To wonder why people are jealous of discounts for employees

[FluffyKittensinabasket]

I’m a key worker (not NHS) and entitled to a Blue Light Card and Defence Discount Card. The discounts are actually pretty good right now because of Covid19.

One of my friends said that it was ridiculous that I was claiming discounts and that they should only be for the police, fire service or NHS and capped at 10%. She said it’s daft to get discounts for doing a job you’ve chosen to do.

I pointed out that airline staff get travel discounts, rail workers get free rail travel and retail staff get store discounts. She is a SAHM and said discounts should be illegal.

She now isn’t speaking to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️

She sounds jealous and slightly unhinged

tell her to go and take her face for a shit, and then find a new friend.

She sounds boring and judgmental. You don’t have to be friends with people like this.

She actually said they should be illegal?

It's called reward and recognition and it's a strategy used by all organisations (to some degree) to recruit and retain employees, increase motivation and drive the behaviours needed to meet objectives.

Strange to feel any kind of way about this tbh.

Tell her to get a job working for one of the services that gets discounts then if it upsets her so much. Weird person.

She's on glue. If she worked for a stationery store her huffing habit would be cheaper.

Some people are just jealous, they think the grass is greener already, she must assume you earn masses of money therefor why do you need the discount if you're better off than her.
My dp has a blue light card for being a carer, the discounts are never for things/places we want! Don't get me wrong I think the card is a good idea but its not amazing, I can generally find items cheaper without the card!
My work take part in a perkpal type scheme, again never for places or things we want or need! It is what it is! I must admit I was a little annoyed at the beginning of all this when some people were getting free pizza and coffee, yet the industry I work in - classed as essential--didn't get anything, I didn't begrudge those who did but did feel a bit irked by it but I got over it.
People always want what others have....

Tell her if she wants the perks associated with paid work then she needs to do paid work.

I don’t begrudge anyone getting discounts, but I do feel it’s a bit shortsighted from some companies - giving discounts to those most likely to be in a safe job right now, but it doesn’t personally affect me.

She seems a bit nuts. There are many people that can't stand it when other people have something they cannot have. I guarantee if she had a job that allowed her that card, she wouldn't have that opinion anymore.

Stores offer discounts to all sorts of people shed being ridiculous and jealous. One of my parents works for a supermarket so I get their family and friends 10% discount which is brilliant. I'm also with the OU so I get student discount all though I always forget to use it and I teach so I'm probably eligible for other public sector ones too. I think not being eligible for a discount from your own circumstances or close family is probably more unusual.

Well tbh I don't really understand the Blue Light thing, it seems odd to me that places would give discounts to people in these jobs. But each company can do whatever marketing they choose and a lot choose this which is their prerogative. It's not really comparable to businesses giving discounts to their own employees though, that's part of the employee benefits package so totally different to Blue Light. She sounds mad though if she things they should be illegal no-one is taking away my cheap travel benefits--

'illegal' ? That's hilarious.

Some jobs come with perks. It's frustrating if you work in one where there are no perks, but that's life.

My ExH works in a supermarket, he gave me his discount card so I also get the discount (he lives with another staff member from the supermarket so still gets the discount, he is allowed to give me the card) and I don't even work there.

My cousin works in an office for the NHS. She’s in an office and doesn’t mix with the public- so admin. She earns the same as me (teacher) and gets the discounts the OP was talking about, plus had Supermarket queue jump privledges through lockdown. She hasn’t been near her office in the hospital at all during lockdown (I’ve been in with the more challenging group of vulnerable/keyworker children throughout and juggling single parenthood).
It stings but I wouldn’t cause a row about it.
It’s not a race to the bottom, but some discounts for us too would be nice!

OP your friend is so unreasonable. She thinks blue light is the only profession that gets rewards and discounts, which is in itself so wrong. But worse this "discounts for something you chose to do..." nope, that's the employer trying to regain and incentivise staff.

You didn't ask for the card as a term of your signing the contract. Employers reward people. That's how it is.

She needs to wind it in and stop being so envious. If she wants the perks; she can go and work and take the risks you all takes

Is this real? I am not sure if it’s worth debating with this friend. She sounds like she has other bigger issues in her life, manifesting in these surreal complaints.

@OhMyDarling

then talk to your HR rep or equivalent and mention it as a good idea for retention and reward. It won't come to you by magic. Or you could retrain and get your little 10% discount card too. I mean... it's all possible if you want it enough

@OhMyDarling there are public sector discount schemes available for teachers and school staff

@Ifailed

tell her to go and take her face for a shit, and then find a new friend.

Just found my new favourite retort

Worra knob! She has no idea!!!

Some people are just bitter and jealous when they see someone with something they can’t have!

@lurker101 how is that shortsighted, people with stable jobs are the ones who have money to spend don’t they?
They might not have tried the brand before and this would be an incentive to try it, and if they like it they more likely to be a repeat customer.

Thats crackers. Discounts exist for students/ oaps/ all sorts of hobby groups. Usually if you hunt around online you can get money off at tons of places. They're just incentives to buy more crap, so I don't see how a capitalist economy would ever ban them?
She just needs to do some more research the chances are she can get a few herself.