A Company to Help the Underpaid/Overworked

[jubal325]

I have a hypothetical question about a company created to help overworked/underpaid workers. It would help to pay people
who are underpaid and overworked (such as medical, law enforcement, etc.) at their "first job". A company would charge its
customers (who buy the products and pay all taxes legally) for say, highly priced office supplies. The customers
would be people legally purchasing the products. They would know that the high net profit would result in payment to the
employees in the form of high wages. The jobs would entail the workers doing legitimate jobs but employed in such a way that
minimal work was required. A sort of equivalent to "sinecure" jobs in other countries. Could such a company (the
business, its employers, and employees) exist and operate legally?

 

[LdiJ]

I have a hypothetical question about a company created to help overworked/underpaid workers. It would help to pay people
who are underpaid and overworked (such as medical, law enforcement, etc.) at their "first job". A company would charge its
customers (who buy the products and pay all taxes legally) for say, highly priced office supplies. The customers
would be people legally purchasing the products. They would know that the high net profit would result in payment to the
employees in the form of high wages. The jobs would entail the workers doing legitimate jobs but employed in such a way that
minimal work was required. A sort of equivalent to "sinecure" jobs in other countries. Could such a company (the
business, its employers, and employees) exist and operate legally?

I am not entirely sure that I understand what it is that you want to do. I have read your post several times and its a bit unclear to me. However, one thing that I can tell you is that "ghost employment" is illegal and that a company who has ghost employees would end up not being able to deduct their wages as a legitimate business expense.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Could such a company (the business, its employers, and employees) exist and operate legally?

I disagree with the previous response that having "ghost employees" is illegal. Having ghost employees is not itself illegal. However, other things the company does related to having ghost employees might be a crime. Also, the employer may find that it cannot take income tax deductions for much of the wages paid to these employees who do "minimal work" and other related expenses.

Finally, I think that few people would truly pay significantly more for something like offices supplies to support "overworked" employees. As a result, I think the idea to be folly.

 

[adjusterjack]

Could such a company (the
business, its employers, and employees) exist and operate legally?

I suppose it could operate legally. How long it would exist with that business model is problematic. Overworked and underpaid is in the eye of the beholder and everybody in the United States who has a job would be lining up for the handouts while very few people would pay a markup for consumer goods much less office products.

While the idea is folly I do commend you for using "sinecure" in a sentence.

 

[FlyingRon]

It may be illegal for certain employees in the public service sector to accept such salary augmentation.