Would You Pay This Person?
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
October 7, 2008 7:29am CST
You need some work done on your home, you get online to find websites and contact information for the people in your area that do such work. You call around, asking questions and gathering information about each contractor.
You finally decide on one and call back and invite them over. After talking and looking over the job, you negotiate a price and make an appointment for them to come back and start the work.
One time while they are working, you leave to run some errands, when you come home you find one of the workers sitting at your computer. He looks up at you and smiles, welcomes you home then turns back to the computer to finish what he was doing.
Expecting to see something work related, you look over his shoulder at the screen. He gets uncomfortable and tells you that what he is doing is personal, and asks you not to look at it. As he is speaking, you see that he is working on an email to someone whose name leads to you believe it is his wife.
After the workers leave for the evening, you get on your computer and check the history and a few other tell tale places. You figure out that at least 3 of the workers spent some quality time on your computer. Their traffic was mostly emails, but you also see evidence that they visited a few game sites and 1 spent some time on Mylot.
Would you pay them for the time they spent on your computer?
Would you change your answer if you check emails, surf the web and participate in MyLot discussions when you are at work?
What's the difference?
3 people like this
6 responses
@mojcica (1511)
• Slovenia
8 Oct 08
There is a difference.
At work you are not paid by the hour, I mean if you have an 8 hour work time, you are paid the same no matter how much you do...the work has to be done and thats it, it doesnt matter if you do it in one or three hours.
When you have workers at home, they get paid by the hour they spend to do the job. So if it takes them 8h to do the work, that shuld be done in 4h time, I dont see the reason why you should pay them extra hours if you know they fooled around with your computers. It would be different if the the price was for the job done and not related to the hours they spend there.
The other thing I'd be more concearn is how they had the guts to use your personal stuff in the first place. I'd kick their arsses right away. Hellloooo this is your house how dare they using anything without asking first????
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
8 Oct 08
Well, basically I set up a scenario that turned the tables from being the paid employee to being the paying employer.
There is no difference. If we accept 8 hours pay it is our responsibility to put in 8 hours work. As you point at, depending on the job, there might be times when there isn't anything to do, but all too often there is plenty to do, employees just would rather not think of things to do without being told.
I I were an employer, I wouldn't even have a problem with employees using the internet as a diversion to clear their minds once in awhile, especially if their job required a lot of thinking and "mulling things over". But that is up to the boss, not the employee.
I just wanted to get people thinking.
@mojcica (1511)
• Slovenia
8 Oct 08
If the job suffers because of someone is doing something else too often then there is no difference.
I am an employer and I do know when someone uses computer for personal things. Do i tell them that? No!
I am aware that you can not put 100% into 8h and if using a computer is what makes you relax then it is ok. It would be different if the work sufferd for this, I would absolutely react! No question about it.
It is similar with having personal calls at work. I had an employee who had too many personal calls over the day so I gave him office cell phone, where I can monitor the calls received and called, and he was not to use personal cell phone at work anymore.
When you are having workers at home, they are paid by hour and when something should be done lets say in 8h and it isnt there is a problem.
We all know how much it take to end something and that it would be possible to end it sooner if they would slaved over it. Which of course they dont and I wouldnt even expect them to. But paying twice as much for doing something else (not just taking a break and relax), that I do not aprove and would not pay.
Im all for fair play in life. And if I see someone taking advantage of that, then I strike...hard way lol.
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I never touch anyone's computer without permission. No one should. What was wrong with those people?
Pay them for their time on your own computer? No way. I'd be after the boss for letting his people do this.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
7 Oct 08
True, but the point of it all was, what is the difference between someone wasting time billed to you and you wasting time you are paid by someone else.
I guess I should have done more in my scenario than just elude to you not having a problem with the man being on your computer, until you found it wasn't work related. ;~D
1 person likes this
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
7 Oct 08
"What is the difference between someone wasting time billed to you and you wasting time you are paid by someone else."
Actually, you stated your question clear enough. I just like responding to your threads but in this particular one, I had a hard time relating to the question.
I never bill someone else for time I wasted. It is theft.
@jeweledbluerose (3061)
• United States
7 Oct 08
I would have been madder then a hatter, if I came home to find the person who was suppose to be working on my house on my computer. For one, not paying him to sit around on his bum and do nothing. Two, he has no right being on my personal computer without any prior permissions from me. I'd be kicking his butt out the door, pay him for whatever he may have done before taking it upon himself to access stuff on my computer, than finding someone else to complete the job.
I can understand about being employed with someone else, like say if it is an office/desk job, sometimes one just doesn't have anything to do other than to look busy. But there is no reason for an employee to be messing around on the computer if they have a pile of work to be completed. As an employer I would most likely get a little annoyed at my employee if all they did was play on the computer, instead of doing the work they were suppose to be doing.
As for myself, since I'm self-employed, I need breaks every now and than from any work I may be working on at the time. But at the same time I don't let myself get to involved, cause I know what needs to be accomplished and I generally get it accomplished with the schedule I have made out for myself. Though if I was employed by someone else and had access to the internet, I would most likely be to afraid to mess around on the computer, be it break time or if it was just because I had nothing to do, cause with the luck I have I'd probably be the one that got caught and in trouble for it. 
@olivebranch56 (910)
• United States
8 Oct 08
If I walked in and found a contractor on my computer, he and his crew would have went out the door faster than they came in. I have all sorts of personal information on my computer, and while I know I really shouldn't do it I have Robo form to fill in my forms with no passcode, so anyone who uses my computer could get access to all sorts of info, including my bank account. My children aren't even allowed on my computer, they have their own. So no they would not be paid, nor would they remain in my home, if they will get on your computer without even asking think about what else they may feel free to do oruse in your home, That was very unprofessional of them. Blessings Marilyn
@morethanamolehill (1586)
• United States
7 Oct 08
LOL I see your point ParaTed2k. I also have seen several times when people mention that they are posting when they should be working. I should be working myself, but I am self employed so I am only screwing myself. (I'm a good employee, I'm just not a very good boss) =/
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
8 Oct 08
If I were to come home and see someone not doing their hired job but instead using the computer I would not have cared about the person's privacy, I know you've said that you were vague on the part of being caught, and I can understand that... I would have told him that was my computer and as an employee of mine (for I am paying them for their service) they should better get back to doing their jobs and hope that their supervisor does not fire them for invading my privacy and accessing a part of the house off limits (for surely the work would not be done near the computer). If they were to become hostile (as surely if they were offended or embarrassed they may very well do so) I would call the police and have them arrested for threatening me, or atleast reprimanded for it, and I would allow the police officers knowledge of what they had done, ask if they'd stay while I called their supervisor... and then I'd feel much more content.
