To not chip in for £120 pen

[Jackfruitburger]

I work for a small business that only opened last year. The owners are a husband and wife team and the wife is the manager. As it's coming up to our one year anniversary the husband has suggested that we all chip in to buy a present for the manager for all her hard work and dedication.
Now let me just start by saying that I like my manager and she does work bloody hard. I see the times she replies to emails, 2am, 6am etc. But it is her business and it is the first year, she should be working hard to make it succeed!
I wouldn't mind putting in a tenner but he has suggested £20 as he wants to get her a £120 pen and a £70 notepad! I wouldn't pay this out of principle that it is a ridiculous amount of money. Three other staff members have said no and two have coughed up. I'm not against getting her a gift but I'm against the present suggestion. I feel that he thinks he should get her something (as she does all the work) and we all have to pay for it!

Ummmm this is all kinds of batshit...

She should be thanking you...

If anyone needs to get her a present it should be from husband only...

He needs bringing down to earth - this is outrageous!

Oh no, this is all kinds of wrong,, you can get ten biro's for a pound, and lovely shiny notebooks for the same amount. I don't think the wife will be happy about all you staff,spending such a large amount of cash.

Wow, this is all wrong! No way would I contribute.

Of course the manager works hard, it's her business. Why should anyone other than the husband, the other owner (who sounds like he does nothing from what I'm reading) get her a gift?

He's taking the piss. 'Sorry, my budget is too tight to contribute.' And that's it. Her gift is her salary and her successful business. If he wants to treat her that's his remit.

Cf. He wants to thank the manager for a good job, he does it, he doesn’t ask employees to do it. Twat

What all the others have said. Not like it's a birthday and even if it was you collect first, THEN work out what you can get with the cash. CF!!!!

I once worked in a hospitality place where one year the tips from all of December were saved up and the manager bought the Owner vouchers for Christmas with them. You can imagine how that went down with the staff!!!!

Bloody crazy.

I work in a school and every bloody July an envelope comes round requesting a donation to get the head a gift. This year I put in approximately 82p as that's what was in my purse.

Heads salary is gift enough I think!

I would politefully decline. Just say you've arranged your own present. Give her a nice plant for her office. She' ll get to see it grow just like her own business.

No way, they're getting the monetary reward of the business. He's nuts to ask this & I wouldn't pay that. He should just buy it himself. Also you shouldn't expect staff to celebrate the anniversary of the business with such drama

What the heck does a £70 notepad do that justifies the price tag?

Nope!
Can't he have a word with the accountant to see fine can purchase such gifts as a tax deductable business expense?
What a CF is he!

YANBU
If anything, they should be getting their employees a gift, not the other way round.

Tell him you'll be happy to pay for it out of your great first year bonus. Or your share of the profits.

I would refuse like the other two. those that have contributed are obviously brown nosing.
The husband should buy his wife's present on his own.
I would also keep your cv up to date, I agree with the pp concerning the husband acquiring a new sports car and redundancies having to happen.
maybe the two contributing can see this and don't want it to be them. keep one eye on the door OP.

I own my business and work as the manager. When we had a great 1st year I took all the staff out for dinner to thank THEM for making MY business a success! Her behaviour is outrageous!

£120 pen? £70 notepad? Does he buy her a mop for Christmas as well?

if he wants to reward her, great - from his own pocket.

I'd tinkly laugh "so we are all getting a lovely present like that to reward us for all our hard work and dedication as well?" followed by a "It's a lovely thought but it's a bit too much. Here's a tenner"

No. Just no.

He's essentially stealing from his employees so he doesn't have to buy his own wife a celebratory gift.