Gifts to employee

[kim14904]

This is probably more of a poor practice issue than anything but....

I am the HR person for a small (40 employee) successful company. Our Senior Director has a few favorite employees. They are at three levels below him. They are both women. Both of these employees constantly plead poverty. I do not dispute the fact that their incomes are probably less than they should be. However, when it gets close to payday or the those two start talking about being low on funds, he will take them to lunch. There is nothing going on with them relationship wise.

A few weeks ago, one of the two needed new tires on her car. The Senior Director said that he and two of the owners of the company (V.P, and treasurer) were going to pay $1k to get them on her car. I told him this was not a good idea. He said that they were paying with their own personal funds and not company check so it is fine and that they have done this for others.

I asked if there is some hardship form for employees to fill out when in need of additional money for emergencies. There is another employee (female, as well) that is in need of a new window. I asked the Senior Director if he and the other officers were going to pay for her window and was told that this car was better than her last. ????

My question (and concern) is, could an employee make a case of not being treated as well as these two?

 

[cbg]

Based solely on the information provided, not successfully since it does not appear that she is being treated differently because of a reason protected by law.

I agree that you should be concerned about the situation and your senior director is probably going to have this bite him in the backside eventually. But while he is acting very unwisely, he is not (as far as your description goes) acting illegally.

 

[wisemans_voyage]

This is probably more of a poor practice issue than anything but....

I am the HR person for a small (40 employee) successful company. Our Senior Director has a few favorite employees. They are at three levels below him. They are both women. Both of these employees constantly plead poverty. I do not dispute the fact that their incomes are probably less than they should be. However, when it gets close to payday or the those two start talking about being low on funds, he will take them to lunch. There is nothing going on with them relationship wise.

A few weeks ago, one of the two needed new tires on her car. The Senior Director said that he and two of the owners of the company (V.P, and treasurer) were going to pay $1k to get them on her car. I told him this was not a good idea. He said that they were paying with their own personal funds and not company check so it is fine and that they have done this for others.

I asked if there is some hardship form for employees to fill out when in need of additional money for emergencies. There is another employee (female, as well) that is in need of a new window. I asked the Senior Director if he and the other officers were going to pay for her window and was told that this car was better than her last. ????

My question (and concern) is, could an employee make a case of not being treated as well as these two?

If the Senior Director and owners of the company want to take it upon themselves to help out someone in need (even a co-worker) and they use their own personal income to do so, then it isn't illegal and of no concern to you. How they spend their money is up to them.