Your Privacy Choices
A Wisconsin company has made headlines buy giving their employees an early Christmas gift – $500 towards a firearm of their choice. BenShot, Hortonville, Wisconsin-based company that makes novelty glassware with bullets embedded in them as if they’re bullet proof, posted a group photo on their facebook page announcing the festive surprise.
The company was founded back in 2015 as a father and son concern that has rapidly grown with success. BenShot grew from a garage start up to now employee over a dozen staff. Ben Wolfgram, co-owner of BenShot told local news WBAY that the handguns were the perfect gift for his close-knit team, explaining that he wants “to make sure all (of our) employees are safe and happy – a handgun was the perfect gift.”
BenShot’s 16 employees were given the choice between firearms or a gift card. Two initially went for the gift card but are reportedly now considering going for a festive firearm. BenShot say they require their employees to have completed a firearms safety course before they can hand over the guns.
The generous gift far outstrips the average value of most employer’s Christmas gifts – adding up to around $8,000 spent in total. An Advertising Speciality Institute study published last year found that on average companies spend $79 (per person) on Christmas gifts for employees. One employee, Chelsea Priest, told USA Today that she feels the gift will empower her and will help keep her safe, saying “I’ve never been a part of anything like this.”
Ben Wolfgram told CBS News that his employees “were excited. They went home and told wives and husbands, and not everyone believed them. Guys want to buy guns and their wives won’t let them.” Wolfgram told USA Today that “for us, now, we have an entire armed staff. I think that’s pretty good.” From the photo (above) BenShot shared on their facebook it looks like they made some pretty cool choices.
Do you run your own business, have you ever given staff a similarly generous Christmas gift? Has your employer ever offered you a festive firearm?
