To Donate or Not Donate

Linkat - I cannot give an opinion as to the legality. I worked for a non-profit organization that received some of its funding from a large charity. Every year, there was a big campaign for employees to donate to that charity.

I like to donate to WHOM I want and WHEN I want. As a result I never contributed to their fund raisers. I used to resent it, when the appeals went out. I also got a little bit of satisfaction when the particular charity was caught in a financial scandal!

I can't answer your question, although I strongly suspect it is not legal to require donations.

I volunteer for an organization that raises funds for research in a particular area. Although they would love to have as many donations as possible and as large as possible, they understand that everyone has their own causes to contribute towards and that money is tight for many out there. They don't like pressure tactics like the one you are describing.

I don't know how involved upper management is in the charity you mentioned, but I know that the board of directors for the charity I volunteer at are the big cheeses with their respective companies. If this is the case in your situation, it almost sounds as though they are a.) being lazy by trying to squeeze $$'s out of their employees rather than come up with creative alternatives and/or b.) attempting to make an impression by saying their company has contributed X amount of dollars or is the highest contributor.

I think it's kind of low for upper management to put the squeeze on employees further down the totem pole. Why don't the top execs toss in a few more bucks? I doubt they would feel it as much as those below them will. I would just make a request of employees to consider donating, as donations were down last year, and leave it at that. I can't believe upper management is treating their employees like this. They should let everyone decide where and how much they donate.

Sorry this doesn't help too much with your dilemma. I hope you find a solution!

Thanks! It is b, at least I am pretty sure it is. This goes on annually for me and I hate it. I am actually a big supporter of charities and volunteer regularly. I do like the thought that a company may make donations easier by providing payroll deductions, but do not like being pressured to donate.

Many of the companies here in Alberta have a fundraising aspect?? You donate to the charity of your choice, if it's on their donor list, ie united way
they will match your donation. They will also sponsor specific charities and come up with a fundraising scheme, or join with like minded businesses in established charity events. I don't believe it's ever mandatory though, but most definatly encouraged.

Well. . . I work for a company that strongly encourages us to donate part of our paycheck to charity. I refuse. I did donate to the United way at my last job, and got nothing for it. No thank you, no recognition, nothing. Just a bigger hand being held out every year, asking for more.

Okay, I realize that these non/not-for-profit companies rely on donations as a big part (if not all) of their income. I understand and respect that. However, at least have the decency to recognize what I'm doing, even if it isn't very much each year.

I was one of the few, if not the only one, to not contribute at my new company. A couple of people tried to peer presure me into it, but were unable to stand up to my reasons for not doing it.