WELL, THAT SIXTH YEAR MONEY AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE
WELL, THAT SIXTH YEAR MONEY AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE
I don’t know why Karol sent me this link about an associate who asked the summers to chip in a couple of bucks each for a summer lunch. The fact is, either they each chip in the dough or the associate is going to have to pay everything over the lunch budget from his/her own pocket.
Now, back in 1999, when we were still in the midst of the financial good times, I was never asked to chip in money for lunches or dinners, no matter how much we blew past the summer budget by. Either the recruiting department at Old LLP would overlook the extravance or the associates involved would foot the bill without worrying our pretty little summer heads about it.
When I became an associate myself, in 2001, things were a whole lot different. I remember talking to now-infrequent commenter, metsin04, about what we should do about a particular lunch which went slightly overbudget.
“When we were summers, the associates would just pay for it, so I guess maybe we should split it between ourselves?” I suggested.
He had a distinctly different take: “No way, we’ll ask them for their share. I am not going to subsidize Old LLP’s summer program. If they don’t want summers paying for these lunches, they should increase the limits or just pay whatever bills we submit.”
Now, being the cheap bastard that I am, I acquiesced immediately.
Oh, and he was right.
To be forwarned is forarmed little summers.
June 27th, 2005 at 12:01 am
The only problem I have with that is if the summers aren’t made aware of what they’re budgeted for various events. When I was a summer, I don’t think I had any idea there was a set amount. If I had been, I would have been careful not to order over budget.
But I have been on lunches where a summer ordered oysters for appetizer and lobster entree, and basically ate up the whole budget for the table. They should be aware that people are noticing, even if they don’t ask the summer to chip in.
June 27th, 2005 at 12:31 am
At both firms I’ve worked for, the $50 limit is hammered over and over during orientation, in summer guideline handbooks, and the like. So the summers I come in contact with don’t have that excuse. And yes, I hope I have sufficiently horrified non-New Yorkers that there are people who can’t manage a lunch without spending more than $50.
June 27th, 2005 at 11:44 pm
it’s $35 in DC…well, at my DC firm anyway. But we get a bit of a cushion around there.