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II.—PRIVATE FIRMS AND COMPANIES.

able number of schemes(a) (principally of gas companies), and piece-
work alone in one scheme (No. 124); in the case of many gas
companies(b) no deduction is made for time lost through sickness
up to two months; while a few companies(°) provide that time so
lost will be allowed for at the discretion of the Directors. In a
few cases(d) the bonus is given in the form of so many weeks’
wages, and does not depend upon actual earnings, which may be
affected by lost time and other causes. In several cases(°) it
depends upon the length of service of employees as well as upon
their earnings. In the case of No. 37 it depends entirely upon
the length of service.

There are several instances(f) in which the amount of the bonus
depends wholly or partly on the position of employees. A num-
ber of companies(g) reserve to themselves the right to fix each
man’s share according to their opinion of his worth and behaviour,
irrespective of his position.

Other methods of distribution of the bonus fund are noted
below(h).

Profit-sharing Deposits.

In a limited number of cases the form of Profit-sharing adopted,
either exclusively or in conjunction with some more common type,
consists in paying to employees who leave money in the hands

(») Nos. 24, 38, 55, 82, 83, 89, 90, 91, 93, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100, 105, 107, 110,
111, 119, 121, 127, 128, 129, 132 ; in the case of No. 54 overtime and piecework
are excluded, but harvest payment is included.

(h) Nos. 24, 38, 53, 55, 82, 83, 84, 86, 89, 91 (6 weeks, not 2 months), 93, 94, 95,
96, 98, 99, 100, 105, 107, 109, 110, 111, 119, 121, 123, 127, 128, 129.

(') Nos. 14, 90, 132.

(a) Nos. 29, 46, 75 ; in the case of No. 29 the bonus also depends on the
position of employees, heads of departments getting double-shares and persons
under 21 half-shares.

(°) Nos. 12, 21, 34, 42, 43, 46 ; No. 21 provides that those employed 7 years
receive twice the amount received by those employed under 7 years ; with
No. 42, those employed 6 months and under 12 get only half a share ; in the
case of No. 43 a double bonus is given to employees with 5 years’ service and
owning shares in employer’s business equivalent to half a year’s wages.

(f) No. 16 (gee p. 28) ; Nos. 14 (where employees are divided into four classes,
according to their work, each class receiving a different number of shares),
58,125 ; in the case of Nos. 17, 29, 35, 124, heads of departments get larger
shares than ordinary employees, while the shares in bonus apportioned by
No. 32, though based on wages vary according to whether participants are
(1) men, (2) apprentices, or (3) boys. Under scheme No. 44 the participants
are divided into classes depending on (1) position, (2) success, and (3) length
of service.

(B) Nos. 1,13,27,30 (clerks only), 40, 58 (depends also on position), 61 ; com-
pare No. 57, where shares are allotted to employees on recommendation of
manager, and No. 103 (see pp. 29-36). In the case of No. 122 the bonus is allotted
in the form of shares to approved employees, each employee getting one share.
The share in profits allotted to employees under schemes Nos. 4, 70, 71 depends
upon the employer’s judgment as well as upon wages.

(h) In the case of Nos. 20 and 25 the proportion of the bonus allotted to each
employee is the same as his wages bear to the total wages bill, the bonus
accumulating to employees not entitled to participate being in the case of No. 26
devoted to a common Provident Fund. The bonus is equally divided among
employees by Nos. 3, 30 (workmen only), 59, 67, 112. In the case of No. 124
each employee’s share is determined by a scale, arranged according to wage-limits.
Under No. 31, which applies to sale agents, the bonus depends partly upon
success and partly upon the percentage of sales to expenses. In No. 81 the
bonus depends partly upon success and partly upon wages.