getting shafted at work

[imported_vr6]

[Vent on]
I work at a pharmacy, as a technician.

Now at the pharmacy there are three roles.

Clerk, Tech, and Pharmacist.

I am a Tech.

I started working at the pharmacy 3 months ago. Now the pay scale, in general goes something like this

Clerk is the lowest.

Tech is about 2x the amount of clerks.

However, i been getting the clerk's wage, not the Tech's.
I just found out by talking to the other techs, as we discussed our wages vs. other pharmacy chains.

So apparently, i am the only tech at my job that gets the clerks wage, while all the other techs, gets about twice as much as i do, yet we all do the same job.

So tomorrow i plan on confronting the pharmacy manager, if that doesn't do any good, the store manager, all the way up to district and corporate if i have to.

I want my back paid to be made up and my wages adjusted.

[vent off]

am i out of line for asking for back pay, or am i asking for what i derserve. I think they misprocessed me as a clerk.

Pissed off as hell atm.

 

[S Freud]

All I have to say is handle it within reason, I found out the same thing once (a guy doing the same job as me making almost double) I confronted my boss and long story short he fired me.

Hope it doesn't go the same for you

 

[imported_vr6]

well the thing is, for positions like these, they have minimun starting salaries depending on positon. Its a "retail position" where you start off at a certain hourly rate.

I feel decrimination at work here :|

 

[her209]

I'd start looking elsewhere.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

You didn't know this when you got hired?

When employees come to me and demand more pay because of A, B C, and not because they bring provable revenue to the company... I fire them.

Think before you demand more. For all you know, you're a clerk in a tech's body.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
When employees come to me and demand more pay because of A, B C, and not because they bring provable revenue to the company... I fire them.

And then what happens?

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
When employees come to me and demand more pay because of A, B C, and not because they bring provable revenue to the company... I fire them.

And then what happens?

He wakes up in his college dorm and goes to class.

 

[MichaelD]

This could go very poorly for you. Did the other technicians have way more experience than you when they started? Do they have any additional qualifications (college/some courses) that made/make them better qualifed than you?

If you don't know these things yet, you shouldn't confront the boss. Additonally, I'd at least do a preliminary search in your area for another job. Your boss won't fire you on the spot for confronting him (unless you're a disrespectful turd about it) but you may get on his bad side.

I agree that it sucks you're doing the same job for 1/2 the $$$. But there may be some circumstances you don't know about.

Also, is it against company policy to discuss wages with your coworkers? Many companies have this policy in writing. I worked for Bed, Bath & Beyond many years ago and it was in writing that any Management Team Member was expressly forbidden (under threat of termination) to discuss salary with other managers. Only w/the GM could you do so.

 

[d33pt]

you won't get your back pay..that's for sure. Not their fault you don't have any negotiating skills and didn't research what your position normally pays. 50% difference is a huge difference and you barely found out?

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
When employees come to me and demand more pay because of A, B C, and not because they bring provable revenue to the company... I fire them.

And then what happens?

He wakes up in his college dorm and goes to class.

Not to the employee, the employer?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: SampSon

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
When employees come to me and demand more pay because of A, B C, and not because they bring provable revenue to the company... I fire them.

And then what happens?

He wakes up in his college dorm and goes to class.

LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

 

[tatteredpotato]

I would say demanding back pay is a bit overboard, obviously you were willing to work for what you were getting, if you can double your salary why not just cut your losses?

 

[Baked]

If you want 2x the pay, you need to find another job. Nobody's gonna give you a 2x raise 'cause you just found out you're underpaid.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

How much do you pay the new hire?

 

[udonoogen]

Originally posted by: Baked
If you want 2x the pay, you need to find another job. Nobody's gonna give you a 2x raise 'cause you just found out you're underpaid.

exactly

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

How much do you pay the new hire?

$9/hr to start

What diff does that make?

 

[Argo]

Confronting your manager would never work. I suggest starting to look for other jobs. Alternatively, you could talk to your manager and find out what kind of "compensation growth" you can look towards the next few years.

Whatever you do, do not mention that you know how much other techs are making. That in itself is usually grounds for firing in most companies.

 

[imported_vr6]

i am actually just as qualified as the other techs. 90% of the techs at this pharmacy all go to the same school as i do. One of the techs i spoke to started one month before me.

Shes actually below me in classes standing if you want you want to compare education.

This job isn't life or death to me. I needed a recommendation from a health care professional for my pharmacy school application, which i already got from my boss. A good recomendation, that is.

The reason why i am going to ask for the back pay is another tech at the same company, different location had the same thing happen.

She was a tech getting a clerk's pay. She confronted them ,they realized that it was a mistake and they fixed her current rate, and paid back all the back wages.

i feel this is the same situation. However, her management staff is different then mine, eventhough we are under the same corporate umbrella.

--EDIT---

I will not tell them that know what the other techs are making, i will simply ask them what the starting wage is for a tech, and what it is for a clerk.

Now if they blatantly say that they are the same, then i will ask them for the phone number for corporate HR. IF they tell me the same thing then i rest my case. However if i find that they corporate HR tells me that wages are different, then i will press my case once more.

At this point to me is purely a matter of principle. I admit that i should have acted sooner, but i had no reason to assume that i was getting the shafted pay, so i thought i was getting the correct amount. If a mistake was made, i expect it to be fixed.

I applied for this job not for the money, but for the experience. However i do not like to be taken advantage of. If would immediately put in my two weeks notice if they refuse to fix the mistake if one was made.

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

How much do you pay the new hire?

$9/hr to start

What diff does that make?

Did everyone start at $9 assuming equivalent amount of experience at the time of hire?

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

How much do you pay the new hire?

$9/hr to start

What diff does that make?

Did everyone start at $9 assuming equivalent amount of experience at the time of hire?

yup

 

[imported_vr6]

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: Whoozyerdaddy
LOL... I went to college for six weeks. (15 years ago)

To answer the question... they go away, sometimes quietly, sometimes not... and I hire someone else.

How much do you pay the new hire?

$9/hr to start

What diff does that make?

Did everyone start at $9 assuming equivalent amount of experience at the time of hire?

yup

and that is the point i am trying to make. i expect the wage, i am not asking for a raise.

 

[EvilYoda]

LOL, good luck with that one.

Seriously, you're going to need it.

 

[dxkj]

so how stupid are you that you dont know what you should be making ?

Im not trying to be an ass, but seriously.... You didnt realize you should be earning 100% more each week?

 

[MichaelD]

Here's my suggestion.

Based on the presented facts (everyone has the same amount of experience and education) I suggest you:

1. NOT ask for back pay. He'll laugh in your face, you'll cuss him out and get fired.
2. Respectfully present the facts and request a raise to everyone else's level, effective this pay period


Be prepared for him to say "No." You'll have to go from there. Assuming he says no, he will be expecting you to quit. Not as in "Where's your resignation"" but as in "Hmm, he's probably gonna find another job and quit on me...I better start interviewing new worker bees."

The real working world sucks, my friend. It's cutthroat. Get used to it.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: d33pt
you won't get your back pay..that's for sure. Not their fault you don't have any negotiating skills and didn't research what your position normally pays. 50% difference is a huge difference and you barely found out?

good pount....

this dude needs to tread lightly...sounds like more is involved than he knows about...