Mishmeres HaSholom: Ask the Rav

Q: I work for a certain organization and recently, due to pressure from the growing workload, the director asked me to find a suitable worker to join the staff as reinforcement. I have in mind a few women who would be suitable, but before I speak to them, I wanted to ask: Along with the rest of the information about the job, am I permitted to tell them that salaries are paid a few months late? In fact, am I perhaps obligated to inform them of this fact in advance?

A: From the words of the questioner, it appears that lateness in paying salaries at this workplace has become the standard practice. Therefore, it is permissible to tell anyone interested in working there about it.

In regard to the question of whether there is an obligation to mention it, it would seem that there is no obligation. Even if the worker does not say it, this would not be a violation of the prohibition “Do not stand idly by while your fellow’s blood is spilled,” because this fact is not a universal drawback.

Some people are not bothered by it at all, if they know that the organization is well established and, b’ezras Hashem, the salaries are paid eventually. (Nevertheless, if they are told of this explicitly, they may be hesitant to take the job.) Therefore, there is no obligation to mention it, though it is permitted (see Be’er Mayim Chaim on Hilchos Rechilus 9:9 and the footnote).

But if the candidate explicitly asks if they pay on time, certainly one is obligated to tell the truth.


The questions and answers above were taken from the Mishmeres Hasholom pamphlet in Israel. For details and inquiries please e-mail us at office@hasholom.org or call 972-2 5379160.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hamodia.

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