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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?”

cashews_best_nut ,

Capitalism is starting to feel like a massive piss-take. You’ve got corps laughing all the way to the bank with billions in profits feeding their employees with fucking potatoes.

Surely something has to give?

RobotToaster OP ,
@RobotToaster@mander.xyz avatar

Starting?

metaStatic ,

same people who are just starting to see how democracy works too

CobblerScholar ,

It has multiple times, housing bubble, dot com bubble, soon the used car bubble, then it’ll be another housing bubble with apartments etc… Capitalism has such a stranglehold on the world that it’s going to take a very long time for it to change enough to be called something else that actually works

xkforce ,

Tbh I am kind of surprised no one has literally eaten some of the rich by now for nourishment.

WhatAmLemmy ,

I expect nothing will happen right through the crops failing, famines, mass migrations, wet bulb heat waves, ecological collapse… Nothing good anyway… Most likely fascist police state; probably sooner than later.

Kyrgizion ,

It’ll happen gradually enough that people won’t connect the dots.

Chainweasel ,

The divide will keep growing until people start to get hungry.
We’ve already proven time and time again that the worst they’re going to get out of us for anything they do is harsh words and disapproval. And since they know the worst we can do is complain they’re going to keep doing it.
There won’t be any legislation or policy charges to help us.
When we can’t eat and can’t feed our children we’ll finally have to motivation to make the changes ourselves.

EatYouWell ,

Yup, they know the population is placated by social media, but their mistake is thinking that makes them immune from the guillotine.

Chainweasel ,

It does though, as long as we have our bread and circuses they’re safe, and nothing will change until one or both dry up.

jimbolauski ,

More than likely the hospital is a non profit, so the profits at all costs doesn’t really work.

nomous ,

“Non-profit” doesn’t mean it doesn’t make money and doesn’t prevent hospital administration from taking massive pay bumps.

quindraco ,

We could always embrace capitalism by getting rid of corporations, like as a concept. They’re a fundamentally anti-capitalist idea.

Olhonestjim ,

Paying their employees with fucking potatos.

xkforce ,

The most surprising thing about this is this wasnt in the US. It seems like such an american capitalist douchebag thing to do.

aberrate_junior_beatnik ,

It wasn’t? Where was it (I can’t find it in the article)?

Hawk ,

It was in the US. On Twitter, she talks about venmo, which is a US only thing.

ArbitraryValue ,

Where did it happen? The money is in dollars so I assumed it was the USA, but in the USA employees generally don’t have to pay taxes on the value of the meals employers provide.

LufyCZ ,

The UK

XTornado ,

Oh yeah the other one in the competition to fuck everything up.

Zorque ,

There's dozens of them, not just one or two.

Hawk ,

The source is from the UK, the article is about a US company

LufyCZ ,

True, my bad

Dudewitbow ,

Being gifted potatoes in the U.S would be very out of the ordinary for many states, which is why i was skeptical about it being in the U.S.

ArbitraryValue ,

It’s not very out of the ordinary in the UK?

Dudewitbow ,

Not saying its odd in the UK, but if you ild me like it was Ireland or something, i wouldnt have batted an eye.

dan ,
@dan@upvote.au avatar

What about if they’re in Idaho?

Hawk ,

It was in the US, not sure why they claim it wasn’t.

RedditReject ,

I think it was in Texas from what I heard from the rumor mill. The article is in the guardian which is UK based so they put the exchange rate in for the $15 in £ so the UK folks had a frame of reference

stinerman ,
@stinerman@midwest.social avatar

This is terrible, but the company doesn’t need to tax them on this any more than your company taxes you when they bring in pizza for everyone. They’re doing it because…they’re dumb.

ObviouslyNotBanana ,
@ObviouslyNotBanana@lemmy.world avatar

WHAT

5200 ,

This is the only response.

Olhonestjim ,

I mean, there’s always forming a mob.

5200 ,

Yes, and strike. Force the pigs that though this was a good idea to shell out hundred a month per employee in better wages. And call it “the potato raises” to drive this home.

It is appealing and their upper management should be ashamed.

Jaysyn ,
@Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

There is a Russia joke in there somewhere.

Rhaedas ,
@Rhaedas@kbin.social avatar

The best part is that you don't dare question what you do get, or you receive the "well, at least it's something". Yeah, I guess so, but if the intent is to make the employee feel valued it's not working very well. I do have to say that a baked potato is still better than some things I've seen posted before.

notsorryforpartying , (edited )
@notsorryforpartying@lemmy.world avatar

Imo a bad reward like this is worse than nothing at all. Like they think I’m a moron or peasant who is dumb enough to appreciate it, insulting my intelligence

Nommer ,

Right? All I got was a $25 check for food (that expires in 3 months) only. At least it’s slightly better than a $15 potato.

Aqarius ,

It’s a “speak and remove all doubt” situation.

hark ,
@hark@lemmy.world avatar

If it’s being taxed at a value of $15 then they’re forced to overpay for a potato which actually is worse than nothing.

Sanctus ,
@Sanctus@lemmy.world avatar

At one point does it become acceptable to return “gifts” like these at high velocities?

Duranie ,

I like your thinking.

TheBlue22 ,

With a potato cannon?

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA ,
@HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world avatar

I remember the week after I saved a client forty five large in taxes, my boss gave me a ten dollar gift card to Walmart. I don’t have many kind things to say about that boss.

DrPop ,

Technically gift cards are taxable but if it’s not reported who is gonna know.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

I feel bad because my company didn’t do shit for my team last year. So I gave my entire team of twenty, $20 gift cards out of my own pocket. $500 total.

It was met with a “Happy holidays” but I wonder if people think I’m a bad boss too.

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA ,
@HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world avatar

He was the owner of the company, so he was totally a bad boss. But you’re the middle potato. Different situation.

dan ,
@dan@upvote.au avatar

you’re the middle potato

Is the middle potato also a $15 potato?

HeyThisIsntTheYMCA ,
@HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world avatar

They’re on Lemmy they’re a friggin $20 potato. They’ve even got sour creme instead of sour cream they’re so fancy.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

Thanks for that! I forget that sometimes the true boss is the final one at the top.

beyondthegrave ,

I saved a multi-million $ project from going down the toilet and jeopardizing a whole bunch of client contracts. I was rewarded with a demotion when the company was acquired months later.

5200 ,

I would definately be asking for the underlying numbers for that 15 dollar. If you’re charging me for it you better open the books on the cost you claim.

Potatos_are_not_friends ,

I love it.

“Please provide a itemized expense report. Thank you.”

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.

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.

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.

ThePowerOfGeek ,
@ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world avatar

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

Xeroxchasechase ,

A private for profit company

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.

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.

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