Physical & Emotional Abuse Support Group
Abuse is a general term for the treatment of someone that causes some kind of harm (to the abused person, to the abusers themselves, or to someone else) that is unlawful or wrongful. No one deserves abuse, period. Abuse can be emotional, physical, or sexual.
I'm sorry guys. I'm here to get a little outside perspective about my situation at work, not my relationship. I'm not sure my mind is really in the best place to objectively evaluate. First, a little background.
I started with my company almost 4 years ago. About 5 months after I started, my manager quit and recommended me to take the management role. I was offered the job, but in another struggling office we have. When I took the position I had no idea what I was in for, but I'm all for learning. I was put on salary at that time, which is when I learned in actuality I was taking a pay cut....they claimed I wasn't but with the number of hours I was working, it came to a loss in hourly wage.
I worked my ass off for them, sometimes over 60 hours a week, doing the job of multiple people to keep the office running smoothly for the doctor/owners. I even went through a period with an extremely mentally unstable employee, that thankfully ended well. The office turned around so much that when we opened a new office two weeks ago, I was asked to take over that office, training, hiring, marketing to get it up and running as well as my previous office. It is closer to home, in a better location, and at this point the hours are way better...no late nights yet, and I was told that the move would not affect my salary. I accepted and up until two days ago was happy with the choice and the challenge.
However, two days ago, the HR person called to inform me that I was being placed back on hourly wages....the hours are fewer, sometimes fewer than 40, and I only have 2 employees under me now, which they claim is against the law in our state. Apparently you must have more than 2 people under you to qualify for salary status. Little do they know, I know that the person who does our insurance claims, the girl who works in the lab, and the HR person are all salary and none of them have any employees under them directly. In order to figure my hourly wage, they took my annual salary and divided it by 40 hours...resulting in a pay cut for me, although they are denying that vehemently.
My thought is the real reason is, while I was working my ass off sometimes 60 or more hours per week, it was beneficial to them to pay a set rate, now it's not. I feel used, to say the least. I realize they have to look out for the best financial interest of the company, but what about the others who get salary? What about hard work, loyalty, and the blood I've given this company?
My question is, am I just being a baby about this, or do I have the right to feel this way?am I being taken advantage of, as I feel, or should I be more understanding....business is business type thing? Thanks guys, I know this really isn't a relationship thing, but in a way it is I guess. I just need perspective and you guys are the best at that:)
I started with my company almost 4 years ago. About 5 months after I started, my manager quit and recommended me to take the management role. I was offered the job, but in another struggling office we have. When I took the position I had no idea what I was in for, but I'm all for learning. I was put on salary at that time, which is when I learned in actuality I was taking a pay cut....they claimed I wasn't but with the number of hours I was working, it came to a loss in hourly wage.
I worked my ass off for them, sometimes over 60 hours a week, doing the job of multiple people to keep the office running smoothly for the doctor/owners. I even went through a period with an extremely mentally unstable employee, that thankfully ended well. The office turned around so much that when we opened a new office two weeks ago, I was asked to take over that office, training, hiring, marketing to get it up and running as well as my previous office. It is closer to home, in a better location, and at this point the hours are way better...no late nights yet, and I was told that the move would not affect my salary. I accepted and up until two days ago was happy with the choice and the challenge.
However, two days ago, the HR person called to inform me that I was being placed back on hourly wages....the hours are fewer, sometimes fewer than 40, and I only have 2 employees under me now, which they claim is against the law in our state. Apparently you must have more than 2 people under you to qualify for salary status. Little do they know, I know that the person who does our insurance claims, the girl who works in the lab, and the HR person are all salary and none of them have any employees under them directly. In order to figure my hourly wage, they took my annual salary and divided it by 40 hours...resulting in a pay cut for me, although they are denying that vehemently.
My thought is the real reason is, while I was working my ass off sometimes 60 or more hours per week, it was beneficial to them to pay a set rate, now it's not. I feel used, to say the least. I realize they have to look out for the best financial interest of the company, but what about the others who get salary? What about hard work, loyalty, and the blood I've given this company?
My question is, am I just being a baby about this, or do I have the right to feel this way?am I being taken advantage of, as I feel, or should I be more understanding....business is business type thing? Thanks guys, I know this really isn't a relationship thing, but in a way it is I guess. I just need perspective and you guys are the best at that:)
All I have to offer is warm hugs of support :)
It isn't fair what your going through, and unfortunately it happens all the time. I am not working right now, and I have to say I would just be happy to have a job. Not trying to make you feel bad, or make all your hard work look effortless, I understand you did a lot for them, but in return, I would want to be treated like a valuable employee. I would mention that to them. Ask them the question, how valuable of an employee am I?
It's hard to be in your position, because you want them to think that if they don't pay you what your worth, your going to look for another job, therefore they stand to lose a very good employee and at the same time, you probably love your job and don't want to look elsewhere. Unfortunately your going to have to put it into perspective. Is what I am upset about enough to lose my job over?Another thing to think about no matter how valuable you think you are to a company, you can be replaced at the drop of a hat. I had a friend tell me that before I got canned, and heard a year later she got canned. And we were both good employees. However I made a lot mistakes. At that time I was going through a divorce and pregnant I was useless.
Can I survive on the money I am making now? Don't look at it as a step backward, look at it as, atleast I have a job when others are pounding the pavement looking and practically begging for work. I go to a ministry every Wednesday and there are literally about 500 people, maybe more, in that room alone looking for a job. It's almost like I'm saying to settle and really I'm not because when it's your work I don't look at it as settling, I look at it this way the hard work I do for them is a reflection of me and my attitude toward my work, no matter how much money I make, they will see my value, and if they don't someone else will, it goes both ways. IF it makes you feel any better if you were working for me I would give you a raise and keep you as long as you would want to be there. Because you have demonstrated your loyalty, and how hard you will work for me.
It would be nice if we could all be paid what we're worth, unfortunately our standards are that teachers make minimum as they are the contributors of our children learning and then you have the basketball players and football players making millions for doing something they love, it just doesn't seem fair. I bet if football players made $20k a year, there wouldn't be many football players in line.
Hope this helps, and sorry if I didn't give you a concrete answer but i did probably give you questions and points to ponder, probably that you have already pondered, in the end to me, you may be different, it's not about the paycheck, it's about am I where I want to be in my work, am I happy?
If it were me, I would document everything I was being told. Dates, times, who said what in as much detail as you can. I would invest in a paper planner and document things as they occur, date by date.
I would NOT let them know I'm thinking that this isn't ok. You don't want to tip them off so they end up altering your HR records.
Did they ask you to sign anything? Do you have any copies of anything that could help your case? Again, just be careful they don't know you are collecting information.
I would also immediately contact my state's department of labor. I took the liberty of looking at your profile and based on your location, here is a link that might possibly help point you in the right direction.
http://www.dllr.maryland.gov/oeope/
I would also call my local bar association or legal society & explain the situation and ask for a list of attorneys who specialize in labor related issues. Some attorneys offer a free initial consultation. I'd definitely get more than one opinion.
Good luck and please keep us posted.
One other thing, should you have a case for legal action, I would be very careful about what I wrote here on DS as it is a public forum and anyone, even non DS members can read everything posted here except journals that are marked private or friends only.
I am planning on looking for another job. This is, in all reality, only the icing on the cake with this company--so many things culminating in this one, but in the meantime I was looking for another viewpoint. As I said, I can't always trust my perception of things--too many years of my home situation has not put me in the best frame of mind to understand context.
Again, I thank you all for letting me vent and for your helpful posts!!! Hugs to you all!
I say trust your intuition! Don't doubt yourself! Listen to your body (as opposed to the words in your head). Your body will never lie. If you 'feel' like something is off, it is. It may not be what you logically 'think' but something's not right here. It wouldn't hurt to look into it. Maybe there's nothing you can do. But maybe there is. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
I think it's great you are looking for another job. It's usually easier to get hired when you're already working.
~hugs~
Since you have a job now-as you look for more and take your acquired skill set, talents and successes they gave you the opportunity to build for someone who will appreciate them (they are so dumb) interview that new company and make sure they have a different company culture and are well run.
Anyway, putting resumes out today. Wish me luck
And send resumes, you deserve better.