H&R Block, the company that last had an innovative idea when Bonanza was on TV, prove that they do not discriminate against who they choose to oppress via a lawsuit by their own employees, challenging the company-wide policy and practice of requiring their tax professionals to complete 24 hours of unpaid, mandatory training after the completion of a tax season in order to be eligible to prepare tax returns for H&R Block clients during the next tax season.
The lawsuit is written in plain English, if a bit sarcastic: "I have to take 24 hours on 'upper-level' courses, at my own expense, or I can't work next year? That makes perfect sense. A--holes.
Yesterday, Block shot holes in its own defense via a press release:
"Upper level training is as voluntary as breathing air. . . or paying taxes. If you do not take these courses, it is your choice. Of course, you'll be unemployed, but its still your choice."
The lawsuit alleges that victims of H&R Block's pay policy should recover, among other things, unpaid wages for these 24 hours of mandatory training, plus an equal amount for liquidated damages, pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, attorneys' fees and litigation costs.
Block says that their decisions are common practice, and they shouldn't be penalized by some pesky "law":
"Did slaves get paid for cotton-picking lessons? No. Did Holocause victims ask for money to pay for oven cleaning training? No. Do murder victims pay their attackers for the time they spend loading their gun? No. It should be the same for us.
Block's stock closed today at $.55, its highest level in 22 years.
