Mentee calls out 50-year-old construction company owner for paying employees $17 an hour: 'Get a clue dude. You're not retaining employees'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Apr 22, 2025 9:00 PM EDT

It is no secret that the people at the top of the hierarchy of work can be a little out of touch when it comes to what average employees want and need. Sometimes, this comes from pure ignorance and an unwillingness to take into consideration the struggles of the workplace in this day and age. Other times, they know all too well that they aren't engaging in good business practices, but exploiting people because it saves them time, or money is more important to them.

Either way, it is not a pleasant experience to have to handle a boss who doesn't seem to treat their employees in a way that is grounded in reality. Even when you don't work with them directly, it can be painful to witness. It is unfortunate what some business owners and managers consider an acceptable deal with those who work for them, not least when it comes to pay.

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  • One man was uncomfortably confronted with this when he overheard his work mentor, who owns a construction company, attempting to recruit an employee. Realizing that he was offering only $17 an hour for hard physical labor, he was demoralized by the knowledge and needed to vent.

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    Cheezburger Image 10497198592
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    My mentor owns a construction company and pays his employees $17/hr.

    I'm thinking of cutting him off. He's my dads age (50 yo) so I kinda viewed him as a father figure. After eavesdropping while he's dropping me off to work I hear him trying to recruit a young guy to work for his company. When he told him how much he offered I had to catch my face. $17/hr to do physical labor is so demoralizing. I used to be a security guard and made more than that sitting in a parking lot on my phone. He's one of those Gen-Zers are lazy and don't ever want to work → Get a clue d
    via RagieWagieInACagie
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    Cheezburger Image 10497199104
    via Curated Lifestyle (Unsplash+)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    Many sympathized with his disbelief, with some offering advice.

    capt_cd I remember doing construction for 8 dollars an hour. I quit after a month.
    via capt_cd
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    Kindly-Guidance714 I had a friend who did construction for years but always complained that he had to track down his boss to get paid. I looked at him like he had 3 heads and told him if your company or boss is withholding pay you work for 2 days and if the pay hasn't been brought up or brought to you you stop working until you get paid. I cannot fathom doing back breaking labor for a month and then chasing the guy that's supposed to pay for me because he's a cheap sh. Some people just don't und
    via Kindly-Guidance714
  • 06
    DFV_HAS_HUGE_B LLS Fastest way to make a million dollars is to not pay your employees million dollars
    via DFV_HAS_HUGE_BLLS
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    graypraxis You can work from home doing customer service and make more than that. Not a lot more, but more. All it costs is some sanity, but I'll take that over turning my spine into dust
    via graypraxis
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    RagieWagielnACagie OP Same thought process. Why would I do back-breaking work to not even be able to afford the basics in life? Personally I wouldn't touch any trade work below $25/hr. Especially considering he has his employees working 12s. Like another commenter said only immigrants who are desperate would work for such wages.
    via RagieWagieInACagie
  • 09
    Admirable-Chemical77 The turnover there has got to be a b
    via Admirable-Chemical77
  • 10
    StaSiS37 Not WFH anymore, but i am still in the field of CS and make $26/Hr. $17 is insane..
    via StaSiS37
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    Fair-Hotel-2095 In the south this is normal, especially for a construction job. In the electrician's union they start around there and they top out at around $38 ish
    via Fair-Hotel-2095
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    Imesseduponmyname I believe where im working now they give us 10 and maybe some change, but when I first started, the first time I worked here back in 2016 they started me at 7.25 Minimum wage in Louisiana has always been low tho
    via Imesseduponmyname
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    Basic-Fuel4801 Ask him how much money he made at his first job and then pop it into an inflation calculator. This is what always gets the oldies to understand when I complain about wages.
    via Basic-Fuel4801
  • 14
    AgentStarTree I had a "Best friend" who did me so dirty as an employer. He paid me 17 a few years ago and I thought that was nice. Turns out a temp agency would've charged him 25 an hour for a person so he gave me 17 without benefits. Bosses are taught to screw worker and be greedy with profits we make. I think it shows their bad character that they'd exploit friends and keep their welfare off balance. At the same time that's what the system encourages. 2 of the most crooked employers I had were
    via AgentStarTree
  • 15
    Author_ity_1 Don't cut him off Counsel him
    via Author_ity_1
  • 16
    Miyu543 you guys are rich... I make 11/hr. 17 would feel so great. I've been wanting something that pays 15 but those jobs just don't exist.
    via Miyu543
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    SavagePrisonerSP I got paid more than that working inside a grocery store just rolling dough all day...
    via SavagePrisonerSP
  • 18
    HunterDHunter For comparison, my nephew works for one of the local landscapers. All he does is push a lawnmower and help clean up. $27 an hour. I am also a landscaper, but I mostly work alone. I average over $50 an hour, mostly cutting lawns.
    via HunterDHunter
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    RagieWagielnACagie OP My stepdad does landscaping and was shocked to learn how much he made. Told me he could get me in. Should be starting next month
    via RagieWagieInACagie
  • 20
    dontneedaknow up until a couple years ago I would have taken that as a starter but without an incentive for raises and working on certifications I might need I would probably leapfrog from the private business over to the union in a months or two.. I'm 38 and only reason I wouldn't now is because of mental health sh
    via dontneedaknow
  • 21
    wafflez77 Unfortunately companies pay the amount people are willing to accept. If he is fully staffed, that might be the market rate for your area.
    via wafflez77
  • 22
    Snowgoosey It's usually 17/hr with your tools Imao. My management team is currently dealing with the lower level employees not putting in the effort anymore and costing the company a lot of money. We know no one off the street is insurance, and you end up buying all coming in to work those wages. The ironic part is that they are the same people who put someone in office who is actively removing the workforce they were taking advantage of.
    via Snowgoosey
  • 23
    imbackbitchez69420 Laughs in barely min wage*, but also tears up from body pain because the years of hard labour. The best thing to do if you're a labourer, don't chase the carrot unless it's actually more money in the long run. Sometimes instead of moving companies in hopes of more money elsewhere, you just end up the new guy with the starting wage, it's better to stay where you are and fight them for a raise.
    via imbackbtchez69420
  • 24
    The_Infectious_Lerp Does he recognize you as a mentee? If so, talk about it. You can learn a lot from someone in his position, such as how not to treat employees, etc. Take a soft touch- do it over lunch?
    via The_Infectious_Lerp

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boss antiwork employee work construction pay reddit thread Reddit employment construction workers
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