"The Laborer is Worthy His Hire"

I have always been a proponent of fair pay. Of course, fair pay is determined by the demand for labor, the skills and work ethic of the laborer, and the quality of work performed. It is not based on how badly the laborer needs a paycheck nor on how wealthy the business owner may be. The marketplace drives the worth of labor.

Having said that, in my business I have always paid above market value for labor and skilled craftsmen. It is important to me to have people who want to work for me. I also desire to reward people for their labor rather than take advantage of them.

Recently I had a gentleman who is one of my sub-contractors tell me about several jobs where he had worked where the pay was either slow in coming, or he was not paid at all. He worked for five months for one contractor who kept promising to pay him, but never did. The contractor went bankrupt and this man was never paid for his labor. This man now sub-contracts with me and we have a happy relationship because he is promptly paid after each job, and in return I receive a good day's labor.

It is heartbreaking to me to hear about those who work and don't get paid. And I believe that it is heartbreaking to God as well. It is totally wrong and immoral to not pay someone for their labor. In fact it is theft. It is trampling on the one who works. And I do not believe that God views this lightly.

The Bible says, "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treads out the corn, and the laborer is worthy his hire."

A fair paycheck and a few bottles of Gatorade go a long way.