Working Under The Table...

[1stwahine]

Working under the table is not new. Infact, I presume most local establishments do it to save money, considering all the high taxes, unemployment insurance, medical and dental insurances, etc. Is it right to do? Most of us do the legal way of doing things. We fear penalties or getting caught. Fines and incarceration too.

So why does the practice continue? In another thread, someone mentioned seeing the "illigal cooks," in Chinatown eating outside. I personally know many others who work under the table too. They do it cause they either have income or benefit from a State Agency, SSI, Social Security, etc. That they just can't make it on what they recieve.

When I had my resturant, I got angry at the Pizza guy who came around selling his $5.00 pizza's. I lost a lot of business due to him. He baked out of his home, didn't pay taxes or the other things I had to do. He made money. One of the reasons I had to close.

If given the chance, I would work under the table too. Living in Hawai'i is expensive, anti-business and corrupt. Then again, I no like go jail.

Auntie Lynn aka Auntie Pupule

[Surfingfarmboy]

Re: Working Under The Table...

I know people who have worked under the table, and then abrubtly quit doing so when they saw the absence of contributions listed on their yearly statements from Social Security. Freaked 'em out to see the years of zero dollar contributions to their SS accounts noted on their statements.

I suppose it would "work" if one had another job to back up the financial transactions they'd make into a savings account, a checking account, whatever. At some point, somebody, somewhere, in the Federal or State government is going to question how one is able to make deposits, pay rent, etc. without making a commensurate contribution to the tax system.

The paper trail that all legitimately employed workers have to document their earnings just isn't there for under the table workers. I think working under the table will ultimately bite one back.

[ahola]

Re: Working Under The Table...

The underground economy is estimated to be almost 10% of the US GDP,with
estimates of several hundreds of billions to over a trillion dollars.It's even higher in high-tax Euro countries like Spain and Italy.Due to its nature the true size is probably underestimated
And it is not just drugs,porn,and other criminal activities at one end and babysitters and garage sales at the other end that are unreported income. The internet has exponentially increased the size of the underground economy.I sold over 4 years on Ebay averaging $5000 a month and many sellers on Ebay do ten times more in sales a month.The percentage of sellers reporting their online sales income is small.Cash businesses like restaurants, motels,etc.,have most of their receipts in cash and how much is actually reported is up to each business owner.
I know of a Brit living in Thailand who makes $25,000 a month just selling ringtones from his websites and has offshore accounts thus pays no taxes to the UK or Thailand.Globalization and the net has made it easier and more profitable to stay away from the tax collectors.
And how is it $100 bills are so popular,making up 60% of US currency in circulation,but one rarely sees them in grocery stores or restaurants?
I have 600 of them in a safety deposit box and know many who have a lot more.

[jdub]

Re: Working Under The Table...

I think working under the table will ultimately bite one back.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. Not only does it not contribute to one's Social Security benefits, which may or may not be there when the time comes to collect, but working under the table means that an employer really DOESN'T HAVE TO PAY YOU. I once worked for and got a $500 civil judgement against a shifty, no-good handyman type from Texas, who didn't bother to show up at the trial because he knew the courts don't enforce such rulings. The judge noted this and advised me to get a real job.

[memorylane]

Re: Working Under The Table...

Anyone that ever spent much time on welfare rolls could explain working under the table cuz they know how to do it best. Welfare MAKES you into a cheat because if you get on it to try to better yourself temporarily, you end up under their thumb in the way of how they dump you off before you have actually gotten ON your feet.

[pinakboy]

Re: Working Under The Table...

eh aunty why neva bust up dat pizza guy!! call da strongarm boyz and shakem up a little den make ur betta mo improved pizza!!

hey aunty how wud lechon baboy pizza taste like?? u tink wud sell?? lol i wud buy!!! da kine get spicy mang tomas sauce on top with da crispy skin etc. sorta like wat california pizza kitchen did with roast duck pizza!

[1stwahine]

Re: Working Under The Table...

eh aunty why neva bust up dat pizza guy!! call da strongarm boyz and shakem up a little den make ur betta mo improved pizza!!

hey aunty how wud lechon baboy pizza taste like?? u tink wud sell?? lol i wud buy!!! da kine get spicy mang tomas sauce on top with da crispy skin etc. sorta like wat california pizza kitchen did with roast duck pizza!

pinakboy, da pizza boss did get beat up in the alley across Indigo's! heheheh

lechon baboy pizza would make money. great idea! if you plan to go in business, i like help you in experimenting with it. no strings attached. my mouth watery now for lechon. plus, my salsa moa ono than mang tomas...honest!

[Pedro]

Re: Working Under The Table...

pinakboy, da pizza boss did get beat up in the alley across Indigo's! heheheh

lechon baboy pizza would make money. great idea! if you plan to go in business, i like help you in experimenting with it. no strings attached. my mouth watery now for lechon. plus, my salsa moa ono than mang tomas...honest!

I didn't know you owned a Restruant in China town? I was reading this thread and found it interesting. Never knew you could put Lechon in Pizza's but I think it sounds good, people put all kinds of stuff in pizza I'll try anything except pineaple pizza.

I had a friend who worked under the table. He was helping this guy set up sound systems for party gigs and when it came time to pay him the boss made up silly excuses of why he couldn't pay him, and kept saying tomorrow, which tomorrow never came. It's more legit when you actually work for an organization that doesn't pay under the table wages because you can actually trust the company you work for not to skrew you over and if they do theres always documents to take them to court. Ya can't really do that when working under the table because nothing was signed legally and there are no paper work to back you up to say you were employed, because legally you weren't.

[1stwahine]

Re: Working Under The Table...

I didn't know you owned a Restruant in China town? I was reading this thread and found it interesting. Never knew you could put Lechon in Pizza's but I think it sounds good, people put all kinds of stuff in pizza I'll try anything except pineaple pizza.

I had a friend who worked under the table. He was helping this guy set up sound systems for party gigs and when it came time to pay him the boss made up silly excuses of why he couldn't pay him, and kept saying tomorrow, which tomorrow never came. It's more legit when you actually work for an organization that doesn't pay under the table wages because you can actually trust the company you work for not to skrew you over and if they do theres always documents to take them to court. Ya can't really do that when working under the table because nothing was signed legally and there are no paper work to back you up to say you were employed, because legally you weren't.

Hi Pedro, Yes. My MAMA actually owned five resturants, through the many years in business. On grocery store in Aala. One craft store (mine) in the Chinese Cultural Center. Benny's Resturant was our last business. I was the irresponsible manager cook. LOL

Lechon Pizza is pinacboy's brainstorm idea. I personally believe it would make it. Watch all the filipino resturants try copy....hehehe

Yep, Chinatown was and still is my stompping ground, as why dey cal me Aunty Lynn of Chinatown!

[Fondoo2]

Re: Working Under The Table...

I've been self employed for 20+ years and not saying this is the right way but I always payed under the table being wierd I wanted my employees to earn as much as possible and being a cash business I didn't want to mess with all the paperwork even for my own write offs so I didn't use a checking acc and just payed the tax on the 1099's I recieved.
I basicaly want as little to do with the goverment as possible being it seems so scarry and corrupt and serves big business not citizens(just my .02)

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Working Under The Table...

The internet has exponentially increased the size of the underground economy.I sold over 4 years on Ebay averaging $5000 a month and many sellers on Ebay do ten times more in sales a month.

May I ask what on earth did you sell on Ebay to net that much cash per month?

I keep hearing about people making thousands of dollars selling on Ebay, but I dont know what they are selling?

KalihiBoy

[ahola]

Re: Working Under The Table...

May I ask what on earth did you sell on Ebay to net that much cash per month?

I keep hearing about people making thousands of dollars selling on Ebay, but I dont know what they are selling?

KalihiBoy

I was just a collector of autographs and antiques and got into it accidently.I had too many items in my collections that were either duplicates or didn't want anymore so decided to auction them off and see what happened.Was quite surprised that my first auctions sold for almost 10X what I had originally paid.I was a member of the UACC,autograph collectors club,and had sources so I started selling autographs of mainly movie and music stars.Also visited estate sales and bought Laliques,Baccarats,antique ivory statues,etc.I kept the best for myself and sold the rest which paid for my collections.But there are many big time sellers on Ebay,including major companies like Sears,etc.
One Beverly Hills jeweler sells Rolexes and Cartiers averaging 25 auctions a week at $10,000-$25,000 each auction.Selling is the easy part but finding sources of products is the difficult part.Collectibles and unique items like antiques,old Barbie dolls,fossilized dinosaur eggs,etc.,get the bids and attention while generic items like giftwares,clothing,etc.,have too much competition and unsold auctions.If you are in Hawaii,local handicrafts with a Hawaii theme could do well.I plan on selling gemstones that I import from Thailand.Rubies,sapphires,tanzanites,etc.,are all small,lightweight,and easy to ship with high markups.

[Fondoo2]

Re: Working Under The Table...

thx for the insight Ahola