Need employment advice. Should I negotiate to be an employee or a contractor? Ask for a raise?

[RbSX]

Quick story.

Two weeks ago I was hired to be a junior systems technician being paid $20/hr working part time 3 days a week with a review in 3 months to get a raise up to $25. As a student this was cool, no benefits, flexible hours, getting paid well.

Well last week before I started my boss got into an argument with one of the accounting ladies and got fired.

I've inherited his job, his responsibilities, with a junior system techs pay, no benefits, no nothing. In addition, I'm going to spend days wading through his shit trying to sort out everything that he screwed up (he was here for 5 years and never put anything to paper).

I'm not sure how I should approach my new boss about this, as they AREN'T looking to hire someone to replace him.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[Vette73]

Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

I think the bigger thing is that the shit I'm doing right now is way over my pay grade.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: RbSX

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

I think the bigger thing is that the shit I'm doing right now is way over my pay grade.

And you are welcome to get "into an argument with one of the accounting ladies" about your pay if you like, but we see what happened to the last guy that did that.


Its 3 months. Suck it up, do it, then after proving yourself as for what you want. But right now you are new and have not proved yourself.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

If you go the contractor route you can use "special" interrogation techniques on detainees without fear of reprisal.

 

[yllus]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

I asked them already, they wanted to see if I could do it.

But I agree that if I start doing it at this wage and not say anything that they will just think thati t's okay.

 

[jdjbuffalo]

I can certainly understand it from their perspective as there maybe some issues with the fact that your a contractor. But if you wait very long (more than a month or two) then they are not going to want to give you a good raise. They will try to low ball you in most any case but the longer you wait the worse it will be.

Perhaps a better route would be to go to them and work out what you should get paid at the end of the 3 months, assuming it works out. I would recommend getting hired on as an employee since you tend to get much better benefits (paid time off, health insurance, etc.) And don't forget to GET IT IN WRITING!

As far as pay, it's hard to judge that. If we had a better idea of what you were doing and what city you were in then it would be a little easier to give you a ballpark of what to expect. Also, do you have experience doing these duties in other jobs you've had before?

 

[Spikesoldier]

Originally posted by: RbSX

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

I asked them already, they wanted to see if I could do it.

But I agree that if I start doing it at this wage and not say anything that they will just think thati t's okay.

sounds like your company didnt fire your old boss as a financial necessity. i think that with him off the payroll that you can easily get his old pay and benefits if you can prove to your employer you are worth it.

i would earnestly put in three months of hard work and then ask for higher compensation if they dont offer it to you by then. ymmv, with how much hard work you put in.

 

[aceO07]

Are you a student? Do you have the time to take over his job?

Now is the best time to figure out things, not later. Now they need someone to do all the work and you're the guy. You're important. Figure out what responsibilities your old boss had and document them. Spend a week and see what your tasks are. Perform your tasks and show that you are a valuable asset to the company. Go talk to your employers about your future at the company and what they have planned for you. Talk about compensation for your skills and new responsibilities. Let them give you a figure first and you decide how much you think you are worth and negotiate. Get it in writing.

That's how I would approach it. I think if you wait the 3 months, they'll think you're easy and won't make you as strong of an offer as if you asked sooner. Maybe it turns out you don't like the job or really don't like the offer, you'll have more time to job search instead of waiting until the end of 3 months to find out.

 

[BarneyFife]

People in here need to realize that its not 1998. They can let him go and have 100 applicants lined up tomorrow willing to do the same job for $15 hour.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier

Originally posted by: RbSX

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

I asked them already, they wanted to see if I could do it.

But I agree that if I start doing it at this wage and not say anything that they will just think thati t's okay.

sounds like your company didnt fire your old boss as a financial necessity. i think that with him off the payroll that you can easily get his old pay and benefits if you can prove to your employer you are worth it.

i would earnestly put in three months of hard work and then ask for higher compensation if they dont offer it to you by then. ymmv, with how much hard work you put in.

Here's what i predict. His boss was probably salaried career guy. Which means they are probably looking right now to hire a replacement. Which means OP will get runaround for as long as they can until they hire the replacement and then he'll go back to doing his old work.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier

Originally posted by: RbSX

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

I asked them already, they wanted to see if I could do it.

But I agree that if I start doing it at this wage and not say anything that they will just think thati t's okay.

sounds like your company didnt fire your old boss as a financial necessity. i think that with him off the payroll that you can easily get his old pay and benefits if you can prove to your employer you are worth it.

i would earnestly put in three months of hard work and then ask for higher compensation if they dont offer it to you by then. ymmv, with how much hard work you put in.

Here's what i predict. His boss was probably salaried career guy. Which means they are probably looking right now to hire a replacement. Which means OP will get runaround for as long as they can until they hire the replacement and then he'll go back to doing his old work.

No my old boss was an hourly contractor.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: BarneyFife
People in here need to realize that its not 1998. They can let him go and have 100 applicants lined up tomorrow willing to do the same job for $15 hour.

I don't live in America, the economy is chugging along just fine up here thanks.

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: Spikesoldier

Originally posted by: RbSX

Originally posted by: yllus

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
Do the 3months and when the review comes up if they like you then ask for which one works better.

Money (Cont.) or Benifits (Emp.)

No offense, but that's terrible advice. Once you settle in at the same rate of pay for a new job, any employer is going to be loathe to up your salary down the road.

Simply stated, new responsibilities = new compensation. Ask to have a dialogue with your manager about your salary, and state as much: You are taking on new responsibilities that will require more time and effort, and you would quite reasonably like to be compensated accordingly.

If they ask for a number you have in mind, I would state that you probably don't know the full range of tasks for your new job as well as they themselves do, so you would like them to suggest a number. Basically you want to avoid being the first one to put a hard amount out there.

Edit: You can also ask (perhaps first) if they have plans to replace that person who left with someone at the same skill level. If they are not, then you can talk about upping your salary.

I asked them already, they wanted to see if I could do it.

But I agree that if I start doing it at this wage and not say anything that they will just think thati t's okay.

sounds like your company didnt fire your old boss as a financial necessity. i think that with him off the payroll that you can easily get his old pay and benefits if you can prove to your employer you are worth it.

i would earnestly put in three months of hard work and then ask for higher compensation if they dont offer it to you by then. ymmv, with how much hard work you put in.

No they fired my boss because he instigated an argument with hte accountant.

The thing is before they didn't have to provide benefits, or paid vacation because he was a contractor.

I also, don't need benefits as I am covered under my parents medical still.

The thing is that the scope of my work just doubled.

 

[jdjbuffalo]

That is strange that you are both contractors. It's not common in my experience to have the manager as a contractor as well.

I still feel our recommendations hold, you need to figure out what they are willing to give you at the end of your "trial period". The longer you wait the more likely they are to steamroll over you for less pay.

 

[zebano]

Not all that strange since benefits cost the employer approximately $20/hour.

 

[jdjbuffalo]

Originally posted by: zebano
Not all that strange since benefits cost the employer approximately $20/hour.

Maybe for a mid-level manager and above but not for a $20 - $30 an hour employee. A more realistic number is $5 - $10 max.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: RbSX
The thing is that the scope of my work just doubled.

You're being paid hourly? And you're being paid for all of the hours you work?

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: jdjbuffalo

Originally posted by: zebano
Not all that strange since benefits cost the employer approximately $20/hour.

Maybe for a mid-level manager and above but not for a $20 - $30 an hour employee. A more realistic number is $5 - $10 max.

total burden is usually about 40-50%.

 

[Zensal]

Sounds like you're getting a full time job now, whether you like it or not.

Approach your boss about your compensation now, but taking effect after your 3 months.