Austin company looking to dock paychecks for those receiving stimulus checks

[TXPaganBanker]

A company in Austin is effectively attempting to seize their employees stimulus checks, as well as the employee's half of any amounts due to dependents. The company has not been publicly identified yet.

"The worker said his company emailed a form titled “Employee Acknowledgement of ‘Government Assistance’ Pay Reduction” to some staffers on Wednesday. “In response to the economic crisis that is affecting all of us due to the coronavirus pandemic…(company name redacted) are hereby enacting the Employee Emergency Compensation Fund,” the letter stated.

The agreement would put workers under a “temporary compensation reduction that is in line with the assistance that it receives from the federal government related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” By signing the agreement, the company’s employees would have their paychecks between April 6 and April 20 cut by 100% of any money received under the stimulus bill.

The company would also take half of the $500 stipend allotted for dependents under the bill. "

https://www.kxan.com/news/austin-company-looking-to-dock-paychecks-for-those-receiving-stimulus-checks/?fbclid=IwAR325XsFcn18ma3Lfw02v-441TOJiC_f5NwgrqlEW6TVoInp5ch3Wc-Cwcg

WTAF, people?

[intrepidity]

1. Sounds absolutely Trumpian, to me

He'd be so jealous he didn't think of it. Unless he did.

[Lithos]

2. Has anyone identified this company?

I live in Austin and quite happy to email them and say I will never do business with them when their brand is so obviously antagonistic to workers.

L-

[kag]

6. I have lots of family in Austin.

Two brothers, their kids, lots of cousins, etc. All of them would happily boycott whichever company is doing this. I REALLY want to know who it is.

[Lithos]

8. Can appreciate the sentiment

let me know if you find out different from Du...

L-

[kag]

9. Will do, Lithos.

I just emailed my brother to see if he knows. He works for one of the TV stations there (not kxan; a different one). I'll let you know if I find out.

[Lithos]

11. That would be awesome

Thank you very much!

On Edit: I will pass the name on to at least 5 other activists who like to chew on things like this.

L-

[kag]

24. In case you didn't see it...

Another DUer posted it tonight:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213200673

It's a company called ImageNet Consulting based in Okalhoma city.

https://www.thelostogle.com/2020/03/29/imagenet-consulating-stimulus-payment/?fbclid=IwAR26NYRukdXoxLIJyOD79pM-dpMqaD9NyqIIttYit2-7IjVYpGp0Vs3XShM

[dalton99a]

25. +1. Remember ImageNet Consulting and Pat Russell

[Mersky]

3. Awful.

I want to know what business decided this was the best they could to keep the lights on. Is a national company, too.

Is an invasion of privacy, aside from any question of workers’ rights. Is just disgusting.

[TeamPooka]

4. After the quarantines we take to the streets, right?

[ooky]

5. Nice guys.

Not sure what makes them think they are entitled to do this. I might consider telling them to stick it and collect unemployment if they tried to fire me.

[kag]

10. That's precisely what this guy is planning to do.

Part of the story at the link quotes him saying that he's prepared to be fired if he doesn't sign the form that will allow the company to take their stimulus check.

[ooky]

22. All the employees need to do that.

The business will either have to shut down or back off. If it shutters then all the employees would be eligible for unemployment benefits.

[DFW]

7. Wonder if any friends or colleaugues of Greg Abbott are involved?

One thing I'd bet on--the company, whoever they are, is a BIG Republican contributor.

[spudspud]

12. This is wage theft.

And that "contract" signed under this kind of duress would be bunk. They need to be outed, and sued if they go through with this by the employees affected.

[NYC Liberal]

14. Not necessarily.

Absent a provision in the law (and there should be one, because I was seeing lots of reports of this sort of thing online before the bill passed), and/or a contract (which the vast majority of employees do not have), it would be legal to reduce pay for future paychecks as long as they are being paid at least minimum wage.

But this company and every company that pulls this should be named and shamed to hell. And Congress should pass another bill to prohibit this.

[spudspud]

20. Perhaps for future work...

but certainly not for time worked and commissions already earned. I have no idea what their pay schedule is like. But I think congress should definitely look at making this illegal.

[NYC Liberal]

23. Yes, absolutely not for time already worked.

And I agree that they should explicitly make it illegal for companies to do this. It defeats the entire purpose of this being a stimulus, which is meant to encourage people to spend more. Otherwise, companies are just getting taxpayers to subsidize their payroll.

[rustysgurl]

13. Lots of friends in Austin ...

... I would be very surprised if the city as a whole didn't rise up and metaphorically slay these asshats.

[Puppyjive]

15. Federal agency

Sounds like a federal agency to me. I would not be surprised. There are a lot of stipulations in the bill with red tape. If your still working, you might not get it.

[druidity33]

18. Yeah i don't think so....

all Fed agencies are Unionized and NO Union would allow this. No employee can negotiate with the company regarding compensation without the Unions consent. This would fall under that category. Essentially the agency would be breaking the contract.

[ProfessorGAC]

16. Kind Of Defeats The Stimulus Portion

Company must only understand microeconomics. As in, THEIR bottom line.

[Captain Stern]

17. This doesn't sound real to me.

I don't mean 'unreal'.

I mean like it didn't happen.

I'll believe it when they name the company.

[enough]

19. +1 NT

[Mosby]

21. +1

[KT2000]

26. Image Net Consulting

and Pat Russell is CEOs name. Possible that this is real.

https://www.thelostogle.com/2020/03/29/imagenet-consulating-stimulus-payment/?fbclid=IwAR26NYRukdXoxLIJyOD79pM-dpMqaD9NyqIIttYit2-7IjVYpGp0Vs3XShM

[Captain Stern]

27. If so, I expect that ImageNet consulting has a less than rosy immediate future. n/t

[blaze]

28. They've deleted their Twitter and FB accts. nt

[KG]

29. an IT company thinking this wouldn't get out / go viral?