Summer Jobs II

Frick and Frack, the two summer temps hired through the stimulus package make-work jobs program, have finished their second week of employment.

We can already see differences between the two. We started out knowing that due to the lack of training and experience, they would be about half worthless. For Frick, however, the dial has slid over to about 95% worthless. In two weeks he has left early or come in late four times. If he was a regular hire, that alone would be enough to get him shown the door. But he also has a propensity to leave a job half done. When all you are asked to do is sweep out a warehouse, to do the job poorly doesn’t speak well to your energy or enthusiasm.

One of the supervisors in the plant suggested that by the end of week three, we would have to fire Frick. “But he’s free labor,” I protested. “You get what you pay for,” came the response.

Frack, on the other hand, seems to work hard at whatever task he is assigned. Unfortunately, he didn’t show up for work this morning. Nor did he call in. The combination of the two usually indicates that someone has voted with their feet, and has resigned their position. This is actually superior to the more common approach of quitting work, but continuing to show up and draw a paycheck.

Anyway, we called the agency administering the make-work summer jobs grant, and asked them to call Frack and verify whether he was coming back or not. If he has quit, they promised to find a replacement, because “we have to spend the money.”

If they are starting to worry about using all of the money from the grant, and it is only week three, do you think we’re the only workplace having trouble keeping these guys on the job? It makes you wonder what the hiring criteria were for this program.

Sometimes you get what you pay for. Sometimes you pay for something, and you get nothing in return.