Bethel Downsizing - Management Discussions (page 3)

Amnesty Vendor

I am not able to give out too many details without revealing my source(es).

However, the reason(s) for "downsizing" is directly related to recent court cases involving questions of 'employees vs volunteers'. Every business owner & congressman knows the delicate path to tread on these issues. Just imagine if you could have a "volunteer" come to your house everyday and perform any function that you assign. Since they volunteered you are not liable for unemployment insurance, minimum wages, taxes, etc.

WT has for years tried to dodge these issues. One step was by getting bethelites to sign a vow of poverty. In time, even this would not protect them from litigation. How loving it was for god to shine his new light on the legal team to guide the governing body toward such a compassionate decision.

Basically, if your bethel work is NOT clearly related to missionary work (or aligned with the wt non-profit corporate charter), you must be reassigned.

In time more of these facts will be revealed.

Highlander

they will definitely need people but they would get them on a as needed basis.

True, from a business point of view,, let's get rid of the old workers while we still can,, then we'll start using the young guys on a temp basis only.

It's actually a pretty good idea if put a time limit on how long you can serve. I can imagine it would cut long term costs down to 1/10th of what it is now.

Elsewhere

True, from a business point of view,, let's get rid of the old workers while we still can,, then we'll start using the young guys on a temp basis only.
It's actually a pretty good idea if put a time limit on how long you can serve. I can imagine it would cut long term costs down to 1/10th of what it is now.

On the surface it seems like a good idea, but trust me, it will come back to bite them in the ass. I know this because around 1998 a lot of companies started unloading their Full Time software developers and started using short-term contractors. At first it did save them money... but then over time they started to realize that they had a whole bunch of software applications but no one on staff who actually knew how they worked or what to do if they went down. All of the contract developers were let go as soon as the project was finished, taking all of the knowledge and experience with them.

They call it Brain Drain, and it was a punch in the gut for many corporations.

Now corporations are smarter and will bring on a contractor for six months or so and if they like him/her, they will hire the person as a long term permanent employee. Basically a "Try before you buy" deal.

The same will happen in the Watchtower Society... they will have lots of people there who have no idea what is going on.

metatron

I agree with the emergence of the liability issues. If you want to understand why this downsizing was so sudden, you need to consider

what's happened in the courts recently about volunteers vs employees.

metatron

sir82

Basically, if your bethel work is NOT clearly related to missionary work (or aligned with the wt non-profit corporate charter), you must be reassigned.

Sounds like anyone with a more "risky" job would be let go...construction, heavy equipment, anything that might lead to higher medical costs.

But that would put them in a quandary, since they still have work that they want to do.

Might they begin hiring more contractors & outside firms? Paying a firm $X per hour per employee might be more cost-effective for them, if the outside firm bears the responsibility of insurance. And that $X is offset by no longer paying for room & board for the displaced Bethel worker.

Even if so, how would that play in the congregations? Even the most brain-dead JWs might have a hard time swallowing such a change as a "simplification" and "evidence of Jehovah's fast-moving chariot".

drew sagan

I don't know. The Watchtower does a pretty good job at spinning the truth of the matter. It seems quite obvious they are tyring to get things under more controll at bethel that have somewhat gotten out of hand. The past few years have seen decrease for the organization. They are cutting back. Years of growth have caused them to overextend themselves in more ways than one. Expecially if they kept growing with the view that it would never stop. But stop it has, and quite suddenly. The liability is a huge issue for them. How do they take care of so many people, at a higher cost, when the $$$$(people) coming in is less and less. It's quite amazing when you think of it.

Elsewhere

Might they begin hiring more contractors & outside firms? Paying a firm $X per hour per employee might be more cost-effective for them, if the outside firm bears the responsibility of insurance. And that $X is offset by no longer paying for room & board for the displaced Bethel worker.

This is something else I have seen in the field of software development contracting. There was a court case that found that a "long term" contractor who receives work related instructions directly from the company who hired the contractor is legally recognized as having an "employer / employee" relationship with the contractor. This makes the company liable for workers compensation and other "employer" related obligations.

BluesBrother

I just wonder how long these displaced Bethelites will last outside in the real world of the Congregation and having to work again? I have known one or two who left for some reason, getting married I guess, but they soon "dropped out of truth" .And if they think that the cong. elders will be pleased to welcome an upstart bethelite who is always talking about the "Way we did it in Bethel", they can think again.

The cloistered world of the Bethel is one thing, reality is another.

TheListener

Anyone care to guess how all of this downsizing fits in with the end of the bethel elder arrangement? It seems to coincidental for them not to fit together somehow.

blondie

Many corporations start with middle management when downsizing...I would think that Bethel elders are middle management.

Blondie

Bethel Downsizing - Management Discussions

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