Tipping

[Rich]

Why are you concerned about the helmet laws and tipping and all this American stuff? You sure frett over a bunch of stuff that is of little or no concern to you. Unless you just like being rude to us

Jesus Christ Ken, don't you guys ever discuss anything except the weather ?

 

[KenHigg]

Jesus Christ Ken, don't you guys ever discuss anything except the weather ?

If we did discuss the weather you'd just make some smart _ss remark about American weather

 

[MrsGorilla]

If given the opportunity ?

Not necessarily.

how about the taxi drivers, hairdressers, etc. ?
one has to assume from the figures given by the forum expert on the subject that the combination of their wage and tips amount to a tidy sum

I can't really say on that matter. I live in an area of the country where we don't use taxis like some other (bigger) cities. I drive everywhere I go. The only time I've taken taxis anywhere was when I spent my time in Chicago and yes, I did tip them but I really don't know what kind of a salary they make. It is a dangerous job though.

As for hairdressers, my m-i-l used to be a hairdresser and she cuts my hair for me. I haven't had to pay for one of those for a while either.

 

[Rich]

It is a dangerous job though.

Dangerous ?

 

[Rich]

If we did discuss the weather you'd just make some smart _ss remark about American weather

Your getting paranoid Ken, have you seen the shrink lately?

 

[MrsGorilla]

Dangerous ?

Cab drivers are often a target for robbers because of the cash they carry from fares and tips.

 

[MrsGorilla]

Jesus Christ Ken, don't you guys ever discuss anything except the weather ?

We're discussing something besides the weather now, aren't we?

 

[Rich]

We're discussing something besides the weather now, aren't we?

Yes, but it's upsetting Kenny and Kraj

 

[Rich]

Cab drivers are often a target for robbers because of the cash they carry from fares and tips.

I wonder if the money they lose is tax deductable

 

[NJudson]

Way back when I had some friends that were waiters/waitresses I know some of them did keep track and do tax withholding but I suspect that there are many more who "fib" on the amount of tips they got.

Of the friends and acquantances I've had over the years, I believe that all of them did not either keep track of the all their tips and/or reported less on their taxes. One friend only reported about 50% of her received tips when she used to waitress. I too would suspect that a vast number of people do not report their full earnings from their tips.

The funny kicker is, though, that if you report more than about 20% you also get flagged. This is because some people work seasonally as a tipped employee, overstate their tips, and then collect a larger unemployment check when their seasonal job ends.

That's funny, I never realized people did that.

 

[MrsGorilla]

I wonder if the money they lose is tax deductable

I don't know. I never thought about it.

 

[MrsGorilla]

That's funny, I never realized people did that.

I had never heard of that either...

I guess it makes sense that the tax men would watch out for that, although it's interesting in that the IRS comes out ahead in that transaction. It's the state who loses by having to pay a higher unemployment check than normal. Unless I'm missing something...

 

[Rich]

I had never heard of that either...

I guess it makes sense that the tax men would watch out for that, although it's interesting in that the IRS comes out ahead in that transaction. It's the state who loses by having to pay a higher unemployment check than normal. Unless I'm missing something...

Maybe payments made on need or the bare minimun would be better than one based on previous earnings ?

 

[MrsGorilla]

Maybe payments made on need or the bare minimun would be better than one based on previous earnings ?

Maybe, although (at least in our state, probably in all states) there is a maximum of how much unemployment you can draw, regardless of how much your salary was. I know when I've been laid off before I qualified for the maximum amount even with my low salary, so it's not much. I think the weekly max is somewhere in the vicinity of $270-280. There is also a maximum on the total amount you can draw which is somewhere in the area of 16-20 weeks worth, giving you that much time to find a new job before your benefits run out.

 

[Rich]

Maybe, although (at least in our state, probably in all states) there is a maximum of how much unemployment you can draw, regardless of how much your salary was. I know when I've been laid off before I qualified for the maximum amount even with my low salary, so it's not much. I think the weekly max is somewhere in the vicinity of $270-280. There is also a maximum on the total amount you can draw which is somewhere in the area of 16-20 weeks worth, giving you that much time to find a new job before your benefits run out.

I see, I think something similar operates here although it just drops to a lower amount after 6mnths, then it can go back up depending on whether you need help or better still if you're on the fiddle

 

[MrsGorilla]

I see, I think something similar operates here although it just drops to a lower amount after 6mnths, then it can go back up depending on whether you need help or better still if you're on the fiddle

Here if you need longer term help than what unemployment gives you then you would be looking at food stamps/welfare/etc. If you've been permanently injured then you will probably qualify for disability, although I don't think it's any easy task getting signed up for it, probably in an attempt to keep people from bilking it.

 

[Kraj]

[...] I don't think it's any easy task getting signed up for it, probably in an attempt to keep people from bilking it.

It's certianly not. My sister-in-law has been afflicted with debilitating headaches for about the last three years (prior to that, she merely had migranes) caused by chiari malformation and pseudotumor. About four hospitals and maybe six neurologists later, she had made no progress. She could not work because of the constant headaches, and stress only made the situation worse. She and my brother have now applied for bankruptcy as they are completely drained due to her medical bills. She applied for disability with the SSA and jumped through all the hoops. She was evaluated by one of the SSA's own physicians and he told her she needed to be on disability. And what happened? She was rejected. God bless the U.S.A. !

 

[ColinEssex]

Dear Colin,

Dear Kraj,

If you took the time to actually read my posts you will see that I said

The perspective is mine - what happens in the US is peculiar to the US. People are paid to do a job - full stop. Nurses save lives - no tips. Firemen save people - no tips. I do my job - no tips. Why tip someone for putting a plate of food down and doing their job by being nice to customers? its not rocket science. If they don't like it - thats tough

In other words its my thoughts on tipping - right or wrong - nothing to do with America / Japan / Timbucktoo / England / Scotland

Its my opinion - I know its not worth 2p because Ken says so - thats why people don't read my posts.

some of us don't feel inclined to take you seriously...

Yesterday was a bad day

Col

 

[KenHigg]

...
Yesterday was a bad day

Col

Sorry. If I made the situation worse, I apologize.

 

[JoeCruse]

It's certianly not. My sister-in-law has been afflicted with debilitating headaches for about the last three years (prior to that, she merely had migranes) caused by chiari malformation and pseudotumor. About four hospitals and maybe six neurologists later, she had made no progress. She could not work because of the constant headaches, and stress only made the situation worse. She and my brother have now applied for bankruptcy as they are completely drained due to her medical bills. She applied for disability with the SSA and jumped through all the hoops. She was evaluated by one of the SSA's own physicians and he told her she needed to be on disability. And what happened? She was rejected. God bless the U.S.A. !

Kraj,

from what I've seen with friends who have been nailed with a debilitating injury and can no longer work, it takes 2-3 shots at the application process before one is accepted, nowadays. And this is for persons, like your SIL, who are OBVIOUSLY disabled and no longer capable of working to support themselves. I don't know if this is part of the process to "weed" out the unworthies or not, but I've seen or heard of this in more than a couple of cases. Tell them to keep applying for it and to not give up.