What are the advantages of receiving salary rather than hourly pay?

Question

Jobhunting has shown me that many employers prefer one method over another? Is there a benefit (beyond overtime) to either? Specifically, this question is about being paid salary.

Answer 1

I prefer salary. I don't think there are tangible benefits one way or the other. It's just to me that punching that damn time clock seems so demeaning.
I'd rather be salaried, and have some flexibility in scheduling. As long as I'm getting the job done. It just seems more adult and trusting.

Answer 2

I think that it depends on what your goals and objectives are in your life and career. I have been a salaried professional for the past 15 years. I enjoy it because there are times when I do work 12 hour days, but there are other times when I have a doctor's appointment and can leave early without taking a financial hit. I would definitely not be insulted to be an hourly worker, since most hourly workers are the ones that really drive a business. They are the people that a company cannot do without. Look at any company, and remove any one level of workers. You could remove upper managers, middle managers, and even front line supervisors and you could get the job done, but your business would fold without the first line hourly people. Another benefit to being salaried is budgeting. Since your paycheck is the same each pay period, it is easy to budget your money. I guess it really depends on what your mindset is and what your career goals are, but I don't think that it is a "joke". What determines your success is not the hours that you put in a day, but the day that you put in your hours.

Answer 3

Overtime can be paid to salary people also. See dept of labor website at dol.gov and search for Fact Sheet No. 17 and No. 23. These deal with who is exempt from overtime. Depends on job title etc.
Generally, employers are not supposed to dock your pay for partial day absences when you are on salary, unless there is something in writing. Like I said, the dol.gov explains it well.

Answer 4

Whether a position is hourly or salaried depends on the nature of the duties, and is not a choice made by the employee.

Salaried positions are managerial, professional, supervisory, etc. These people are not paid overtime.

Hourly positions are not supervisory, not professional, and these people are paid overtime.

Answer 5

I like being salaried as well. You know exactly what your paycheck will be, so budgeting becomes much easier.

Also, my employer doesn't have to keep "tabs" on me. So long as my work is being completed, my hours at work aren't scrutinized.