Hey Toby—I know that you are conducting the I-CAR Mobile Welding Qualification Test in the body shops. I know that the training is great (you come highly recommended), but it is not cheap. My question is this: If I pay for the test and the tech leaves me for another job, I am out the money. Can I have him sign a letter that he owes me the money (out of his last paycheck)?
            —Dan from Fresno

Dan—Thanks for the endorsement. People ask me that question all of the time. I asked Corey King (760-931-9070) that question at a recent CIC meeting. Corey is an attorney who specializes in HR problems and he is extremely knowledgeable in HR. I hope you never have an HR problem, but if the occasion arises, give him a call, he is an excellent employment attorney. He told me that you can write a letter for the employee to sign. To comply with the law, make it a forgivable loan. For example, if the employee leaves within six months of taking the test, he owes half, but the loan is forgiven if he/she stays for one year after taking the test. You may want your attorney to draft up the loan agreement and keep it on file for future use.

Hey Toby— I have been working real hard on reducing my overhead, but I don’t seem to be making any headway. Can you help?
—Frustrated (name withheld to protect the innocent) from North Hollywood, California

Frustrated—I am glad that you asked the question. I just finished putting together a list of items that you can do to reduce your expenses.

•Make sure that your rental car company keeps you well stocked in pens and pads. A little hint, buy your office supplies and take them home and use the office supplies receipt for a tax write off. Don’t forget to ask for clipboards. Please don’t go out and buy them for your adjusters.

•That free coffee in the waiting room, it is no longer free. Charge at least $0.50 for the brew. Swipe and display a “We Proudly Serve Starbucks Coffee” sign, but buy the cheapest coffee you can find. No one will know the difference. Make sure you go to the local coffee establishments for the packages of sugar and fake cream. Oh! Don’t forget the stirrers.

•If you have been providing free coffee for the employees, you now need to charge them for it. To save money, don’t provide any cups. Let them bring their own.

•Those free donuts and bagels from the rental car companies, you guessed it, charge for them. If you are smart get 2 or 3 rental companies to provide you with the goodies.

•Here is one idea that I really like. The used estimates and copies are reusable. Turn them upside down and reuse the back sides.

•If you are still using a fax machine with a ribbon, just rewind the cartridge and use three or 4 times. If the fax is important you can use the excuse that you could not read it to buy you some time.

•To increase production in the shop, install pay toilets. Employees will hold it longer and probably use some other establishment’s facilities (saves water and TP). I would also put a timer on the lights (say 1 minute) so there is no lounging around. If you don’t like that idea, put a 25 watt light bulb in the bathroom and remove the men’s magazines (keep those for yourself).

•Turn off the electricity to the refrigerator on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

•You need to find the nearest paper recycling center and get old newspapers and magazines. People really don’t care how old the magazines are anyway. The best ones are the entertainment magazines. Customers don’t want to read — they just want to look at the pictures

•The mountain spring water dispensers that use those plastic bottles, well, just refill them from a garden hose. Put some designer water label on the bottle and again no one will know the difference. Take a tax write-off and use the premium water for your home use,