Retirement income, at what price?

[Beiruty]

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Fort Worth pizza delivery man who was severely attacked on the job by a group of teens has died.
Police said in October 2009 three juveniles lured 66-year-old Fred Rein to an abandoned home to deliver pizza and then beat him with an aluminum bat. The boys also stole the pizza and his cash.

more....

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/123110 ... ictim-dies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OldCurlyWolf]

If he hadn't obeyed the Pizza companies ban on employees being able to defend him self, he might still be alive and healthy.

WHEN will those idiots that run those companies learn and when will some family of a dead employee Crucify them in civil court for about 1/2 of the value of the corporation and not just settle for the pittance they are offered to keep it out of court?

[Kawabuggy]

I have a theory that I have shared here before about WHY companies do not want you to protect yourself. I've heard it said, and possibly read it, that Wal-Mart has life insurance on ALL of their employees with the CORPORATION as the beneficiary (Wal-Mart gets the money in the event you die)..

With that in mind, it makes complete sense that they would not want you to protect yourself-you are worth MUCH more to them dead, than alive. Also, if you defend yourself, you are likely to kill, or otherwise harm, your assailant.. In the event that your assailant is killed, his/her family will then sue your employer. In the event your attacker is severely injured he/she, or his/her family, will sue your employer. Either way, the only way the company gets out of a lawsuit is if YOU, the EMPLOYEE, wind up dead, and at that point they get a big fat check. Now I'm sure they'll toss a little coin towards your family to help with burial (maybe?), but the majority of that big, fat, check will wind up in the corporate coffers.

I could be way off base with this, but to me it makes perfect sense. Why else would your employer prefer you to die, then the person attacking you?

[Keith B]

These are called 'Dead Janitor' or 'Dead Peasant' policies, and they do exist in some companies. See http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Ins ... P64954.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Oldgringo]

Wal-Mart is currently facing a bazillion dollar sexual discrimination lawsuit.

If word got out that they're betting on the deaths (life insurance) of their employees, the tort lawyers will have a feeding frenzie. IOW, there may not be a place for Wally Walks or a source of cheap ammo anymore.

Who're you rootin' for?

[pbwalker]

Wal-Mart is currently facing a bazillion dollar sexual discrimination lawsuit.

If word got out that they're betting on the deaths (life insurance) of their employees, the tort lawyers will have a feeding frenzie. IOW, there may not be a place for Wally Walks or a source of cheap ammo anymore.

Who're you rootin' for?

Anyone but WalMart...

I'm all for free enterprise, but I have a special hatred for that store...that's for a different day, different thread.

[PUCKER]

These are called 'Dead Janitor' or 'Dead Peasant' policies, and they do exist in some companies. See http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Ins ... P64954.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's really sickening, as in it makes me want to vomit...that's truly despicable. Is there a thumbs-down/barf "smilie" available?

[TexDotCom]

Something like this, maybe?

Although I am more inclined to use this about the insurance policies and about the fact that this guy had to lose his life over a *pizza* so the corporation would feel better, be better protected, whatever.

[Rex B]

Most pizza delivery people are independent contractors, driving their own vehicles.
They aren't employees.

[The Annoyed Man]

I don't hate Walmart. They're no better or worse than lots of other big corporations.

Here is my concern: such policies encourage companies to be lax in their adherence to OSHA standards because if an employee gets killed by an unsafe workplace, at the very worse, the corporation actually profits from the death. At the least worse, they'll use the payout to pay off the employee's survivors. Since they either A) profit from the death, or B) at least don't lose money from the death, they have no incentive to guarantee a safe workplace because it doesn't really cost them anything. If their negligence gets someone killed, then it should be so financially painful to them that they clean up their act.

I am actually in the process of incorporating my own business, but I'll say this anyway.... It often seems like corporations want all the benefits of society without any of its responsibilities. But here is another equally valid truth: for every hyperventilating story in the media about some "eeeeeeeeeeevil corporation," there are dozens of really well run companies that never get into the news because they are managed by people who fundamentally know what the right thing to do is, and then they do it. We never hear about them because if it doesn't bleed, it doesn't lead.

[Rex B]

A long-term employee represents a significant investment for a company. It makes sense to protect the company against loss of a senior employee with a lot of knowledge.

When I formed a corporation with 3 partners years ago, our attorney advised us to take out life insurance on the partners. that way if anyone died, the proceeds would buy out the spouse of the deceased partner. The alternative was to have a spouse as a new partner ;)

As for buying insurance on minimum wage workers, hard to see how that would make sense, unless they are young enough that the premiums are minimal.

[Ameer]

Wal-Mart is currently facing a bazillion dollar sexual discrimination lawsuit.

If word got out that they're betting on the deaths (life insurance) of their employees, the tort lawyers will have a feeding frenzie. IOW, there may not be a place for Wally Walks or a source of cheap ammo anymore.

Who're you rootin' for?

I root for equal opportunity over equal outcome every time, but sometimes the communists win.

What does that have to do with thugs shooting pizza delivery guys?

[Oldgringo]

Wal-Mart is currently facing a bazillion dollar sexual discrimination lawsuit.

If word got out that they're betting on the deaths (life insurance) of their employees, the tort lawyers will have a feeding frenzie. IOW, there may not be a place for Wally Walks or a source of cheap ammo anymore.

Who're you rootin' for?

I root for equal opportunity over equal outcome every time, but sometimes the communists win.

What does that have to do with thugs shooting pizza delivery guys?

Ameer 'ol buddy, see posts #3 & 4 in this thread. Comprende?