Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?

I was listening to the news on the way to work this week and heard a story about Google, yes that Google. They have decided to assure that it keeps its name in the news with a little more silliness. Here's what they're doing. They're grossing up the salary of gay employees who have domestic partners to cover the taxes they have to pay because they aren't married. Basically, married folks get an added tax break because they're not taxed on the income they pay for benefits for their spouse and family (or something like that). So Google decided to increase the salary of their gay employees to cover this. What? This is foolish at best and blatant discrimination at worst. I understand they're trying to compete in a very volatile market and keep their best employees, but this is crazy. Why, you ask? Let me elucidate. This move puts them in a position where half of their employees can come in and ask for their salaries to be grossed up to cover taxes for one reason or another ant they will either do it or be sued for discrimination.

Seriously, this is reckless behavior. Let's say for instance, I work at Google and have a male roommate? I can now go into human resources and say, "Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?" You laugh, but look at it from this perspective. Can you prove that he's not my partner? No? According to law you're not allowed to ask. So, I'd like my salary grossed up as well. Oh, that one doesn't work for you, how about the heterosexual couples who live together and for whatever reason they decided not to get married? They can walk into HR and say, "Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?" Try and deny grossing up their salaries and wait for the discrimination lawsuit there. If you're giving this benefit to other unmarried couples then you'll have to give it to all unmarried couples? What? We can get married? Yes, but we're committed to one another and don't see a need for marriage. Yea, that's the same thing (on paper) as the homosexual couples have. Deny it and wait for the lawyers. As a matter of fact, if you're gonna do that then you may as well get ready for the couples with no kids? They don't get tax breaks because they don't have kids. They can walk into HR and say, "Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?" Why not gross up their salary too? They didn't choose not to have kids, maybe he's sterile, or she's got medical issues. I want the tax break too!!! Try denying them and see how long it is before you go to court, or arbitration. While you're at it go ahead and gross up the single guy with no kids? Why doesn't he go in and say, "Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?" He's not getting tax breaks for being married; gay; having kids; or cohabitating. So let's just gross his salary up to compensate for the marriage he has yet to experience, the kids he doesn't have and the gay/straight lover that hasn't moved in yet?

When does this foolishness end? The laws are on the books, deal with them and move on. If you don't like the laws that are in place, then elect legislators who will change them to what you do like, it's the backbone of democracy. I'm sick of seeing story after story where folks don't like the rules so they do what they want to do and cry foul when the bet pinched. Rules are made for you and you and you too. If you don't like them, then work to change them, stop trying to get around them. Google, and every other employer who skirts tax law like this ought to be fined heavily. Subverting federal tax laws for recruiting purposes is thumbing their noses at the establishment and should not be tolerated. If this is allowed to stand, it's only a matter of time before I walk into my HR office and say, "Excuse me…can you pay my taxes please?"

It's Just My Opinion, but I'm Not Wrong!!!