to feel very betrayed by this

(87 Posts)
rutile Wed 02-Jan-13 18:26:49

I run a small business and I employ my brother (18) part time to help me with the admin. Today he told me that he’s been offered another job and that if I don’t raise his pay then he’s going to take it. We have been struggling recently but we are about to enter a very busy spell and I could do without having to recruit a replacement and show them how I want things to be done etc. I have always treated him really well (eg I gave him 3 weeks off around his exam period in the summer) and I feel really hurt that he has been going behind my back looking for another job to spring his increased wage demands. DP says that’s capitalism for you and said I should have listened to him when he said I shouldn’t have employed him and mixed family and business.

zandy Wed 02-Jan-13 18:29:01

Wish him well and send him on his way. He needs to work for others before he can properly appreciate the value of working for family.

CaptChaos Wed 02-Jan-13 18:31:50

Is he worth the extra money? Could you afford to pay him more? If not, then recruit someone new, you're pretty much guaranteed to have lots of applicants.

DP is probably right, without very clear boundaries, mixing family and business is probably not the best idea.

ClippedPhoenix Wed 02-Jan-13 18:32:48

If he wants to further his career/earn more then he's totally entitled to.

PessaryPam Wed 02-Jan-13 18:33:47

Yup, let him go.

I agree with Zandy

StuntGirl Wed 02-Jan-13 18:36:07

If he's found another job let him go. I agree he could have raised the issue more tactfully, but he's 18. He has no real world or job experience. Ensure he works his notice and if you can get him to help train the new starter - extra experience for him and he's not leaving you totally in the lurch wrt training.

rutile Wed 02-Jan-13 18:43:28

I probably could afford to pay him a little bit more and he is quite good at it. Its just I have been far more understanding and accomadating than a normal employer would be and he has been really sneaky and then issued me with an ultimatum.

CloudsAndTrees Wed 02-Jan-13 18:47:12

Is his new job a full time one? Just thinking that he might be ready for full time hours now. He will also be looking to gain more experience at his age, and a part time job for your sister doesn't look that great on a CV. I don't think he's done anything that bad, surely you would expect him to look elsewhere at some point.

hopenglory Wed 02-Jan-13 18:48:00

Wish him well, Let him go and find somebody else, otherwise you'll behaving the same conversation in about 3 months

rutile Wed 02-Jan-13 18:50:02

No its a part-time job in a bar that he's going to do whilst finishing his A Levels.

AnyFuckerForAMincePie Wed 02-Jan-13 18:50:57

Let him go with your blessing and let him find out for himself whether the grass is greener or or not

It is examples like this that reinforce to me that having friends/family as employee/employer rarely works out well long term

NatashaBee Wed 02-Jan-13 18:52:41

As long as he gives you notice as specified in his contract (does he have a contract?) then he's perfectly entitled to work elsewhere. Bar work is probably not much more than minimum wage though - so are you paying him min wage? Can he not do both jobs for a while if he wants more money?

rutile Wed 02-Jan-13 18:55:27

He's got a contract and he's on the minimum wage

SandStorm Wed 02-Jan-13 19:01:08

He needs to learn that if you issue an ultimatum you have to be prepared to follow it through.

uiler Wed 02-Jan-13 19:01:35

YABVU you pay your brother the minimum wage which is the lowest you can legally get away with and is a poverty wage and then get upset when he tries to get a better offer to use as leverage to get you to up his pay.

poiler Wed 02-Jan-13 19:05:24

You need to decide whether he is worth the salary increase if he is pay it if not then boot his backside out of the door.

Have to say I admire his confidence, for a 18yo he sounds to have a lot of balls.

EarlyInTheMorning Wed 02-Jan-13 19:05:50

Even if you paying him a little more to get him to stay he's obviously looking for other options. You might increase his wages and find that in three months time he still wants to go. Be graceful about it, wish him good luck, give him a fantastic reference (sounds like he deserves it) but ask him to work his notice and train a new person (I'm looking for work blush)

2beornot Wed 02-Jan-13 19:06:22

What would you do if it wasn't your brother? Because you should exactly that. He hasn't treated you more favourably than any other employer so he should expect that back.

I do think he's entitled to do what he did however, but he should be prepared to go through with it!!

e4r Wed 02-Jan-13 19:17:43

You can hardly expect unquestioned loyalty family or not when you only the minimum wage. You are paying the least you can in order to maximise your returns and he is doing the same. The way that he seems to have chosen to do this when you sound to need him the most shows a ruthlessness to be admired.

e4r Wed 02-Jan-13 19:18:53

sorry that should be

You can hardly expect unquestioned loyalty family or not when you only pay the minimum wage.

libelulle Wed 02-Jan-13 19:19:54

You only pay him the minimum wage!!! And you have to ask why he is leaving?!

HecatePropolos Wed 02-Jan-13 19:21:09

Let him go. You have to be able to separate family and business. Treat him as you would anyone else.

StuffezLaBouche Wed 02-Jan-13 19:21:55

He's not being "sneaky" in looking for a new job. He's considering his future, and good luck to him.

NervousReindeer Wed 02-Jan-13 19:23:20

I agree let him go. He'll quickly realise it had it more comfortable

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