News & Politics

Rant

Google Give employees new benefits it they are gay.

Posted 22 months ago|28 comments|625 views
Written by
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
Google began showing off an interesting new element in their employee policies. They have started a new policy to give money to compensate the extra taxes for domestic partnerships for gay relationships.

The thought behind this is that straight people can get a tax break if they get married, but homosexuals do not have this opportunity, so Google helps give it to them.

I am the one of the least anti gay people here I think, but this is taking a bit over the edge and walking directly into a problem. i can hear the cries already.

I can appreciate that Google is wanting to help, and that the intentions are good, high five for that, but how can you possibly think that selecting one group of people to receive new company benefits ignoring it for another is going to work?

This takes away the entire financial benefit of getting married. The idea for tax benefits for getting married is a perk that is used as an incentive to get married. Blatantly giving it to people removes that incentive so what is the point?

This is on the verge of hetro-phobia. This is making a monster of an assumption that all gay relationships are willing to get married. They are giving this benefit to all gay employees whether they are in a committed relationship or not. All they have to say is that they are and they have it in the bank.

Once again, great idea, but how are you going to justify saying, "okay, you are straight and not married yet so…no compensation. Okay next…Okay your gay…not married yet..but you will be so you get compensation." There is no possible way they can legally justify this.

The pro gay movement is all about making the gay movement seem normal, and making it seem like something that will never get special treatment, just equal treatment. This idea that Google is trying though is technically helping, it is only hindering the process.

I seriously have no idea how they are getting around this without red flags calling discrimination based on sexual orientation about this.
This is going to be nothing but problems for Google. Nothing but problems.

For links to other articles I've written
http://rlwoodsiii.blogspot.com/
For the original article about it
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/0...
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COMMENTS
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Yes, the reverse side of the coin is that heteros are being penalized by Google for not being gay. How many straight guys would claim to be gay to get a bigger paycheck? This day and age, I would say plenty. That will definitely skew the stats in favor of homosexuality.

With this blatant act of orientation discrimination, the possibility of the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act becomes more of a reality. It's a clever move on the part of Google to discriminate against straight people to help bring this about.
THE RONBOT HUNTER
THE RONBOT HUNTER
22 months ago: If Google wants to give money to a group, let them.

Jealousy is stupid. If I wanted to donate to a group, what business is it of yours?

This is just a business tactic to bring in more business.

The way I see it gays get a lot of grief from so called men.

I don't care if they get a break now and then.

I SAY LIVE AND LET LIVE.

I tell it like it is, I pull no punches, tell no lies, and I am as I am

THE ONE AND ONLY RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://freedom-school.com/keating/how-a-...

http://freedom-school.com/law/prison_tre...


RLwoods
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
22 months ago: its called fair business and equal opportunity hiring hunter.
Gays do get a lot of grief but that does not entitle them to special treatment.

Doing anthing other then equlaity is simply tipping the tables the wrong drectipon and giving homophobic bigots one more way to point out that gay people are wanting special treatment and are not seeking equlaity.

i like that they are trying to balance the tables, but this is not a good way or legal way.

i would think with your statements about fake laws being levied and enforced that you of all people would agree that law for one group is the same for all groups is necessary.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Yeah, Ronbot Hunter, I can see what you mean. That's why I'm only giving raises and bonuses to people who root for the same football team as me.

Not that I'm passionate about football or anything.
22 months ago: Do you really think that married people pay less tax than singles?

Here is the 2009 tax table link. You can look you the numbers.

For simplicity sake let's use a round number. Say each person earned 24,000 dollars

From the tax table for single 24,000

payment due 3,186 times 2 singles with a combined income of 48,000

6,372

Payment due from a married couple filing jointly on 48,000

6,369

A whooping 3 dollar tax advantage.
22 months ago: Sorry, your blindness pissed me off and I forgot to add the I.R.S. link.

Enjoy your calculations.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040tt.p...
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Domestic partner health benefits.

22 months ago: OH, I get it. So their domestic partners health benifits are not tax deductable and they will get a raise to offset their lifestyle costs while most will get squat? I call that selective discrimination not unlike the pervasive reverse discrimination so rampent in the country today.
THE RONBOT HUNTER
THE RONBOT HUNTER
22 months ago:
RLwoods
Victorville, CA SAID:

"i would think with your statements about fake laws being levied and enforced that you of all people would agree that law for one group is the same for all groups is necessary.:

What Law?

There is no law that says that you are prohibited from giving to one and not another.

You can give money to anyone, including me. Hahaha!

If you want to give, then do so to one or all.

That is a freedom that can not be legislated.

When I get rich, I will feed the poor and if I wanted to feed the minorities only, then that would be my right.

The same goes for the KKK, if they only wanted to feed white boys, then that is their right.

Your money is your own to give to one and all.

Stop acting like babies that did not receive your share of the candy.

I tell it like it is, I pull no punches, tell no lies, and I am as I am

THE ONE AND ONLY RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://freedom-school.com/keating/how-a-...

http://freedom-school.com/law/prison_tre...


RLwoods
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
22 months ago: There is a world of difference between charitable acts and behavior of a company toward its employees.

every employee is entitled to equal treatment. thus benefits for some and not for others is not being equal to both groups.

these are not arbitrary fantasy made by wishful thinking,
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/qanda.html

the only reason that this was allowed at all is due to the fact that sexual orientation is not directly mentioned.

i could give you money for working for me but i would give the same to the next guy avble to do the job.

for example, lets say i own a factory that was all mine. i hire you and some other guy. you sign identical contracts, and you each are set to recive the same pay.
would it be fair to give the other guy more money later on simply because he is gay?
no, this is a violation of contract. unfair business.

if google wants to support the LGBT community, it can donate until its bankrupt for all i care, it can lobby and protest until its blue in the face. It can not however have discriminatory actions against one group over another without cause direct statement that they have earned a raise or promotion based on performance.
22 months ago: It's the benefits that are agreed upon in that contract that discrimmanate against gays. You, as the factory owner will pay more health care premiums for a married couple (and family) than for a gay couple. In fact, since gay marriage is not allowed or recognized in many states, you would not cover a gay partner at all, thereby saving your company thousands of dollars a year in premium payments to your carrier. This is where your "equal treatment" fails to be equal, and that is just one benefit provided by the "equal/identical contract".

It's not "fair" to give the married guy more than the gay guy either.
22 months ago: Paying people to be gay?

Isn't prostitution illegal?
22 months ago: Not really. All depends on how you want to define prostitution.
22 months ago: Just make them get married to get the benefits. Problem solved. OHHHH, that's right, some people think "marriage" is only for male/female couples and have passed laws to that effect. Guess it's time to even the playing field and rescind those unfair laws........
22 months ago: Six. you forget.

We redstatepeople are trying to raise some young children to do what Jesus says to do. Jesus said man and women get married. He did not say men and men, women or women or men and sheep get married.

I have not figured out how to splain to the children that you can pick and chose what rules you want to follow.
THE RONBOT HUNTER
THE RONBOT HUNTER
22 months ago: RLwoods
Victorville, CA said:

"would it be fair to give the other guy more money later on simply because he is gay?
no, this is a violation of contract. unfair business."

The magic word here is CONTRACT.

If there is no wording addressing this issue as being discriminatory in the contract, then the other guy has no grounds to complain.

It might seem unfair, but not illegal.

Don't you think that Google has attorneys that have made sure, that they could not be sued?

Stop being jealous and let the gays have a break.

I tell it like it is, I pull no punches, tell no lies, and I am as I am

THE ONE AND ONLY RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://freedom-school.com/keating/how-a-...

http://freedom-school.com/law/prison_tre...
RLwoods
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
22 months ago: it has nothing to do with jealousy.
it is about equality. if you bother to look i have stated my opinion on gay rights before. i have nothing but sympathy for them.

This could end them in court, and it could cost them quite a bit. No contract note or addition can be enforced if it breaks the current regulations for employment.

all this needs is for one straight guy to walk in and say, "hey, why am i being discriminated against."

This is the same reason that i cant put in a contract that says that if you fail to follow your end of the deal, i can go out and shoot your wife and kids and strangle you with the skinned fur of your dog.

its just not legal.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: * Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin;
* the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA), which protects men and women who perform substantially equal work in the same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination;
* the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older;
* Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA), which prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local governments;
* Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government;
* Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), which prohibits employment discrimination based on genetic information about an applicant, employee, or former employee; and
* the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which, among other things, provides monetary damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Nowhere in the above does it state that you cannot discriminate against or for someone due to their sexual orientation.

Now, there's a little bill before Congress called the "Employment Non-Discrimination Act" which would prohibit discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. Timing is everything, as this bill has been tried and has failed several times already. Just let a few more straight, gay-sympathizing, employees get their dander up because the gays are getting something they aren't. See how fast it passes then.
RLwoods
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
22 months ago: that is why Google was allowed to do this in the first place Box.
i see this one becoming a court climber if someone inside protests against it.

leave it to pure irony like this being a factor in helping stop discrimination against gays.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Yes, I alluded to that very point in the first comment. Google has more money than they know what to do with, probably close to surpassing the $200 billion mark. This is just another example of a super rich corporation using its money and clout to engage in a bit of social engineering.

I wonder how our socialist friends justify this type of curmudgeonry, underhanded tactics, and manipulation, especially as compared to other capitalist companies.
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
22 months ago: Good Post! One aspect that hasn't been explored too much is the question of corporate freedom. Isn't it the companies right to provide incentives to attract free thinking individuals? If a greater percentage of the free thinkers happen to be gay perhaps the company is smart to attract more gay people with attractive benefits packages. Perhaps they need to attract more Gay couples to remain economically competitive.

"Google already is well-known for providing generous benefits to its work force, such as free gourmet food and on-site laundry facilities. Silicon Valley companies are fiercely competitive in recruiting and retaining talented employees, and Google's new benefit may spur other tech firms to do the same."

"It's a tax that heterosexual couples don't pay and averages about $1,069 for gay and lesbian couples. Experts in the tax and legal field we've surveyed say Google isn't the first to do this, although no one could name any others."

"There is a national business coalition seeking to reform the tax law to eliminate the inequity. The coalition includes Charles Schwab, HP, Intel, Levi Strauss and PG&E. Google is not listed as a member."

"We are working with Google right now in their exploring their ability to join the coalition," Daryl Herschaft from the Human Right's Campaign said. The Washington, D.C. based company tracks company benefits for same-sex couples, and its extensive database indicates that a majority of the Fortune 500 publicly traded companies have been providing benefits to same-sex partners over the past four years. A cursory review of the database indicates that Adobe Systems, Apple, Cisco, Electronic Arts, HP and Yahoo are among them."

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section...
22 months ago: I really hate to get on RONs wagon but....Al?

...One aspect that hasn't been explored too much is the question of corporate freedom...

Isn't the U.S. and every STATE, COUNTY, CITY incorporated?
22 months ago: Al. We all know your so far to the left that you refuse that old saying...

Lefty loosie, Righty tightie.

Please do us all a favor in the future. Drop the Eugene Oregon address as you are now an official west coast avacado. Own your lefty stance and new locale.

Don't post anymore links to a freaking San Fransisco news story. We know your gay so why not come clean. Stop with your cramming your own misguided beliefs and imorallity down our throats via your highly slanted commune style lefty give me mine for free no matter what it costs those that actually pay my bill thought process.

How are the folks doing? Still in the free system that you want to exterminate 2/3rds of the population? Do not pass GO...Do not collect 200 dollars...

Where should we start with the extermination Al? You want to step up to that plate?
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
22 months ago: Yes, corporations do have that right, to provide those incentives to attempt to attract the best and brightest. That's why corporations are free to pay their CEO's billions of dollars, and give them golden parachutes.
Altruist
Altruist
Eugene, OR
22 months ago: TCG since I defend gay people I must be gay? I also defend minorities, women and all of the oppressed in the world. Perhaps I am really an oppressed half black half Latino woman?

All I am doing is defending the Constitution from those on the right who woould prefer to ignore the constitution when it is actually doing it's job, which after all is mainly concerned with defending the minorities from the tyranny of the majority.

What have you got against Oregon? We are just as liberal as California. Haven't you read my favorite tome Ecotopia or Ecotopia Rising?
THE RONBOT HUNTER
THE RONBOT HUNTER
22 months ago: Altruist
Eugene, OR

I agree that Altruista might be a flaming commie girl or fag.

But sadly the evidence only proves he is a anti-constitutional, anti-self-defense, anti-Bill of rights etc., commie.

I repeat none of these Nondiscrimination Acts prohibit giving money or gifts to a group, for whatever reason. They have that freedom.

It may be that you view this as a crime, but lets let the courts decide.

I am of the mind that groups that have been suppressed for a long time, deserve a break in life.

You are all looking at it from the view-point of the child, that did not get a piece of the candy and is crying for a piece.

Grow up boys and commies, this is childish.

Who cares if the child is jealous?

I tell it like it is, I pull no punches, tell no lies, and I am as I am

THE ONE AND ONLY RONBOT HUNTER
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
RLwoods
RLwoods
Victorville, CA
22 months ago: HA HA HA.
I realize it is rude of me to respond to a direct message to someone else, but sweet jesus this is far too odd to ignore.

"I agree that Altruista might be a flaming commie girl or fag."
This matters how? this invalidates his statements how? After all dem queers kent think so good!

"It may be that you view this as a crime, but lets let the courts decide."
these would be the same courts that you are saying are corrupt? or are you saying that only people that agree with you and think like you should decide?

i think you need to refer to the late Dr king's words.
"have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

whether they have suffered or not, whether they are gay or not, whther you agree with them or not, all people deserve the same respect. Just as the white people should not be continually punished for a two hundred years ago, Straight people should not be punished for the sins agaisnt gays.

we need to work to lift ourselves from this point, we need to end the intolerance, not jsut give them special circumstances. If we do that, then the ultimate change toward gay acceptance will ultimatly mean something, then nation needs that moment, and it will never come with things like this proving to the minds of the ignorant that the gays are seeking a hand out and special treatment.

if you really think that giving them a break is the right thing to do, then mayb e we should give them ALL a break. Give them their rightful legal status. Not stand and say they deserve equality, and then refer to people as "commie girl or fag.".

That my friend is childish.

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