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Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

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Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#51

Post by kiba »

MegaButts wrote: post #36
throwlaplace wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

pleasing cynics is like pissing outside on a windy day when you have to go - damned if you do and damned if you don't. read the article - they're giving out 1k to each of the 45k employees. i'm sorry for the contractors (i don't know if it includes them) but that's still a small city's worth of people. they're also guaranteeing bonuses for the next two quarters for all of those people. i don't care about fb but the m…

I'm cynical because I still don't see how this is helpful. It's giving more money to people that already have money, instead of spreading it around to people that don't have money. Facebook employees are about the least economically vulnerable population you can find, apart from people who inherited their wealth. Why not actually do something useful with the money, like donate it to a charity in need that's trying to…

Not everybody at the company is a six figure software engineer.

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#52

Post by vl »

Jagat wrote: post #19
gdubs wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but in the Bay Area it's not uncommon to have household workers – cleaners, nannies, etc. Something like this would allow people to continue to pay those folks who are not working now, and have no other form of income or assistance. It would help the FB workers, because they're going to be doing that work on top of their normal jobs. Not saying that's what people will use the money for, but it ups the odds at le…

So the classic argument of 'trickle down economics'. I"d wager that that $1k will just go into their bank account, like their bonus would.

Nothing like extra cash to buy when market is low.

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#54

Post by hiram112 »

nostromo wrote: post #23
Jagat wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So the classic argument of 'trickle down economics'. I"d wager that that $1k will just go into their bank account, like their bonus would.

Facebook is not the government. They are doing something positive in their locus of control. And of course people are upset about it because... reasons.

I think the main reason I'm personally cynical about these types of 'good deeds' - whether it's Facebook giving $1K to their already well-paid employees or Bill Gates giving billions to charities - is that, in a perfect world, these ultra wealthy do-gooders probably shouldn't have so much fun money to give away in the first place. Our system should be much more balanced, where employees and researchers and charities don't need trickle down handouts.

Bill Gates became (one of) the world's richest individuals via a monopoly and predatory capitalism, and destroyed many companies and individuals on their path to riches. Facebook's wealth derives from selling users' personal information that they should have never been allowed to obtain in the first place.

I realize someone like Gates or a company like Facebook is going to be damned if they do and damned if they don't, but it doesn't change the fact that our system is not even close to as fair as we're constantly told it is.

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#55

Post by packetslave »

Hamuko wrote: post #3

> It’s not clear if Facebook will also give a bonus to contractors who are content moderators. Let me guess: it doesn't. Have Facebook contractors been given the right to work from home yet?

"Given the rapidly evolving public health concerns, we are taking additional steps to protect our teams and will be working with our partners over the course of this week to send all contract workers who perform content review home, until further notice. We’ll ensure that all workers are paid during this time."

https://about.fb.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus/#keeping-our-t...

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#56

Post by ewidar »

outside1234 wrote: post #39
dalore wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trickle down of course. Those Facebook employees are expected to donate their bonuses to the others in society that aren't getting any help. Isn't that what other companies are asking? People to donate their sick days?

But if that's the goal, why doesn't Facebook just donate the money to an organization that can actually help these people?

I think the comment you are responding to was being cheeky :)

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#58

Post by jedberg »

If Facebook actually wanted to help, they would instead give every employee a $1,000 donation budget. Pick a charity and Facebook will donate on your behalf.

Why give an extra $1,000 to someone who is still making their salary? Or you know at least cut it off at people making over $100,000 or something.

Re: Facebook is giving $1k to every employee

#59

Post by standardUser »

andygcook wrote: post #24
Hamuko wrote: post #3

> It’s not clear if Facebook will also give a bonus to contractors who are content moderators. Let me guess: it doesn't. Have Facebook contractors been given the right to work from home yet?

By definition, don't all contractors have to generally not work from an office? Otherwise it's very easy to deem them full-time employees and they are entitled to benefits. Not sure of Facebook's specific situation or what roles they are contracting, but I'd imagine most of them aren't at HQ.

"By definition, don't all contractors have to generally not work from an office?"

At Facebook or in general?

I don't know FB's specific policies but in general, no, being a contractor does not automatically imply that you can work remotely.

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