how do you go about asking for a raise / comp time...

[hans007]

ok i work as a qa engineer at a very large software company. i'm an exempt employee because i work in engineering (i guess my grade level is too high or something).

anyways, we have black box testers who get paid just about as much as i do base pay plus OT. seeing as i have to read code and sometimes write code (and thus be much more educated) all day and do testing as well, i figure i should get well paid more since i have to be there when they are working even though i don't get OT.

anyhow the last 3 months or so i've worked probably 55 hour weeks (the other 2 engineers on my team quit earlier in the year so i basically just took over all their work...). seeing as this is my first exempt job i'm not exactly sure how i should go about asking for more money.

also how does it work at your companies? do you get OT or extra pay or something if this happens? i figure i'm getting shafted because i'm 24 and everyone else is over 30, so i'm the punk kid... but i still think i deserve more money regardless of how many dues i haven't paid.

also, i was wondering if anyone thought it was a better idea to ask for a raise, after a project is done, or just to wait for a yearly review and ask then?

 

[sygyzy]

That's what you don't understand. The point of salary in the tech industry is that you do NOT GET OT. That's what salaried means. Get a raise, but don't ask for OT or "compensation". If you don't like it, quit.

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
That's what you don't understand. The point of salary in the tech industry is that you do NOT GET OT. That's what salaried means. Get a raise, but don't ask for OT or "compensation". If you don't like it, quit.

well a lot of companies do pay OT, i know a lot of people who are engineers who get paid OT at major defense contractors. my point is, can i use the fact that in the end a lot of people at lower pay grades than me end up making more to do less work, because they work a lot of OT as a reason to ask for a raise.

or is this , they make more than me argument not a good one to use?

 

[johnjbruin]

never use others making moe as a reason. best way is to tell them straight up that you think you are worth more - and the best way to prove this is to get another offer.

use the 'i am the only engineer left' card and if i leave, you guys die... etc... maybe that will make them rethink your salary.

unless you ask - you are not going to get it.

don't wait for the end of the year review. end of the year raises come from a common pool. much harder to justify a higher raise for you.

mid year - or out of cycle raises come from a different pool and can be justified sometimes.

 

[theknight571]

I asked for a raise once...and got it.

Here's how I'd go about it...

Spend time (your time...not their time) researching what the average salary in your field is, what the average is in your city/state, etc.

Also compile the data for similar positions.

Write it all up in a "memo" that lays out your reasoning and requested raise amount, which should fall within the range of salaries found during the research phase.

Then meet with your boss and lay it all out for him/her.

They will see that you're not just asking for more money because you want more money, but that you took your time did your research, thought it all out etc.

The packet you can leave with them, so they can look at it at their "leisure", and make a decision after reading through all the data.

It worked for me, and at the time I was asking for a $15K raise.

I can't say it will work for everyone, but I think it's better than just walking in and demanding more money.

- TK

 

[JRock]

Originally posted by: theknight571
I asked for a raise once...and got it.

Here's how I'd go about it...

Spend time (your time...not their time) researching what the average salary in your field is, what the average is in your city/state, etc.

Also compile the data for similar positions.

Write it all up in a "memo" that lays out your reasoning and requested raise amount, which should fall within the range of salaries found during the research phase.

Then meet with your boss and lay it all out for him/her.

They will see that you're not just asking for more money because you want more money, but that you took your time did your research, thought it all out etc.

The packet you can leave with them, so they can look at it at their "leisure", and make a decision after reading through all the data.

It worked for me, and at the time I was asking for a $15K raise.

I can't say it will work for everyone, but I think it's better than just walking in and demanding more money.

- TK

Wow congrats on 15k :thumbsup:

 

[EagleKeeper]

Document what you perceive is your performance and contributions.
When your review comes around, make sure that you bring it up.

With regards to time-off, mention it to you supervisor that you have been working these extra hours and would like some time-off as compensation.

Make sure that you can indicate that the time-off will not impact any critical schedules

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Document what you perceive is your performance and contributions.
When your review comes around, make sure that you bring it up.

With regards to time-off, mention it to you supervisor that you have been working these extra hours and would like some time-off as compensation.

Make sure that you can indicate that the time-off will not impact any critical schedules

the thing is i get like 19 vacation days a year, of which i have used none.

we are just about to finish our product cycle so i could take a vacation for 2 weeks an no one would care, but it'd come out of my vacation days.

i dont really thinkthat is fair since i have worked a lot of weekends. whats the point of having vacation days if you can make your employees work weekends for free anyway. isnt that like negative vacation days?

anyhow, thanks for the advice guys, hopefully planning and timing will help me get a raise.

 

[Zombie]

Originally posted by: johnjbruin
never use others making moe as a reason. best way is to tell them straight up that you think you are worth more - and the best way to prove this is to get another offer.

use the 'i am the only engineer left' card and if i leave, you guys die... etc... maybe that will make them rethink your salary.

unless you ask - you are not going to get it.

don't wait for the end of the year review. end of the year raises come from a common pool. much harder to justify a higher raise for you.

mid year - or out of cycle raises come from a different pool and can be justified sometimes.

You will be first one on chopping block when it is time for layoffs.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: hans007

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Document what you perceive is your performance and contributions.
When your review comes around, make sure that you bring it up.

With regards to time-off, mention it to you supervisor that you have been working these extra hours and would like some time-off as compensation.

Make sure that you can indicate that the time-off will not impact any critical schedules

the thing is i get like 19 vacation days a year, of which i have used none.

we are just about to finish our product cycle so i could take a vacation for 2 weeks an no one would care, but it'd come out of my vacation days.

i dont really thinkthat is fair since i have worked a lot of weekends. whats the point of having vacation days if you can make your employees work weekends for free anyway. isnt that like negative vacation days?

anyhow, thanks for the advice guys, hopefully planning and timing will help me get a raise.

Heh, welcome to work.

Doesn't matter how many hours you work. You are salaried.

 

[Phoenix86]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
That's what you don't understand. The point of salary in the tech industry is that you do NOT GET OT. That's what salaried means. Get a raise, but don't ask for OT or "compensation". If you don't like it, quit.

Incorrect. I'm salaried non-expemt, so I get OT.

OT eligibility depends on your expemtion status.

edit: You can be hourly non-exempt, salary expempt, or salary non-exempt. I don't think you can be salary exempt.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: hans007

Originally posted by: EagleKeeper
Document what you perceive is your performance and contributions.
When your review comes around, make sure that you bring it up.

With regards to time-off, mention it to you supervisor that you have been working these extra hours and would like some time-off as compensation.

Make sure that you can indicate that the time-off will not impact any critical schedules

the thing is i get like 19 vacation days a year, of which i have used none.

we are just about to finish our product cycle so i could take a vacation for 2 weeks an no one would care, but it'd come out of my vacation days.

i dont really thinkthat is fair since i have worked a lot of weekends. whats the point of having vacation days if you can make your employees work weekends for free anyway. isnt that like negative vacation days?

anyhow, thanks for the advice guys, hopefully planning and timing will help me get a raise.

Heh, welcome to work.

Doesn't matter how many hours you work. You are salaried.

True, however, extra effort could be acknowledged for employee morale.

 

[Tarrant64]

Just my 2 cents. I notice the same with my dad. We're both in IT but right now i'm just p/t and doing school. However he is fulltime and salaried, and it doesn't matter how many hours you work. As stated before. He can hit close to 60 hour weeks sometimes. They pay you to get the job done, and they really don't care how long it takes. In due time though good things will come.

I see nothing wrong with asking for a raise. Be sure to get your things together and let them know how much your worth. What you have done, and possibly what you will continue to help them do. When and how this is done I'm not sure. I have no had the opportunity to put myself on the spot to ask for a raise.

As far as vacations go, dont' think of it as negative days because you work on weekends. Is there anywhere stated that your 40hour work week will consist of only monday through friday(or whatever you consider a work week...someone told me theris was tuesday-saturday...whatever)? I hardly see my dad at all now because he's always working, but recently he got a promotion to Project Manager. He was really the only one left doing his work, and like you, got stuck with other peoples jobs. After a couple months though they realized when someone needed to be in charge of stuff going on, he was the man who had the dedication(the weekend work hours, doing more than what he was paid, etc) and the will to get it all done. Patience.

 

[AMCRambler]

Originally posted by: theknight571
I asked for a raise once...and got it.

Here's how I'd go about it...

Spend time (your time...not their time) researching what the average salary in your field is, what the average is in your city/state, etc.

Also compile the data for similar positions.

Write it all up in a "memo" that lays out your reasoning and requested raise amount, which should fall within the range of salaries found during the research phase.

Then meet with your boss and lay it all out for him/her.

They will see that you're not just asking for more money because you want more money, but that you took your time did your research, thought it all out etc.

The packet you can leave with them, so they can look at it at their "leisure", and make a decision after reading through all the data.

It worked for me, and at the time I was asking for a $15K raise.

I can't say it will work for everyone, but I think it's better than just walking in and demanding more money.

- TK

TK For teh win!

 

[Injury]

If you say nothing, you'll get nothing.

If you say nothing, then they just think that you are satisfied with the fact that they can keep paying you at this rate and do nothing about it.

 

[habib89]

i would get paid over time if i were allowed to work over time.. alas, i must work only 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.. i work as an engineer at a defense company.. i'm not a regular employee though, i'm a contractor

 

[Tiamat]

There is nothing you can do. Those workers are not salaried, so that is their benefit.

There will be times where you can pull off 20 hr weeks and still get paid for 40hrs - thats how the salary works.

 

[Phoenix86]

Folks, overtime elegibility has nothing to do with salary status.

Text
In the United States, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 establishes a standard work week of 40 hours for certain kinds of workers, and mandates payment for overtime hours to those workers of one and one-half times the worker's normal rate of pay for any time worked above 40 hours. The law creates two broad categories of workers, those that are "exempt" from the regulation and those that are "non-exempt". Classes of workers that are exempt from the regulation include certain types of administrative, professional, and managerial employees. Under the law, employers are not required to pay exempt employees overtime but must do so for non-exempt employees. Out of approximately 120 million American workers, nearly 50 million are exempt from overtime laws (U.S Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, 1998). As a result, Americans rank near the top for the average number of hours worked per year (1,979) compared to other advanced capitalist nations. (International Labour Organization, Table 6b).

 

[squirrel dog]

"I needs a new Fode"

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Just my 2 cents. I notice the same with my dad. We're both in IT but right now i'm just p/t and doing school. However he is fulltime and salaried, and it doesn't matter how many hours you work. As stated before. He can hit close to 60 hour weeks sometimes. They pay you to get the job done, and they really don't care how long it takes. In due time though good things will come.

I see nothing wrong with asking for a raise. Be sure to get your things together and let them know how much your worth. What you have done, and possibly what you will continue to help them do. When and how this is done I'm not sure. I have no had the opportunity to put myself on the spot to ask for a raise.

As far as vacations go, dont' think of it as negative days because you work on weekends. Is there anywhere stated that your 40hour work week will consist of only monday through friday(or whatever you consider a work week...someone told me theris was tuesday-saturday...whatever)? I hardly see my dad at all now because he's always working, but recently he got a promotion to Project Manager. He was really the only one left doing his work, and like you, got stuck with other peoples jobs. After a couple months though they realized when someone needed to be in charge of stuff going on, he was the man who had the dedication(the weekend work hours, doing more than what he was paid, etc) and the will to get it all done. Patience.

Indeed that is the price he pays for his promotion and his increase in $$$.

For me personally I say f0ck working insane hrs and I'll enjoy the time I have off work. Don't get me wrong if a project needs work done I'll forgo lunch and some hrs after work to complete it but I'll rarely pull out loads and loads of hrs. If so something is seriously wrong with the management of the project or just something crazy went on imo.

But then he is older probably less bothered about things as he has done them already. Me being younger I want to enjoy my 20-30's . Or maybe that he is really in to his work?

Good luck with the raise OP as hopefully when my time comes in July I'll get a fat raise also :thumbsup:

Koing

 

[xrax]

Seems like they are having problems retaining the lower level salaried employees because of this. As soon as they were able to find another job they left, you should do the same.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: habib89
i would get paid over time if i were allowed to work over time.. alas, i must work only 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week.. i work as an engineer at a defense company.. i'm not a regular employee though, i'm a contractor

I had the problem when at Boeing - 40 hours.
However, when they went into crunch mode, all people on the project were "required" OT.
Boeing was 10+ hours min; after 10 was comp time. Contractors were all you can eat.

60-70hr weeks - No OT pay, but the extra straight pay was nice. Over $3K net/week for that time.