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I've been with some medium sized companies that allowed things like Girl Scout cookies, Boy Scout popcorn, etc. We had unofficial rules that worked pretty well. I used to send out one email the day I hung my daughters GirlScout Cookie chart on my office door and one email the day before it came down. Since I lived in a different Girl Scout district than most of the folks and our sale was several months off theirs Everybody crowded around to get their 'off season fix' The other good one was if you had something unique. My son's littleleague sold 'Pizza Kits' (frozen sauce dough cheese pepperoni to make your own at home) I had a 'loyal following' that would start asking about them every few months but again one email and a signup sheet in my office.
The company I'm at now is larger and has a 'no colicitation policy' There will still be department things like "Joe and his wife are having a baby We'll be collecting for a gift until Friday - See Carol" But that is about it
I can't stand the schools that turn the kids into little Amway salespeople..
Just say no. I wouldn't bother with going to HR about it. That takes up more time than just simply saying No.
I've been in large companies and small companies.. The large ones generally had a policy in place preventing this. Smaller ones, less so. But, I've never had a problem not purchasing something. On occasion, it's been a god-send.. Especially on the days that you're so busy you can't get out to lunch and there's the $1 chocolate bar sitting in the break room..
Quote:
A co-worker sent around Paypal links asking everyone to pay for her honeymoon, jet-skis & airfare.
Another e-mail went around asking for donations for her pre-bridal lunch (she isn't even a friendly person!)
Solicitations for Girl scout cookies
Another employee wrote his birthday on my calendar and asked for $50 so he could attend a concert!
Another co-worker asking for funds for her charity runs
Miscellaneous crafts for sale - sweaters, scarves, ect
Pampered Chef being promoted!
As for appropriateness.. Depends what it's going to.. Referencing your list above.. The Girl Scout Cookies and Charity Runs are the ones that I can at least get behind and say "Ok, I can deal with those".. Pending on where the funds for the crafts are going.. If they're going to a non-profit or other LEGITIMATE fundraiser.. I'd be OK
The other examples.. Are sickening, really. Why not just tell them to stand by the front door with a tin cup in their hand?
Wow...My company has a pretty strict non-solicitation policy. People have to get corporate approval for the simplest of things to send out company wide. A blind eye is turned to girl scout cookies and the Holiday toy-for-tots, but that's it. Even work related sanctioned activities (weight watchers meetings at work) had to get vetted. But people asking for money for their honeymoon? People asking for birthday gifts? Unreal...
If you work for a larger company, they may have a corporate compliance line that you can call anonymously and make an inquiry as to if this kind of solicitation is allowed.
If there is no policy about this, then you could say "no" to these solicitations. I had a similar situation at a large company I worked for, and I would just say, "I'm sorry I can't. If I gave to you I would have to give to everyone, so I make it a policy not to participate in (fundraisers, home party invites, whatever the solicitation is)..."
I agree with you, though. How annoying! I hated this crap going on at work all the time.
I don't mind the Girl Scout cookie sign-ups and the candy bars available in the break rooms. Some of us actually look forward to the annual Girl Scout cookie drive and some of the candy bars are quite tasty.
Equally as bad are those companies which try to make themselves look 'community oriented' by having a formal/payroll deduction/memo from the boss thing in order to get folks to contribute to United Way. Every time I see how little of that money actually gets to the charities it makes my blood boil.
And it is implied that if you don't give, and they have a record because of the payroll deduction, your chances for promotion lesson considerably. Not to mention depriving the boss man of his opportunity to look benevolent because his employees gave money.
Equally as bad are those companies which try to make themselves look 'community oriented' by having a formal/payroll deduction/memo from the boss thing in order to get folks to contribute to United Way. Every time I see how little of that money actually gets to the charities it makes my blood boil.
And it is implied that if you don't give, and they have a record because of the payroll deduction, your chances for promotion lesson considerably. Not to mention depriving the boss man of his opportunity to look benevolent because his employees gave money.
Now.. I will say.. I worked for JM Smith corporation (One of those places that has a hand in everything, but started out as a drug company) and they had a yearly thing with the JM Smith Foundation, which you could make a contribution to any charity/fundraiser/church group/etc up to.. I think $2000, and they'd match it. I don't remember all the rules, but it had to either be a registered non-profit, or what's that 401(c)(3) charity or something?
But.. We had alot of people who would game that system, too.. They'd contribute their maximum to their church, and then come around to the people who weren't making a donation and say "I'll give you the money if you'll donate it..."
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