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going from salary to hourly without benefits... should i ask employer for a higher wage?

dityfleur — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:38:28 -0800

going from salary to hourly without benefits... do I have a choice? should i ask for a higher wage?my firm is really slow, so my employers are changing me from salary to hourly... basically, as work comes in, i will get paid for the hours i bill. they are also eliminating my benefits package (heath/dental/vision/401k). i am not sure what my workload will be like, but i was typically working 40 hours/week and might be working less than 20. (i plan to compensate with unemployment if i have to.) i have spoken with people outside my field (architecture) and they say it is typical in this situation to get an increase in your hourly wage around 10-15% to compensate for the decrease in hours as well as the loss of benefits. i am looking into other job opportunities, but most firms are in the same boat and hoping to keep the employees they have…

has anyone had a similar experience? if a company is eliminating a lot of their overhead in this manner, is it ok to ask for an increase in this case? i know i don't really have any leverage, except for a good review record and +3.5 years experience with the company. any thoughts?

thanks!

Can't we negotiate?

Netzapper — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 16:34:37 -0800

After only a week or so of job search, I've been offered a software development position at a little startup that does almost exactly what I want to do. Seriously, I cannot imagine a more ideal group to work for. I'm supposed to contact them next week to discuss terms and salary. However, during the interview, some of the statements seemed to imply that they didn't have the budget to satisfy my requested salary. I really want to work for these folks, but don't want to sell myself short. Can you think of creative suggestions I might make during negotiations to make up the difference? This is my first Job, although I have a good deal of non-industrial experience in what I'm doing. I asked for $50k, set a minimum of $40k, and suspect an offer in the low 40's. The benefits aren't great (nor comprehensive), since the company is still so small.

Equity isn't an option at this point. They apparently aren't set up to offer it currently. There was some talk of the possibility of stock options when they go public, but it didn't sound like it would help me pay the bills in the short run.

A friend of mine suggested profit sharing. Since I'd be responsible for a defined, and new, product for them, it seems reasonable that I ask for a percentage of profit made on that until they go public and I can buy into the company.

Any ideas? I don't want to have to walk away just because I couldn't offer alternatives during negotiation. Also, I realize that I may be borrowing trouble, but I just want to have some ideas to offers if it turns out suboptimally.

(And, if you're from the company in question, take this as a sign that I want to work for you and that I'm seeking a mutually beneficial situation.)

Should I freelance or go on staff?

catesbie — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 08:43:27 -0800

Is there a rule of thumb about freelance rates vs. staff salaries? I've been freelancing full-time at the same company for awhile now. The company has just offered me the choice to take a staff position or remain freelancing pretty much indefinitely. On staff, I'd get two weeks' paid time off (this is in the US, as though you had to ask), a 50% 401K contribution match, and health insurance.

The only catch is that they'd drop my salary from $55K to $40K. I'm having a hard time figuring the math here. I know staff salaries are lower than freelance rates, but this seems drastic. Is there a general number used to figure out how much one's salary should reasonably decrease in these situations? Is there any financial reason for me not to remain a freelancer?

Lies and the lying employers who tell them.

12XU — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 22:35:19 -0800

Lies and the lying employers who tell them. Many workers at my small company were given written assurance at the time of our last pay review that we would be enrolled in a health insurance plan on a stated date. Six months later, the promised benefits have not materialized. Do we have any legal recourse? More supporting details: The workforce at our company is about 52 strong. Only around a dozen of us were given notice of our insurance start date in writing, signed by two company officers. We all completed enrollment packages for a Blue Cross HMO program. About a month later when no ID cards and packets arrived in the mail, our payroll office informed us verbally that the plan had been too expensive and was never made active. We are located in Los Angeles County and have no HR department or union.

Boing! Boing!

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Dec 2004 19:15:32 -0800

The paychecks from my employer are bouncing. I live hand to mouth. Does that qualify me for unemployment in California? If I walk away from the company, does that mean I have quit and I am ineligible? Or am I laid off and eligible for benefits? The CA website is next to useless, and the phone number is consistently "busy" with a pre-recorded message stating that due to the volume of claims and calls, we need to try and call back later. What would you do?