Rather than go through the ignominy of being exposed in court as tight fisted skinflints that operate a sweat shop, KPMG Canada is setting aside $10 million to settle its overtime claims stretching back to 2000. But look at the way they’ve worded the ‘deal:’
Under the plan, the company said, current and former employees who are eligible will be “fully and fairly compensated, according to the relevant provincial laws,” for all overtime since Jan. 1, 2000, that was earned but unpaid.
An independent third party will administer the plan, by writing to employees and putting ads in newspapers this weekend and next week.
As one person notes in the comments to the story:
Although this will change their future policy, it will not correctly compensate the past workers. In order to ‘look good’ for promotions you are pressured to not only work OT, but to NOT record it anywhere.
Since the hours are never recorded, there is no evidence that the client was not charged enough to cover the real costs. Also, there is a lower benchmark for the staff next year. These staff are expected to do the work is the same (wrongly recorded low) hours, or even beat the prior year.
So each year makes it more difficult for the following year to ‘look good’. And nobody gets paid.
As Edmund Burke, the Irish philosopher is attributed to have said:
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing
I’m liking that expression more and more.
KPMG employees may be under pressure but given the matter has been exposed for the sharp practice it is, I cannot see how KPMG can continue to operate in this fashion. It doesn’t do them any good, their staff or the clients they serve. If they’re concerned about winning on price, then how about working out what value they’re delivering and sell that rather than hourly rates. And while they’re at it, compensate their people for the value they add to client work. That would be a lot fairer and provide the basis for selling a service customers value.
As is customary in these cases, KPMG is stipulating that in making the settlement, it is not admitting liability. For more KPMG humour, check out ‘What we stand for’
loading...
loading...
