Time to judge the capitalist pig

[lookout123]

This is primarily a vent, so if you are looking for humor, look elsewhere.

Let's pretend that someone is more or less selfemployed. Let's call them Jimbob. They work for a company, in name, but the profit/loss, and everything that goes along with that are theirs. if there is a profit, they get it, if there is a loss, they get that too.

Now let's say Jimbob has an assistant. this assistant requires no more skill than a secretarial position, but does require more selfmotivation and dedication. the assistant, let's call her clementine.

clementine is competent at her job and fulfills all the blocks that are technically required. Jimbob is regularly frustrated though because clementine consistantly grumbles about anything out of the ordinary, such as learning new tasks, etc. in fact, she sometimes "forgets" to do said new tasks until she has been reminded several times. but, overall, she does a good job. the real sticking point is that Clementine, while a very nice compassionate individual, has a personality that just grates into Jimbob ceaselessly.

Well, Jimbob has been stressing out over Clementine's review for about 2 weeks now. he would really like to see her transfer elsewhere (but there are no other people with an opening) or retire. because that isn't possible, Jimbob knows that clementine is competent and gives her a positive review and a 6% payraise with some recommendations for areas to work on and some ideas how to score better the next time around.

Clementive is positively offended at the pittance of a payraise. she has bills. she is paid too little. she is responsible for Jimbob's success and accolades. she suggests repeatedly that she will give Jimbob a few minutes to reconsider. it would be important to know that there was only a possibility of a 7% total raise.

Jimbob, who is controlling his temper and, who likes to please people, is really wavering between embarrassment and his boiling point. he calmly reminds clementine that she has a very flexible schedule, she can come and go as she pleases. Jimbob also reminds her that he frequently sends her home for free halfdays on Friday (paid time off without dipping into her vacation). Jimbob also explains how the P&L works. for every dollar in raise that she receives it takes two dollars from Jimbob's own bonuses, bonuses that he already splits 70/30 with her, even though he isn't obligated to do so. JImbob explains that he has reached his decision and hopes that she can come to appreciate what she did receive without holding a grudge for what she didn't.

Clementine storms out and within minutes is on the phone with her peers throughout the region telling them how she got robbed.

Jimbob hasn't worked a job that had payraises and reviews in a very long time, so he continues to be very stressed about the situation. Is 6% (out of a possible 7%) an insult for an employee that isn't going above and beyond in any way? Is Jimbob just a typical capitalist prick holding down the little people? should Jimbob rethink the raise?