[Mr Ramsbotham]

The most ridiculous example of misapplied "fairness" I can think of was perpetrated by the company I work for. This company offered a "buyout" payment of $150 per month for persons who, for whatever reason, declined the company health insurance--in my case it was because I was already insured through my wife. A couple of years ago the company was forced to raise insurance premiums on employees using the company insurance. But to make it "fair" for all concerned, they actually decreased the amount of the buyout by $50 per month, not realizing that the people receiving the buyout were actually saving the company money by continuing to decline the company health insurance!

[Myrddin]

But to make it "fair" for all concerned, they actually decreased the amount of the buyout by $50 per month, not realizing that the people receiving the buyout were actually saving the company money by continuing to decline the company health insurance!

I certainly hope you helped them out by signing up. I can understand how the employer figured shifting the "buyout" money to soften the increase in premiums might make sense to the business. My company dropped the ESOP program and put the money into limiting health care insurance premiums. It is no surprise that employees are buying less stock now. Every choice has a consequence.