I’m incredibly conflicted about this one. The local shoe store has taken to hiring the local homeless as cheap advertisement. The homeless stand by a busy highway, smile, and hold up a big ‘JUST FOR FEET’ sign. Good so far, right?
Well, these people aren’t being paid minimum wage, and it isn’t being reported to the government.
So, what are your opinions? Totally cool to give the homeless advertising jobs, or morally disgusting?
How could it possibly be morally disgusting? Is it more disgusting then someone holding a sign saying they need money for their kids?
Marc
Not paying at least (I presume that’s what you mean) minimum wage sounds illegal, but I thought the government was more interested in income being reported for tax purposes, not costs. Anyway, employing the homeless sounds like the opposite of morally disgusting.
I question the tactical effectiveness of using the homeless as billboards. Such a device hardly screams, “high quality goods at reasonable prices.”
On the other hand, is it much different than a company giving a kid a shirt to wear advertising its product/service?
I think the biggest question here is - is this type of employment legal? It is certainly better than letting the homeless rot in the street, but that doesn’t make it morally correct, any more than a sweat shop is necessarily morally correct.