‘Tis the season to celebrate our loved ones, and also for employers to show how much they care.

Whether by throwing a Christmas bash or handing out extra cash, businesses around the world are broadly expected to offer their dedicated staff a festive token of their appreciation.

And who deserves more recognition than the workers who keep our healthcare systems afloat?

Yet, the senior management team at one hospital apparently decided that rather than boost their staff’s pay or treat them to a slap-up meal, they would provide them with…

Potatoes.

The questionable move was broadcast to social media by an X/Twitter user who calls herself Amanda B.

She explained dejectedly: “My work is doing a potato bar as our Christmas bonus. I’m literally getting a hospital potato as a bonus.”

She then added: “They also said it has a $15 (£11.85) value so it will be taxed on our next check. Does anyone need an assistant so I can just quit right now?”

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[–] 62 points 2 years ago (1 child)

My hospital once have us all savemart gift cards and the value was reflected in our paychecks. My gift card was empty when I went to use it...

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  • [+] 46 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)
  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Canadian too. I was in housekeeping, In the middle of the pandemic the hospital decided to cut out our holiday party completely. The doctors, surgeons and hospital board still got their party, fully funded, but not us cleaners who were on the front lines.

    After cutting our party, they hand us an envelope, inside is a letter with donation requests for the hospital. They'll slap you in the face and ask you for money in the same breath.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago

    This is during a fiasco where some staff have found out that they're paying new hires more than people who have been there for five years!

    this is true at almost every company and every role. New hires get paid more than long timers overwhelmingly. Staying put is a pay cut every year from inflation.

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  • [–] 29 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I can get that potato at Wendy's for less than the tax on $15.

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  • [–] 27 points 2 years ago

    This $15 potato will likely be taxed at 22% federally, so those taxes alone will be $3.30, which is probably more than the actual material cost of the potato.

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  • [–] 26 points 2 years ago

    At my last job, each Thanksgiving they'd give everyone a turkey sandwich from some catering company. It came with a little ketchup cup sized thing of potato salad,babs a pickle. you could opt for a veggie alternative. They would charge you 20 dollars for this on your next check.

    The highest paid employee made 8.75.

    I opted out.

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  • [–] 24 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I’m so happy I don’t work in healthcare anymore, our bonus used to be a a frozen turkey. My bonus this year was a flat $1,000 after the tax was taken out.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 years ago

    Is hospital in Latvia?

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago* (4 children)

    Hey, it could be worse... My company got me nothing! Ten years in a row!

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago

    My hospital bought us pizza. Yesterday. On my day off.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago

    Obviously this is pretty bad, but anything coming via Shitter (X) at this point should be ignored.

    everytime i see screenshots posted here it feels like we're all feeding trolls, and we should stop.

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  • [+] 6 points 2 years ago* (last edited 1 year ago)
    [–] 5 points 2 years ago

    What a half baked idea.

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  • [+] 2 points 2 years ago*