Lessons Garnered from Garnished Wages
I’ll never forget the first time I dealt with a wage garnishment. It was about 20 years ago…and I vividly remember having to input a child support order into our payroll software. Actually, it was 4 child support orders…for one person.
The reason I remember it so well, is that over the years…this episode has taught me many things. Let me explain.
This gentleman, the one that had 4 separate orders attached to his weekly paycheck, he was only making around $12 per hour at the time. And what I remember, is seeing his net pay calculation…after the child support deductions.
Every week, this man was taking home about ⅓ of his after-tax pay. Barely enough to survive. And you know what was the first thing that went through my mind?
“What a deadbeat”.
Looking back, I’m not surprised that I said that to myself. But I am a bit ashamed. Because here’s what I’ve learned…with the help of time, and some good mentors in my life.
Lesson 1: There is ALWAYS more than YOUR Perspective.
This man could have earned more money sitting at home and collecting welfare. Just a fact. But instead…he chose to work hard, all week, despite taking home barely enough to survive…in order that he might fulfill his obligation to his children.
I hadn’t initially seen the situation, through that lens.
Now supporting your children financially might seem like an obvious thing to you and I, but over the years I’ve seen plenty of people shirk that responsibility. This gentleman obviously had some sense of personal pride.
I certainly don’t want to give too much “credit” to honoring an obligation to your own children…but given the financial return on his labor (and this was NOT an easy job)…it does seem a bit more admirable.
Some “deadbeat”, right?
He deserved for me to see that point of view. He deserved my empathy. He deserved that I look at the situation from another perspective.
Lesson 2: Never underestimate people’s need for Significance.
I had a chance to get to know this man better as the years went on. I never shared these thoughts with him, because I didn’t think they’d necessarily come out as intended. It was certainly a sensitive topic, and I didn’t want to overstep my bounds…even though, and perhaps especially because I was ‘the boss’.
But aside from the obvious sense of personal responsibility that this man had…what also continuously impressed me, was his attitude. There was always a smile on his face.
I looked at the amount that he was earning, on each paycheck, after taxes, after garnishments, and after working 50 physical hours…and you know what I thought?
“He must be miserable.”
At the time, I just couldn’t imagine working 50 hours to take home next to nothing. I know he was motivated by providing for his children, but even so… Even if I could relate to and understand, and even admire the sacrifice…I still think I’d be miserable.
I think it would just piss me off. Working that long, that hard, and not having much to show for it.
But what I observed, and what later clicked in my mind….was that this gentleman took pride in his work. He took pride in his work, and was even promoted to supervision.
What I learned, in hindsight, was that he was driven by significance.
He may have been working for pennies, but he found abundance in the pride of significance.
His efforts to work hard were motivated by an internal sense of pride. And when those efforts were further rewarded with acknowledgment and appreciation…that pride swelled.
And you could see it on his face.
I’ve learned a few things from those garnished wages.
I’ve learned to be careful of judgment, without perspective. Because I know how I’d like to be judged.
And I’ve learned never to underestimate others’ need to feel significant.
Because I’ve also come to learn how important that is… to me.
