Is my employer taking advantage of me?

Question

I stared my job early last year as an Event Coordinator for my city, which is a field I have been in for about 4 years. I enjoy the work and have never had a problem with the hours because I was fairly compensated for overtime. Because of the nature of the job, I must work weekends and many holidays. It can be a high stress job, as many times i am working an entire week for at least 10-12 hours a day. I do not have any benefits, and was recently told that I will only get 5 paid days off this year (not including holidays, which I work). Furthermore, i do not get comp. time. If I work 100 hours one week, I feel like I should be compensated somewhere. Also, because I do not oversee any employees, I am legally only supposed to work 40 hours /wk. I have approached my boss about the situation numerous times, and the answer I get is that "that is the policy". What do I do? Do I talk to her boss, which is a board of directors? Am I asking to be compensated too much?

FYI, this is a small office of 3 full time employees which includes myself, my boss and our secretary.

for clarrification... the office that I work in is the chamber of commerce for the city, which is funded by businesses. However, the job salary is funded by the city.

Answer 1

Quit and have them hire you back as a consultant at $150 an hour!!!

You can check to see if similar jobs are available and at what salary.

Or just tell your boss that you are cutting back to 40 hours a week and the rest can work itself out.

You can check with the state and see if you meet their overtime policy. I am surprised the city doesn't offer any benefits. Maybe you need to look at that a bit closer if other employees get them.

Answer 2

Go and find an employment consultant. These people specialize in finding a job that fits a person. These people might be able to look at your current job and tell you what you are worth. Also, check out all of the job listings around the country and see if there are any job openings that match yours and see if you can figure out what salary and benefits come with it.

An Event Coordinator with 4 years experience would probably be in demand somewhere. Check with cities, large schools, convention arenas, amusement parks, and other places that hold events on a regular basis. I would not be suprised if you can find a better job. Of course, this depends on if you have to move or commute further.

I would not do anything drastic until you knew exactly what your footing is though. Find out if the salary and benefits elsewhere is better or even the same before you do anything at your office. I would not let the boss know that you are researching until you know this information. Do not use the threat of leaving unless you are actually prepared to leave. I have seen that blow up in people's faces before.

Answer 3

Everybody is taking advantage (if you view it the other way around).

If you were sitting in your boss desk, you may think your event coordinator is taking advantage of the company.

But there are simple rules you might consider.

Benefits - You must never accept reduction but welcome addition

Working hours - there is really no legal time, if you enjoy your work its no problem, but if you work only for money then each minute counts.

Pay-We humans never gets satisfied, if we balance our lives with material things, as your pay increase so is your expenses too.

It is unfair to yourself and the company if you are working and your not happy (your not giving 100%)

If you feel and think you can get a better compensation on another company or job, then leave you current job and transfer.

It is only when we are in a different situation you can realize if you have been mis-treated or receiving much better.

Answer 4

It depends on whether someone else could do your job in 40 hours.

Maybe your boss is willing to gamble that someone else could do just that.

You can't change the fact that they're taking advantage of you. The only thing you can controls is whether or not you're going to stay and put up with it.

If you can't live with your compensation, then you should start looking around for another job. After you leave, and your boss realizes that nobody can do the job you did in 40 hours, he or she may call and ask you to come back. That's happened to some people I know. Then you'll have all the bargaining power to ask for whatever you want.

Answer 5

I would look for a better job and one that gives all your benefits...This one your in sucks.
If this was me I would work just the 40 hours with no overtime. They want overtime then they would have to pay me or hire someone to work this overtime for no pay. No one in their right mind would work free. Bills are not paid on promises. Plus who wants only 5 days vacation a year. Man are you being screwed..
I would ask to see this so called policy and to show me where it says where you are entitled to compensation...If he can't produce it then I would look for a a good lawyer and sue the a**hole.

Answer 6

if you are an hourly employee they can not force you to work more than 40 hrs per week! If you are an event coordinator for a city..that should be a local government position...your boss may not want to go throughthe papper work of requesting a new job description and policy . Tell them you are not working the OT...they can't fire you for that...but I'll bet they come up with some "other" excuse to get rid of you!...be careful! you may want to contact your state labor board!

Answer 7

I would have a talk with your boss and see if you can work out a way to be paid by the hour or paid by the event. As far as paid vacation 5 days off is what I got when I started my first job.

I would see about 2 weeks if you think it is not right for the time you have work.

Most place it is 2 weeks paid vacation.

Answer 8

The way I see it you have two options - either cut down your hours to what the policy states and therefore reduce the amount of work you do (this will quickly be noticed by your boss and will cause a reaction; that of you being recognized for the extra work or them trying to find someone else willing to put in those same hours without being compansated). The other option is to clearly list all that you do and indicate the amount of time each task requires then present this document to your boss with a CC to *her* boss. Because the copy goes above her head she will have no other choice but to officially reply to your list by either compansating you or reducing the amount of work that is asked of you.

Answer 9

In the first sentence you said 'Event Coordinator for my city'... are you a government employee? If so, your ideas that you should be compensated for overtime is probably right.

In the last part you say 'We are a small office'... if you are a private company they can do just about anything they want... if you don't want to work like that tell them, and tell them that you will have to seek employment elsewhere if changes aren't made in the next month.

Here is the big thing... you have to stick to your word. If you say you will leave, you have to leave.

Answer 10

i could say in my undertaking it could be some thing like A, maybe extremely much less. i gets a commission extremely properly pondering what i do, I even have scientific assurance, holiday time and a 401k besides as different reward. What else are you able to anticipate in existence whilst working at a production unit? The undesirable concern is my business enterprise particularly might desire to apply greater help yet they wont hire it. instead they make us artwork each and every sort of beyond common time, i artwork 50-60 hours each and every week and a few die-hards the place i artwork actual put in 70-eighty hours each and every week. i think of the business enterprise is taking benefit of the situation and not hiring different individuals to help because of the fact they comprehend that many human beings will purely artwork beyond common time for the greater funds.