# Would you give up some of your pay... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290 "2008-12-15T20:52:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![luvrbcs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@luvrbcs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvrbcs)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/1 "2008-12-15T20:52:30Z")
If your company was going bankrupt, would you give up some of your pay to help them survive? Just a simply yes or no. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/2 "2008-12-15T20:54:11Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/3 "2008-12-15T21:06:14Z")
Yes. For the last one I worked at where I didn’t make minimum wage. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/4 "2008-12-15T21:06:52Z")
No ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/5 "2008-12-15T21:09:46Z")
Ha! That’s rich. Do you think your company would do the same for you, out of the kindness of their hearts? Not in a gazillion years. Mine certainly would not. So no. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/6 "2008-12-15T21:10:06Z")
Yes. Most companies out here cut employees pay by 10% last month - so you either took that, or got laid off. (I got laid off the month before that) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/7 "2008-12-15T21:11:21Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/8 "2008-12-15T21:12:35Z")
Hmmm, I misread the OP. If it came down to take a pay cut and stay employed or not and get laid off, then I might stay and take the cut. But I’d also be polishing off that resume. ---
**Author:** ![luvrbcs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@luvrbcs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvrbcs)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/9 "2008-12-15T21:14:08Z")
Interesting responses. My answer is yes, I would take a pay cut to lessen the chance of being laid off. ---
**Author:** ![luvrbcs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@luvrbcs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luvrbcs)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/10 "2008-12-15T21:16:37Z")
Sorry, I should have elaborated. Thanks, Kinthalis for straightening that out. > [@Kinthalis](#): > > Hmmm, I misread the OP. > > If it came down to take a pay cut and stay employed or not and get laid off, then I might stay and take the cut. But I’d also be polishing off that resume. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/11 "2008-12-15T21:18:13Z")
Moved from General Questions to In My Humble Opinion. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/12 "2008-12-15T21:24:49Z")
If my choices were to take a pay cut or be laid off, I’d take a pay cut. But my ass would be out the door the second I found another job. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/13 "2008-12-15T21:25:50Z")
Depends on the company, or rather the work I’m doing for them. If I really enjoy working there, that’s a rare enough thing, so yes. If it’s a strictly gotta\_pay\_the\_rent job, fuck’em. I recently took a translating job for what amounts to chump change (0.05c a word, when my usual rate is 0.25) just because I enjoyed the project. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/14 "2008-12-15T21:27:48Z")
Yes. Although I work for a city and not for a company. There will probably be layoffs anyway, but when we were given the opportunity to accept 10 unpaid furlough days, the employees voted to take it. It’s supposed to save about 17 jobs from layoff. It doesn’t hurt that the furlough days were mostly around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Most people like the idea of more time off around then. During those days the city offices will be completely closed. The only two departments not taking furlough are PD and FD. The pay won’t be docked from the paycheck that the furlough occurs in. For the next ten months we’ll be getting a little less than half a day taken out of each bi-monthly paycheck. So, yes, not only would I give up some of my pay, I’m doing so. Half a day per paycheck isn’t a huge cut, but it’s noticable. ---
**Author:** ![Litoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9f8e36/32.png) [@Litoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Litoris)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/15 "2008-12-15T21:28:40Z")
Yes. I would rather have a smaller slice of pie than no pie at all, as it were. Now, if it were my company making the offer (my as in I owned it) and someone threw a fit or started bitching, I’d just axe them and save their salary to help my bottom line. Honestly, less money or no money is an easy decision to anyone with half a brain. Oops. Sorry, that was more than yes or no. Uhm… **Yes.** ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/16 "2008-12-15T21:36:25Z")
To elaborate on my original answer. I’d consider doing it if I felt my company deserved to survive and I could not easilly change jobs elsewhere. But my company doesn’t. Also, a lot of people need to realize (as I have) that you shouldn’t care for your company because chances are it doesn’t care for you. You shouldn’t feel guilty if you hurt the company by looking after number 1. Most companies will expect you to look after number 1 anyway. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/17 "2008-12-15T21:42:50Z")
I’ve got an ad out offering a 15% discount on labour and materials at the moment. I need the work. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/18 "2008-12-15T21:49:08Z")
Maybe. Did the company give substantial raises and bonuses in good times? I worked (emphasis on past tense) for a company that would freeze raises and deny bonuses in bad times, but was very slow to compensate loyal employees afterward, and certainly would never make up for the missed raises afterward. You’d be lucky to get a 2% or 3% raise in flush times, even after years of no raises. However, the company I work for now has given out several profit-sharing bonuses in my time, and provides nice benefits (e.g. great holiday parties and other perks) so, if they were going under, I’d consider a temporary pay cut. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/19 "2008-12-15T21:59:09Z")
Yes - already doing it. But I have only worked two places where I could honestly say yes. Other jobs were purely mercenary. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290/20 "2008-12-15T22:15:09Z")
We took a temporary 10% pay cut 10/01 that will last, apparently, until 04/01. Our parent company is using the proceeds to purchase one of our competitors so hopefully that works out. 10% is more than it seems like at first and is fucking Christmas up pretty badly. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-give-up-some-of-your-pay/477290.md?page=2)