Project Manager wants team to chip in on boots...Yeah, um, "No"...

[mjr]

Ok, the company I work for has an outsourced team in Bulgaria. Well, one of the guys from this team visited our facility here in the U.S.

The team I'm on is a "rotation" team (i.e. I'm there on a temporary basis).

Anyway, I guess the PM decided to buy the guy a pair of boots -- that cost $189. I don't even own a $189 pair of boots. I got some boots as a gift one year, but I think those were in the $140-$150 range, and I think I have a $100 pair of Ropers somewhere...

But now he's asking everyone on the team to "pay him" for the boots. $23.50 each.

First, I never agreed to that.
Second, I never agreed to that.
Third, I didn't even know they were going to buy this guy boots.

My original team had something similar. Except they bought a different guy from Bulgaria a cowboy hat. That Business Analyst never asked anyone on my original team to chip in.

So what's proper course of action here?

I'm thinking about waiting it out, and if he says something to me, just tell him that I never agreed to it to begin with. It might cause tension, but asking me to give him $23.50 for something I never agreed to in the first place causes tension, too.

If need be, I guess I can go to one of the managers.

One of my co-workers says I should just say no up front, and just say I never agreed to that.

What do you guys think?

[KellyHabersham]

I had that experience once, a few years back.......short version is that a co-worker had lost a family member, it was decided to have flowers sent to that person's house, and each staff member would contribute X amount to cover the cost. (one of the librarians used her credit card to order the flowers online)

This in itself would have been fine, except that I had not agreed to it, and at the time, really didn't have extra money. As for how I dealt with it.....the co-worker who had organized it mentioned paying up a few times, but then she left for another job, and that was the end of it.

[RealUnimportant]

I'd go straight for "I never agreed to that" rather than just ignoring it. Anything like this should be agreed beforehand, and there's no way they can force you to pay for something like this.

[greek_jester]

"I didn't agree to that." No ifs, no buts, do not pass Go, do not collect $23.50...

Collections are a voluntary thing, not mandatory.

[eltf177]

I'd go straight for "I never agreed to that" rather than just ignoring it. Anything like this should be agreed beforehand, and there's no way they can force you to pay for something like this.

"I didn't agree to that." No ifs, no buts, do not pass Go, do not collect $23.50...

Collections are a voluntary thing, not mandatory.

I agree with these...

[Catwoman2965]

Yeah, no. I'm very lucky in that most places I've worked, its voluntary, and its up to the giver to decide how much to give. As in someone is getting married, having a baby, leaving, etc. Notice goes to everyone, saying IF YOU WANT, we have cards and are taking donations. Once all is collected, THEN a gift is purchased.

Reminds me of looking for my first apt. I didn't think I could afford my own place, so was looking for one where someone needed a roommate. One looked great; same town I worked in, so close, and the price was right. Other girl even had cats, which I'm fine with. Also, being in a downtown area, it came with one parking spot, for which the rent would be $20 more, if I wanted it. Again fine.

She had rented the place, and was looking for someone to share. Great. So we meet, and she shows me the apt. Its small, but doable. Then (as the previous tenant was still there) we went outside, and were chatting up a storm, getting along very well.

She first mentions she goes to her BF's every weekend, so i could either feed the cats, or if i didn't want to, she'd get someone to come in and do it. Um ok, i['m fine withe every now and again, but not every weekend, and not comfy with someone I don't know coming into my place.

But the biggest reason I declined was she happnened to mention that she had paid a broker x amount to FIND the apt, and the rent she was actually asking was close to $100 MORE than it actually was (for my half) because she needed to "make back" the fee. Um no, I didn't ask you to do this, as i didn't KNOW you, and if you chose to pay someone to find this place, that's on you. So the next day i called and politely declined.

[WishfulSpirit]

"I'm sorry, I was not informed before-hand that a collection was being taken, and I am not able to contribute at this time" is sometimes a better way to go. It's just as firm a "no" but not as confrontational, and nobody should want to come across as the mouthy coworker. A discrete word with the manager in charge of whoever is asking you to pay up might be in order too, especially if it's someone in authority over you. Not sure where you are, but in the USA, a boss pressing for money from subordinates can open a company up to a LOT of legal trouble if someone decides to fight back.

[KellyHabersham]

Yeah, no. I'm very lucky in that most places I've worked, its voluntary, and its up to the giver to decide how much to give. As in someone is getting married, having a baby, leaving, etc. Notice goes to everyone, saying IF YOU WANT, we have cards and are taking donations. Once all is collected, THEN a gift is purchased.

That's normally how it would go at my job, it was just the one time that things were different.

[Aria]

I wonder if they were cowboy boots? If so that sounds like a fair price, they are NOT cheap. >_> I might be the person who owns a 300+ pair of Ugg boots.

Anyhow, leaving that aside, I'd say it's totally up to you. I think this guy should have kept his gift more modest - 100 will buy something nice - or at least okayed it with everyone ahead of time. However, is 23 dollars worth any possible friction? And do you like the guy they're gifting? I don't think any of us can make this decision for you. Personally, I'd probably give them the 23 dollars, but I tend to be too generous.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I think I would go to one of the other managers.

You shouldn't have to give the money if you don't want to, and I have no time for people who want to be generous with my hard-earned money. But I also know that "I didn't agree to that" could lead to retaliation, done in such a way that you can't prove it's because you refused to contribute toward the boots.

[taxguykarl]

I agree with politely declining that request. Let the PM be generous on his own money....Come to think of it, does this individual have the repute for skimming? I recall a former CW (nicknamed Collection Cora) who was around whenever another CW got sick, pregnant, etc. I can't recall anyone seeing anything from her collection efforts.

[mjr]

I agree with politely declining that request. Let the PM be generous on his own money....Come to think of it, does this individual have the repute for skimming? I recall a former CW (nicknamed Collection Cora) who was around whenever another CW got sick, pregnant, etc. I can't recall anyone seeing anything from her collection efforts.

To be perfectly honest, I have no idea.

I don't know him that well, nor do I really know (nor work closely with) the guy for whom the cowboy boots were purchased.

Being on this team is a temporary assignment that's close to ending anyway. That's why I was asking about just "waiting it out".

[April]

if you can't just wait it out, when someone comes to collect the money from you, say something like "I'm sorry, that's not in my budget right now". It's similar to "I didn't agree to this", but not as "in your face" if you will. a more mellow version, that tells them you will not be participating, and you weren't given notice to budget for it, even if you wanted to participate.

[notalwaysright]

Here's the thing... If asked, I'd probably say sure. If TOLD, I'll say no. Guess it's the irritated child living in me.

"So about the collection... I didn't know this was happening, and am not going to be able to contribute. Next time, please let me know ahead of time, thanks."

[raudf]

I'd go with the "Not in my budget" if asked about it.

If confronted, I'd point them that usually, donations are made before the purchase, so everyone can contribute the amount they feel is comfortable to their individual budgets. If that had been done, you might have been able to contribute something. Making the purchase before asking for donations is inappropriate and does not allow those whose budgets are more tightly constrained to contribute.

But only contribute either of these if you can't wait it out. Frankly, no point in saying anything if you're only there short term.