contractors
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
Contractors: A dedicated group of Engineers that circle the country seeking the next high paying job. Contractors rarely if ever receive pay for time
not worked. They usually have very few benefits although some receive incentives such as holiday pay, Per Diem, and longevity bonuses. Per Diem is a
daily tax-free living expense paid to the contractor. Longevity Bonus is usually one weeks pay or other amount paid after an established period of
time, normally one year.
Contractors are known for showing up for work sick and /or injured in order to collect the incentives that they depend on, or to get paid for
overtime, which is one and a half times their hourly pay. Boeing has documented many instances where contractors have gone through extreme lengths in
order to show up for work.
"We have seen people do extraordinary things before, but nothing like this," said Randy Saseler, Boeing's vice president of
engineering. "I am sure this is a first."
Contractor shows up to work dead.
At 5:00AM Saturday morning (Jan, 29) Wanda Robertson the wife of contractor Peter Robertson rolled her dead husband into a Renton, WA Boeing facility,
using the dead mans badge in order to gain entrance. She entered the building before most staff show up for work.
"I thought it was some kind of a joke," said former co-worker David Palmer, "That coffin was in the corner for about a week, we
thought the company was setting up some sort of show. We just ignored it. Geez that was Peter?"
Mrs. Robinson is facing charges of trespassing on Boeing property. According to a statement she filed with Renton police, Mr. Robertson was 1 week shy
of collecting his longevity bonus, he would also have forfeited his Per Diem payment. Mrs. Robertson said that since he was physically at work, Boeing
must pay him. "The kids and I really need that money."
We are educating ourselves about the legal aspects of this case. We have never had a case where a dead man continued to come to work. This is highly
unusual. Obviously this woman is in need. We are considering paying her the money her husband would have received, as well as her husbands burial
costs. We will however, add a clause in our contracts so that this does not happen again," Tim Clark, Boeing spokesman, recently told the
industry publication Flight International magazine. "We just do not want dead people thinking that they can or should continue to come to
work."
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posted on 10/2/05 at 03:59 PM
