[Foundation-l] Corporate Social Responsibility

[Michael Snow]

On 11/22/2010 10:47 AM, WJhonson at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 11/22/2010 10:33:53 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> rkaldari at wikimedia.org writes:
>> * I believe "Salary and other compensation" includes payment to
>> contractors, of which we currently have about 20-30 (which aren't
>> counted as employees).>>
> Why so many, and contractors generally make much more than employees.
> Why not get rid of some of those and hire more employees?
> I know of a lot of people looking for work.
And I know of some positions they're welcome to apply for if they have 
suitable qualifications: http://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Job_openings

Aside from that, staffing decisions are not simply something that gets 
flipped around at will. In some cases, Wikimedia contractors have that 
status because it would be prohibitively difficult to treat them as 
employees (some staff located abroad, for example). Others are hired for 
specific time-limited projects which it makes more sense to do on a 
contract basis (Eugene Eric Kim for the strategy project, for instance).

Also, the notion that contractors "generally make much more than 
employees" seems to ignore the fact that this bucket is labeled "Salary 
*and other compensation* " (meaning things such as health or retirement 
benefits). These are quite significant forms of compensation which 
contractors generally do not receive, so it makes sense that contractors 
might receive a higher rate than the salary for an equivalent employee, 
since contractors have to make other arrangements on their own. 
Converting them into employees wouldn't necessarily create the potential 
to save in terms of expenses for the Wikimedia Foundation.

--Michael Snow