I work for a company in the hospitality industry that has suffered heavy layoffs and pay freezes in the past year. I was hired as the Director of New Business Development, and in that capacity, as business grew, I hired a young man with whom I'd worked for several years at my previous company to be my crew leader, as his knowledge and experience was invaluable. He was hired at a rate of $10 per hour, well below the $16.50 he had previously been paid at our former company, but with the promise that he would receive a review in 3 months. 3 months came and went, and management was dragging its heels in giving that well deserved raise. I insisted that his immediate supervisor give him a formal review, and the promised raise. After the interview, the supervisor came to me with tears in his eyes, and told me what Aaron had done.
"Jen, that boy has more character than anyone I've ever worked with. He sat there and made the case as to why he deserved the raise, detailed the many hours he'd worked off the clock and his value to the company. I couldn't disagree, and I gave him the raise. Just a dollar and hour, but all we could do right now. He thanked me, and said how much he appreciated the acknowledgment, then said, "Nate works really hard and is really struggling. $40 a week would make a lot of difference to him. I know you can't give everyone who deserves it a raise, so please give my dollar an hour to Nate. Not that I couldn't use it, but he needs it more than I do."
For a person of his age, with literally nothing to his name but the clothes on his back, to give to someone with even less was inspiring and humbling. God bless you, Aaron.
Submitted by Anonymous
We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.
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