Boss gives 2-day notice for holiday party, asks employees for $25-30 gift and a homemade appetizer: 'That’s not a party, that’s unpaid homework with a cover charge'

Would you go to an office holiday party if you had to pay?

Parties cost money. You know this if you've ever thrown one. Even if you're keeping it lowkey, there are costs that you're going to incur. There is food to be bought and drinks to be provided. But you can offset some of the costs by changing the vibe of the gathering. Maybe you make it into a potluck and ask your guests to provide something. This distributes the responsibility among everyone. This is a great idea to do with your close friends. It's not a great idea to do at your place of work. Work demands so much of us anyway; the least they can do is provide a little fun every now and again. They can make everything worth it at the end of the day by providing a little festivity toward the end of the year. It's also a way to get everyone to invest a little in the company. If you feel like they are taking care of you, you're more likely to take care of them in return. 

Plus, the cost of the party can come out of the company coffers, and no one has to be personally responsible. It's kind of the only way to do it. You would hate for your employees to make personal sacrifices in order to attend a company event. That's not really the way these things ought to run. But that didn't stop this workplace from making it difficult for their employees.