The Real-World Risk of Hiring Undocumented Workers to Service your Pool

 President Trump’s pick for labor secretary, Andy Puzder, said that he previously employed an undocumented housekeeper.  He said that when he learned of her status, he ended her employment.  He said he fully paid back taxes to the IRS and California.
Rep. Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s choice to run the White House budget office, failed to pay more than $15,000 in federal payroll taxes for a babysitter, which he has now paid. He still has to pay the to-be-determined penalties and interest and the amount owed in state taxes.
Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, Wilbur Ross – Trump’s pick for commerce secretary, Linda Chavez – President George W. Bush’s nominee for labor secretary, and both President Clinton’s nominees for attorney general Zoe Baird and Judge Kimba Wood all hired undocumented workers and got caught and had to pay back taxes and penalties and interest.
What does this have to do with your pool service?  Let’s say a local pool service company knowingly hired undocumented workers and has for more than 10 years.  Why would he hire undocumented employees?  When he hires undocumented workers, these employees do not get all the protections and benefits employees are legally entitled to – you know things like social security, workmen’s compensation, minimum wage, overtime pay, etc.
In addition, because they are undocumented, he can force them to work for less than minimum wage, and they will not dare complain for fear of being deported.  With a labor force that is working at slave wages, he can charge a lower price for his pool service.  Of course, as his price for pool service is lower than the other pool service companies that follow the law, he has been able to pick up many new clients.  The rest of us pool service companies do not like this; not only is he cheating the undocumented employees, cheating the state, and cheating the IRS, but his use of undocumented employees drives the price for pool service down artificially, forcing the rest of us to complete against slave wages.  This makes the dream of a living wage hard to achieve.
Now you may be thinking: “Wait a minute Ben, I did nothing wrong as a pool owner.  I just hired a pool service company.  This pool service company gave me a really low price for pool service.”  Well, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck.  If you call 100 pool service companies, and they all gave you a price for pool service, but the pool service company using undocumented employees gives you a price that is much lower.  Common sense tells you there is a reason that the price is so low.  Well in the eyes of the law you, the pool owner, in addition to the owner of the pool service company, carry all the risk.
Just like the rich and powerful people I mentioned above, everything is cool until you get caught.  This pool service company got caught, lacking the resources and connections of the rich and powerful, and has ended up bankrupt and on his way to jail.
For more information, call Pools By Ben at 661-263-7503 or visit www.poolsbyben.com.