To not contribute to this leaving present?

[yougotitdude]

Started a new job last Wednesday.

A staff member is leaving this Friday and the office (20 of us) have had a whip round to buy her a spa day- £10 contribution each

Collegue has asked us all to bring the money tomorrow- came and told us individually, including me

I dont think I should have to contribute

AIBU?

Of course you shouldn't. Just say no,

You shouldn't have to but I would to be part of the team. Unless you're skint because of starting a new job... in which case just tell them that.

Ooh this was an episode of friends!

Difficult one. Can you afford to contribute? Although you don't really know the leaver, it might make your colleagues dislike you or think you are mean if you don't put in for it. It might be short term pain, long term gain here.

Of course not x2

Tell them you don't wish to contribute - don't give a reason or excuse just politely decline.

Why don't you want to contribute? Is it because you don't get on with this person and don't want to wish them well, or is it because you weren't consulted?

YANBU but really for a tenner in a new job I would do it.

Op has known the person three days! She doesn't have to wish them well in the form of a leaving present.

I think it's because the OP has only worked with this colleague for a very short time.

Just say you don't really know her, so won't be contributing to the gift. Can't see that it is a problem.

YANBU you've only been there for 3 days. If I had been collecting I wouldn't have asked.

I think you should contribute. It's only a tenner and if you don't everyone in the office will think you're a cheapskate.

You will have been there almost 2 weeks won't you? (which clearly isn't long but think of it as an investment in friendly office relations)

Just say you're skint because you haven't been paid yet and you can't afford for someone to put it in because you have bills to catch up on.

You shouldn't have to - I think it was a bit off you being asked to contribute, when you've not even been there a week - but having said that, unless it was going to leave me out of pocket, I'd probably contribute anyway to avoid getting off on the wrong foot with the rest of your new colleagues.

No. You don't have to and they shouldn't have asked you.

You don't know the person.

YADNBU but I would anyway. Massively contradictory I know but I would.

If you can afford it, it's just easier to participate. People can have very long memories over this kind of thing, even though it's irrational.

But if you can't afford it, just have a discreet word with the person organizing it. Say you only just started working there and finances aren't straight yet.

YANBU, but I know I'd end up contributing anyway. It's unfortunate that they asked you.

Gosh I've never given so much for a leaving present. If we do a whip round for presents it's usually 1 or 2 maximum but no expected amount.

Yanbu. You shouldn't have been asked. I wouldn't pay.

Totally unfair of them to ask you and put you in this position. That's a lot of money for each person to contribute!

Although I agree your a new employee new to the team I would just do it due to the fact id want to make a good impression

Happened to me but the whip-round was for the family of a colleague who tragically died in a RTA the Friday before the Monday I started.

I paid the £10.

No I wouldn't contribute £10 towards a brand new colleague's collection.

You shouldn't have to, but with the politics the surround office collections, if you can afford it, then I'd just chip in and write it off for the sake of workplace harmony in your new job.

They shouldn't have asked you

Office collection at my work have got ridiculous lately. In the last 6 weeks we have had two birthdays, two people leaving, one retiring, one person getting married.

I have stopped contributing