AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world avatar

    You didn’t tip hospital staff? You monster.

    RobotToaster OP ,
    @RobotToaster@mander.xyz avatar

    Don’t give them ideas.

    Drusas ,

    Please no.

    ThePowerOfGeek ,
    @ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world avatar

    Who the fuck runs that hospital? Ebineezer Scrooge pre-ghost-visitation?

    Xeroxchasechase ,

    A private for profit company

    voxthefox ,

    Very much a theme this year. My company normally gives equity (that cashes out over 3 years ofc) every end of year for the past 4-5 years. This year however, no equity allotments announced, instead we get a floor pizza party with ice cream. People are less than enthused.

    PatFussy ,

    I honestly dont care. Hospital staff make a ton of money as is off the backs of the people they rip off.

    Davidjjdj ,

    They really don’t… Hospitals make a ton of money. Travel nurses make a ton of money, but full time workers are usually shafted.

    Potatos_are_not_friends ,

    You know that the staff are like regular people?

    dan ,
    @dan@upvote.au avatar

    Nurses and other hospital staff get paid way less than they should, given the hours they work and the stuff they have to deal with.

    djsoren19 ,

    Nope. The only people who are ripping anyone off are the same shitty bosses who think the potato is just compensation.

    As in any industry, the frontline workers are just doing their best. It’s the shitty administration of leeches that are jacking up healthcare prices.

    OneWomanCreamTeam ,

    Oh the staff doesn’t see any of that money. Honestly, for what they have to put up with a lot of nurses are paid like shit.

    DrPop , (edited )

    Here is a little something from the IRS pub 525 about bonuses.

    Bonuses and awards. Bonuses or awards you receive for outstanding work are included in your income and should be shown on your Form W-2. These include prizes such as vacation trips for meeting sales goals. If the prize or award you receive is goods or services, you must include the FMV of the goods or services in your income. However, if your employer merely promises to pay you a bonus or award at some future time, it isn’t taxable until you receive it or it’s made available to you.

    So do they really believe the fair market value of a potato is $12? The IRS doesn’t go by retail price.

    The FMV for a pound of russet potatoes is $2.50 soo yeah no they are doing too much and should be reported.

    Meals and lodging

    You don’t include in your income the value of meals and lodging provided to you and your family by your employer at no charge if the following conditions are met.

    The meals are: Furnished on the business premises of your employer, and Furnished for the convenience of your employer.

    EatYouWell ,

    The cost of food is not the only factor that determines it’s value. It’s a service being provided, not an object.

    It’s still a bullshit bonus and everyone who thought it was a good idea should kill themselves, but they didn’t just get a raw potato.

    DrPop ,

    I see your point, but labor cost for a single baked potato that was probably cooked at the same time as the rest of them would still be minimal.

    SatansMaggotyCumFart ,

    A baked potato was $25 at the strip club I used to frequent, but for that you got two strippers bringing it to you while playing a rather amusing game of hot potato.

    DrPop ,

    That SMCF, and yes that honestly sounds worth it to me.

    SatansMaggotyCumFart ,

    It was the cheap part of those nights.

    The booze, cocaine and divorces added up though.

    elephantium ,
    @elephantium@lemmy.world avatar

    SMCF

    What does this stand for?

    DrPop ,

    Lol at the meme of the user.

    elephantium ,
    @elephantium@lemmy.world avatar

    SMH, I didn’t connect it to the GP’s username 🤦‍♂️

    RickMoreanus ,

    That sounds worth every cent.

    eclectic_electron ,

    It’s a “potato bar” not just a potatoes to presumably that price is intended to include all the bacon, cheese, etc.

    Really though it’s probably just whatever the hotel cafeteria charges for potato because that’s a lot easier than coming up with a new price and then justifying it in case of an audit.

    DrPop ,

    I believe they have to be doing something shady, there is no way in hell that would cost$15 per person. Even a nice potato bar is $11 per person according to Google. I’m not an expert in business finance but I know bulk means less cost.

    AnUnusualRelic ,
    @AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world avatar

    It’s one potato, Michael, what could it cost? Ten dollars?

    (there’s always money in the potato bar)

    agissilver ,

    The last part makes it sound like the potato bonus is not taxable. I guess it depends on how you interpret employer “convenience” here.

    SirQuackTheDuck ,

    If it’s a potato feast as lunch, it’s not taxable and if they still deduct it, it’s wage theft.

    So, get your Christmas bonus by suing your employer, then get the actual bonus by leaving and getting a less toxic employer. Don’t forget to roast them harder than the potato on Glassdoor as you’re leaving.

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