I bake for fun for my family. I also volunteer to bring baked goods when we have parties at work. I have never charged for anything I have made. I have been asked many times by acquaintances to make cakes for them and I have always turned them down. I know what it legal (and not legal) and respect everyone who has made the effort to follow the rules to set up their businesses.
But, I know of a woman who isn't. She is "advertising" on FB, offering price ranges for the cakes she can make, etc.
Do I turn her in?
She is not hurting me. But I know that she is hurting someone else financially. And certainly runs the risk of hurting both her customer and herself if something should go accidentally, yet horribly, wrong.
Thoughts? Thank you for your time.
You can give the page to the HD and let them decide. I just told my insoector to look up "cake (city)". She did and told me she found all eight. I didn't turn anyone in. The legals and illegals came up. I did share with her the obvious two sets of rules and my frustration after spending so much money on meeting the requirements. She thanked me and told me she never thought to google it. She investigated when someone would give her a card. We are not in the restaurant industry but I guess she was given the business cards by restaurants because there are only two other licensed bakeries and she is not their inspector.
There is nothing wrong with what you propose. Jason, in small areas we all know. And you don't have to know if the person is licensed. It is just an inquiry. Everyone has the right to verify a public business license.
No, I wouldn't turn her in...Just like I'm not going to call the police every time some one flies by me, on the expressway. Eventually it will catch up to her...If you're going to do anything and you know 100% that she isn't legal...Just message her directly and say something like, "I would hate to see you get on the bad side of the health department, I just want to make sure you know what you have to do to be legal in our state."
I know probably 20 people who bake illegally and sell. It doesn't hurt me, nor anyone else. I'm not a cake nazi, nor do I have the time to be running around acting like one. I have about a million other things I worry about on a day to day basis. At the end of the day, you don't know why she's doing what she's doing. Perhaps her husband lost his job and they are about to lose their home? Perhaps she has a sick kid and is over whelmed with medical bills. *shrug* I chalk that crap up to, "not any of my business".
I agree with Paperfishies. . .of course, she probably knows what it takes to be legal (if you are positive that she isn't already). Is she misrepresenting herself to her customers? If not, and if you aren't hurt financially or otherwise by her selling cakes, why are you even wasting time and energy worrying about what other people are doing? I know several people that sell cakes too, but they aren't lying to their customers, so it's between them and none of my business. I've got enough to worry about that IS my business.
THe reason we bake at home is because it i convenient. I don't agree that the situation justifies breaking the law. The laws are there for public safety. If the home situation requires getting a job, this is by far not the only job out there. There are so many other opportunities, just not so many that are so convenient.
In my area, the cost for licensing is at least $25k, if not double. This is a major investment. Not protecting that investment is not a good business practice. This is not my first business, and I have no intention of treating it differently just because the law breaker is some nice lady making cakes. Let her dig up her yard like I had to do and put in a 500 gallon concrete grease trap. Oh, and lets don't get into digging up the floor with a jack hammer, the permits, inspections, planning commission, insurance, pest control contract... no, this is business. And not one of these people are my competitors... it's the principle.
I agree with Paperfishes. It's nobody's business.
Spend your time on something more constructive for you and your family.
JMHO
Michele
No, I wouldn't turn her in...Just like I'm not going to call the police every time some one flies by me, on the expressway.
The speeding analogy is usually brought up in these types of threads, but it would be more apt to draw a comparison to knowing someone who is driving without a license or insurance. In either case, they are one mistake away from financial ruin...and the mistake doesn't even have to be their fault.
It's easy to just look the other way and hope that she either quits her business or gets legal before something bad happens, but IMO if you have it on good authority that she is operating illegally it's worth tipping off the health dept. She may not even be aware that she's breaking the law, and if no one steps up she won't know until its too late.
I certainly wouldn't contact her directly, your well-meaning inquiry could easily be misinterpreted and/or ignored.
Thank you all very much for your replies.
I know that she isn't legal because she and I have talked about it. She knows that I bake and she has asked me questions about why do you need a license, etc. This is not the first "business" that she is "started" as she has tried to earn money with several other hobbies. She has always accepted money and has never paid taxes, gotten insurance, etc.
I guess I was just feeling frustrated since I am playing by the rules...just wish everyone would. Thank you again!
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