Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Free Parking?


There's a debate going on in our house-- nothing earth shattering, but my husband and I have complete opposite opinions. Here's the situation...

Three interns at his company started their new 6 week gig on Monday. They were told at the time of their interview that paid parking was not included.

No parking is available in the company's small garage, but there is ample free street parking three short blocks away. If the interns want to park closer to the office, metered parking is available but it is only for 2 hours at a time and it would cost them $2.00 per hour.

They were each told of the parking situation before they were hired and again on their first day at work. They work 9am to 5pm and the office is in a safe area of Beverly Hills. By the way, the interns earn college credit for their work and are paid minimum wage.

Fast forward four days into the job and all three interns have at least one parking ticket each because they chose to park closer to the office at a meter and "lost track of time".

The interns want the company to pay for their parking tickets.

Who do you think should pay for the parking tickets?
Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com - Joanna Jenkins
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55 comments:

  1. As far as I'm concerned there is no question - I think the interns are responsible!

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  2. Ha! They're kidding, right? Give me a break. Talk about entitled.

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  3. I am thinking that the company might need to re-consider the "smarts" of these interns. Ha! I am really tickled at how far some folks will push the button on certain things. I definitely say the interns are responsible...

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  4. its on the interns...their choice...and if they cant keep track of time are they really the ones you want..IMHO

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  5. The interns should pay. 3 blocks isn't that far to walk, (one less gym visit a week)
    Cassie, Alberta, Canada

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  6. We just had this same situation this past summer. We had 2 summer pre-law school interns with us earning school credit (only). They were told at the beginning, & later, over & over, parking was NOT included. There are plenty of meters but no convenient free parking.

    Parking was a struggle, they would "forget" their meter time, would whine incessantly about parking hassles & finally just accumulated tickets. The firm paid. They were very little help, high maintenance, & ultimately a huge nuisance because they were so needy. They were a pain in the you know what!

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  7. The interns!!!! I mean seriously!!
    Hugs
    SUeAnn

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  8. You wrote that you and your hubs have complete oppisite opinions, I´m just wondering what is yours? You didn´t say... LOL
    I´m with everyone else, the interns should pay!! Teach them to take responsibily for their actions. If the firm pays, they are setting themselves up for more of the same behaviour.

    We get interns here for the summer vacation times too, and I hate it! Just sayin´....

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  9. Where I get my hair done there is no free parking that is close to the business.. Metered or valet, which happens to be $5 for ALL day.. The owner does not pay for his employees parking, nor would I assume any parking tickets... It is up to the employees to pay for their parking.. They know of the situation and take responsibility. Which in your situation here, should follow suit. After all, the office can always hire new employees, right?

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  10. Free parking 3 blocks away and y'all aren't exactly in Minnesota. They were informed, they should be responsible and pay.

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  11. I am stunned that the issue even came up. What the hell happened to personal responsibility??

    Since this is your blog, I will just say J.H.C. and not spell it out.

    But wow.

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  12. I think the interns need to be reaching into their own pockets to get the tickets paid....and start taking responsibility for their own actions.

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  13. Is it possible to ride the bus? I take it because when I get to where I'm going I don't need to worry about getting a parking ticket. If they are getting minimum wage, parking tickets can eat up their entire salary.

    But still. The interns did it and need to find some way to keep from getting those tickets, and pay them.

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  14. Don't shoot me! Why isn't parking included for the employees/interns? It is a small token for the employees/interns to be more productive and show they are valued.
    At the office I work, we pay for mileage to our employees to work at our clients and are now talking about giving something towards their cell phones bills. Ummm... OK maybe it doesn't help I do a lot of the HR stuff. I also remember a manager at the airlines once told me- I would give away the farm if I could, so I guess that says it. :)In answer to your question about the tickets. The interns were told up front, so they should pay their own tickets and not make thier problem the companies problem. xo

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  15. Hell no! I can't believe they would even question that...first of all they should be happy to have an internship, those aren't a dime a dozen and secondly why jeopardize it. The young are often clueless! Just saying!

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  16. Well the way you present it, there's no question it's the natural consequence of the interns' choices...and their feelings of entitlement, maybe? But...it makes me wonder what the other side of the argument is. Can't really imagine a good one, other than "It's not fair!" but there's always two sides to a coin, amiright?

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  17. I think the comments say it all. I remember as a new employee knowing that my company didn't have parking. We would all try to "sneak in" and park in an open place at a monthly parking lot. I knew it was wrong, but for some reason I really didn't get how wrong it was. Now I do. I kind of think they are trying to work the system. Sometimes that's how younger people do, trying to prove (to themselves ?) that they are smarter than "The Man". Most of us mature beyond this stage, some never do. Bottom line, company policy is company policy. "No we are not paying your fines, this is the real world and this is the way it runs." No whining, period. But that's just me.

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  18. I absolutely think it is the responsibility of the interns!

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  19. What's interesting to me is that in 4 days ALL THREE got tickets! I think it would be a nice gesture for the company to pay (at least this one time) but I have to agree with others that the responsibility falls on the interns.

    Btw, clever post!

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  20. These college kids should be told, "Welcome to the real world!" It's time they learn to deal with their own problems instead of whining to get their way.

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  21. Well that's a no brainer. We're the young workers not warned???

    Hands down...the Interns are responsible for their own parkin' violations. 'Nuff said.........

    God bless ya and have an incredible kinda of day sweetie!!! :o)

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  22. Harsh, but they should pay their own tickets. I don't know of a single college campus that doesn't run a strict parking program, so the tickets shouldn't be news to them.

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  23. I agree with everyone else, the interns should pay their own tickets.

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  24. Interns pay. That's real life. In fact in some cities you aren't allowed to 'meter-feed' if you work downtown - the theory being that the meters are for visitors/customers.

    Years ago I walked many blocks to get free parking, then years later I walked a few blocks for cheap parking. Now I can afford close-by parking and I feel like I've earned it!

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  25. College age = you should know about parking tickets.
    I give them a little credit for trying to see if the company would spring for it. It doesn't hurt to ask but the answer should be you're on your own kid.

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  26. I used to work in an area in Norcal that had the same issue and I got two tickets and I never even thought of asking my employer to pay for it.

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  27. really, that's a lot of nuts to ask the company to pay for the interns mistake. I never would have had the gall to ask. Those interns have issues with "attention to detail" and "following directions." Should go on their performance evaluations!

    If one of them had asked me, I would have laughed and asked, "You're kidding me, right?"

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  28. Since they were told upfront, I think they need to pay.

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  29. The interns...such entitled people! Do they hope to get hired sometime? unreal.

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  30. These interns need to pull out their wallets and "pay up"!

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  31. well...we know they need to pay up...unless it's the kind of job that usually includes parking i suppose...it's funny tho we're all the same...we like to park close...we don't like to walk too far!

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  32. it´s incredible how no one can walk any more.... (even when it´s sunny...)
    xxx

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  33. Sometimes I truly wonder in two people actually hear the same thing when we hear a story. I mean really! How els could there be so much chaos! Can't wait to hear how it ends!

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  34. It's simple. No. If they are responsible enough to work at that job, then they are also responsible for their choices. So, no.

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  35. Duh. If the interns do not take responsibility for their own parking situation, how will they be responsible in a job or in a marriage or ......

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  36. I think the interns should pay as they were already told about the parking situation. However, a good compromise would be for the company to pay their fines this time, with a warning that they are responsible for any future ones.

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  37. Hmn, well, I know how dumb some interns are, 'cos my son is about to become one over the Summer. At the risk of sounding heavily biased, I think it would actually be a nice gesture for the company to foot ONE parking bill for them, and clearly let them know second time around and they are on their own. If these guys are working minimum wage and contributing their college smarts to the company, isn't it worth maintaining the goodwill on both sides for the short period they (for what ever reason) work there?

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  38. Is this a trick question??? Who won't I be agreeing with?? I think the interns are responsible; how many times does a person have to be told. They need to take responsibility for THEIR actions.

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  39. I hope this is a rhetorical question. Of course the interns should pay. Sheesh.

    I sent an invitation to my blog, which I had to hide. If you didn't get it, email me at undergroundblog11@gmail.com and I'll re-send it.

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  40. My husband calls this generation "GE" -- for Generation Entitlement. Holy crap. Should we tie their shoes for them and wipe their noses too?

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  41. They chose to park where they did, they knew they ran the risk of getting a parking ticket.
    THEY SHOULD PAY.

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  42. The interns...it was spelled out for them when they were hired...they are responsible for paying their own tickets. If the company caved and paid one ticket they would all be parking at the meters...and popping out to put money in every two hours would soon be forgotten.

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  43. Sorry interns! No sympathy for me! I was an intern at a hospital for a year and had to take 60 minute bus ride each way because there was no free parking for miles around and parking cost $15 per day to park in the lots (I was an intern so I couldn't afford that!). And this was in freezing cold/raining weather. Not gorgeous So. Cal weather where the walk would be nice!

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  44. I think the interns should pay for sure!

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  45. Okay, I waited a couple of days to comment on this because I didn't want to sound like a Beotch. But, that's not going to happen so I may as well let fly.

    I have always maintained that internships should be for credit at the school only. NO pay! This crap with getting paid started when kids wanted the internships paid so they could put it on their resumes as paid work experience.

    Give me a break! I have never had an intern who could come in and make a serious and significant immediate impact to my work load. In fact, they add to it since I have to take the time to seriously mentor them and invest in their understanding of the real work world.

    So, they should pay me if that's what it was all about. But, I digress. Since you didn't tell us which way you lean, I may as well just say what I think...

    If they are being paid even minimum wage, they should thank their lucky stars and shut the hell up. SLACKERS!

    However, if parking costs are involved, and there was no pay, I do feel the organization should cover that. While I strongly believe that an organization shouldn't pay for their interns, I don't feel that the student should have to bear the rather significant weight of being there, e.g. parking etc.

    Snarky Siter, OUT!

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  46. The first hard lesson for a lot of these kids in the cruel world when mom and dad aren't footing the bill and they have to learn what it's really like 'out there'. My son had an internship without pay but had the option of purchasing a parking permit if he wanted to park near the lab on campus. He chose to park off campus and walk 10 to 15 minutes. It was an honor for him to work in this lab and to have been chosen for this opportunity. I think appreciation goes a long way in forming character and not expecting things to be given to you. I would tell these interns to be grateful for their experience, plan ahead, get up a little earlier and smell the flowers on their walk to the office. :)

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  47. Not the company, that's for sure! How ridiculous!

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  48. Hubby wants to pay right? Men don't have the balls that women do...I say no way! They need to learn responsibility! Society is always looking to blame someone else, other than themselves. Take responsibility for your OWN ACTIONS!! Darn it!

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  49. and one more thing...why is the company allowing them to leave the office every two hours to pay the meter, anyway?

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  50. I think the younger generation has a sense of entitlement nowadays and it is so aggravating....

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  51. ummmm, really ?
    they do without question.
    if those young things can't park further away to avoid such issues, well shame on them !

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  52. The interns and they can consider it one of the lessons they learn during their internship.

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  53. The idiots, er,uh,I mean the interns. I'm sure there are plenty of other college kids who would walk the three blocks in order to have jobs. :-)

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  54. I don't have to read through these comments to guess that everyone is in agreement. Entitled kids.. walk three blocks or pay your own tickets.

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