How ALEC Helps Out ALEC Banks and ALEC Credit Card Companies

Because payroll is part of my job and because I like getting my pay direct deposited into my checking account every couple of weeks I found this piece of American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) legislation befuddling.

This is what your legislator WASTES their time on at ALEC meeting - to make sure that the ALEC corporate members can look forward to MORE BUSINESS at some time in the future.

The next issue is -  why in the hell are state legislators even screwing around with an issue like this - except for the fact that they sit as EQUALS at the table with CORPORATIONS -specifically ALEC member banks and credit card companies.

This piece of model crap legislation was approved by ALEC's board in 2010. (Look out!!!!!!!!)

Electronic Pay Choice Act

Starts out by saying that an employer may pay employees in

lawful money of the United States
by a check payable in lawful money of the United States
by automated transfer in lawful money of the United States
or by credit to a prepaid debit or credit card.

Okay - I've worked at all types of jobs in my life and I have received all those types of payments.

Cash
A hard check
Direct Deposit
Deposit onto a debit card (yep - a seasonal part-time job a couple of years ago, it was the only way they would pay their employees - presumably because of extremely high turnover and very few fulltime employees)

Well that's all well and good - and up to this point a huge f3cking waste of time to develop - but then the good stuff comes along.
READ THIS VERY CAREFULLY!!

However, an employer that elects not to pay wages or salaries in accordance with clause (i) or (ii)

(Hard cash or hard check)

shall be permitted to pay wages or salaries by credit to a prepaid debit card or card account in accordance with clause (iv),

(direct deposit to a debit card)

even though such employee has not affirmatively consented thereto,

(say what???????????)

if the employee fails to designate an account at a financial institution in accordance with clause (iii)

(aka does not give the employer a routing number for direct deposit)

and the employer arranges for such card or card account to be issued through a network system

(presumably using an ALEC corporate sector member)

through which the employee shall have the ability to make at least one free withdrawal or transfer per pay period, which withdrawal may be for any sum in such card or card account as the employee may elect, using such card or card account at financial institutions participating in such network system

(well at least they let you get your money out - but I bet you have to leave a balance in there in order for the card to stay active for your employer)

And that's exactly what happened with me - with the seasonal, part-time job I had a couple years ago.  I HAD to take my pay by debit card - and I really didn't care cause it was only for three months and it WAS NOT my main money to pay my living expenses.

BUT what if they started applying it to ALL jobs?

Now if you don't have a bank account

- you're screwed

- cause your employer can say

           - No cash!

           - No check! 

You have to use the debit card that is owned by our ALEC corporate sector friend.

Who  gets screwed? - the poor and working class, of course.

ALEC AND ALEC legislators don't give a damn about anyone except their corporate sector / private enterprise members.

Who comes out smelling like a rose and making huge profits on this - the banks and credit card companies.  (The ALEC corporate sector / private enterprise bank and credit card member companies)

They have already done this in some states for unemployment and welfare payments - credit/debit card only and in some states the person using the debit/credit card HAS TO PAY a transaction fee.

So LOOK OUT!

I bet executives wouldn't put up with this kind of payroll crap from an employer. 

I bet a legislator wouldn't put up this kind of payroll crap from the state government.

But then when you are talking ALEC members - I wouldn't doubt if their members will do anything for a little something something extra in a Swiss bank account.


CRAP legislation - wasting the time of the state legislators - whose wages you arepaying -  with your tax dollars.

CRAP legislation - designed to increase the revenue and profits of the corporations who are ALEC members.

–—–—

ALEC members and those affiliated with ALEC in any manner

MUST NOT BE RE-ELECTED or receive our support in any means or manner!

Without state and federal legislators ALEC will cease to exist and it will implode.

For more information on ALEC –

Please read this or this or this

or this series of six articles.

This is what ALEC is About  - An Interview with Mark Pocan about the ALEC Annual Meeting.

And watch this news video  from North Carolina on how other ALEC "model legislation" is going to screw the citizens of North Carolina - legislation introduced by ALEC legislators.

Do your own act of education!
Send the links shown above to friends and family and educate them about ALEC.

#Alec