Work Should Be Rewarded, Not Punishedthedigitalchaps

I was glad to see Prof. Craig Richardson’s letter referring to the “disincentive desert” (Dec. 12). I never knew the name, but I have seen the phenomenon in practice. As a registered nurse, I would often ask a certified nursing assistant why she wasn’t picking up the extra shifts we were offering. The answers that I would receive typically went something like this: “I want to pick up that shift so bad I can taste it! But if I make any extra money, my children lose their food benefits.”

These women and men were hard working, and witnessing their dilemma sickened me. I can’t help but compare it to how those in higher positions would be given bonuses for extra work, not penalties.