I am 25 years old, and I work as an insurance sales rep... Is my pay to low? Am I being cheated?

Question

I only get paid $9.00/hr, I am supposed to work 40 hours a week, but due to being a single mother, and having 2 sick kids, I average about 30-35..... I used up all my paid sick days in the 1st month after I went full time...... I am going on vacation next week, and they are only giving me 3 paid days, due to their generosity, they made it clear I had not earned that. I work my tail off here, and they said they cannot stand it when I am out of the office because of the work load I pull, then why do they not compensate me for it, I have NO benefits, and none have been discussed..... SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME SHOULD i LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB?

Panama said that just because I'm a single mother doesn't mean I deserve special treatment...... Let me ask you something..... Do you have children? Do you have one child who has respitory problems???? Single mothers or fathers I believe do deserve a little bit better concern and privelage, we do not have that "extra" help...... Blah, some people just don't understand.... and I do work my butt off when I'm here.

Wow sounds like I am just a sorry employee for giving it my ALL and trying my HARDEST.... Sometimes I wonder why I even try...... but all I can do is all I can do, and if they don't want me here they can fire me, they have never ever threatened my job, I just feel that after almost 2 years of this and doing my BEST, I should be compensated if I'm such a good worker, and they need me here when I CANNOT BE b/c my SON is not BREATHING well and I have to administer breathing treatments every hour, and i do not have other child care............ What do other people do? Anyone else w/the same problems as I? I mean how do you make it? How do you get by? I'm trying to better myself after being a drug addict for 6 years, and being sober now for a wonderful blessed 3 years....... Anyone struggle w/this? Or am I just a sorry employee like half of ya'll have made it sound like?

I am partially licensed, I have to take the property test and then I will have both P&C. I am crossed trained in commercial and personal lines. I do all the quoting, claims, new buisness, payments, customer service, answer phones, file..... you name it I do it.

Answer 1

Your company is giving you 3 days off that you did not earn. That is generous. They did not owe you that and could have said no. It sounds like they gave you some consideration for your situation.

However, as much as people will sympathize with your situation - it's only going to get you so far. I'm single with out kids and at one of the jobs I had - it was a constant for the folks with children to use the kids as an excuse. They got first dibs on time off at Thanksgiving/Christmas b/c day care was closed - so single people w/o kids like me - got to work the holidays. If they needed someone to come in on Sat...yep..day care is closed...single people w/o kids get to cover it.

In the end, you chose to reproduce. You chose to take on the responsibility of having kids - and it is a big one, I'm not going to knock it. But I (as a co-worker) should not have to shoulder extra burden because of your choices.

Is your job one where you could work from home every now and then - when your child is sick? You may have to spend some money on a computer and modem, but it may be worth talking to your employer about. If you want to make a business case for why you deserve a raise or health benefits - come up with a business argument - not b/c I'm a single mom.

Answer 2

I would personally let you go. Attendance is one of the most important things in any job. For a person to use all their paid sick day in the 1st month of becoming full-time I would terminate immediately.

Being a single parent is not excuse to expect something different from someone else who has a spouse at home. You don't deserve special treatment.

As long as you attendance is in the toilet you can expect the bottom of the barrel wages. Once you show your true colors you will never get a raise.

You say you work your butt off, but you call out sick and want a vacation you haven't earned. You aren't working you butt off. Being at work every day on time and doing a great job above and beyond your normal stuff is someone that works their butt off.

It's important that you work on your attendance issues and get some time under your belt before bolting for another job. $9 isn't much, but it's better than minimum wage at a fast food store.

Answer 3

I think you should definitely do your boss a favor and look for another job.

Because I have to tell you, as an employer, I wouldn't put up with the kind of arrangement you've listed. Yes, I understand you're a single mother and your kids are sick, but your employer hired you to do a job and when you aren't there (regardless of the reason), someone ELSE has to do your work.

Perhaps the timing is just bad, but you can hardly expect ANY employer to be thrilled at the prospect of you having taken all your paid sick days in the first month of being a full-time employee. Why WOULD they want to "reward" you, as you put it?

Look, I understand that work/life balance is important. Here's a newsflash: so is MY work/life balance. That's why I hire employees. So, if I'm going to have to waste my time worrying about whether or not you're going to show up on a regular basis and/or picking up slack when you're out, then I flat out don't need you around.

The bottom line is that we all have some kind of problems going out outside of work. And yes, as an employer I'm willing to be more flexible for someone who works hard when they do come in and who has been with the organization for a long time. (For instance, we once paid a lady who had been with us 18 years for all six months she had to be out to recover from major surgery -- like she never missed a day. It wasn't because we HAD to, but because she'd been a long-term, loyal employee.) It's a delicate balance and you'd be on thin ice in my organization, most particularly as a new employee with all these issues.

I seriously suggest you stop thinking of what you're entitled to, because that isn't going to get you very far in the realm of employment.

Answer 4

There are a few things to consider - do you have a college degree? Are you a licensed agent? What are the demographics of your area? Do you get benefits?
If you worked around where I live (rural suburb of Chicago), you are being paid appropriately. But if your life demands more income in order to best care for your children, I would seek out your options. Just be careful not to burn any bridges behind you. It sounds like you dislike your management/bosses, but that is not a good reason to make a decision that affects your family. Be sure you find a better paying job before you leave your current one.
Good luck.

Answer 5

I think you are being cheated, if they depend on you so much, you should ask for a raise, and have a discussion about benefits. You should talk with them that you have 2 children and you really need benefits, especially if this is going to be your career. I work at an elementary school as a teacher assistant. I get paid alittle more than you do. about 9.50 an hour. I could also get benefits (but i don't, because my husband has insurance) but the good thing is, working as a teacher assistant, you get off when the kids get off, and you have the whole summer off, and you still get paid for it!! at least that is how it is where i live, in Oklahoma. Maybe you could look into doing a job like that in your own town. Just a suggestion.

Answer 6

I am sorry your children are sick, but that is not your employers problem, it is your problem. So, you are not being cheated, you are cheating your boss.

I don't hire people so that they can whine about the wage they agreed to and miss so much work that they use up a years worth of time off in a month.

In small businesses, we need our employees to be here when scheduled.

And I never reward the users because I hope they quit and save me the expense of fighting unemployment.

Feel blessed your employer hasn't canned you (yet) and start looking for another job if you want better pay.

And if your kids are sick all the time you may have to face the fact that you are unable to work a full time job, that is tough, but reality.

Answer 7

Here is the challenge, most employees only work hard enough not to get fired, most employers like myself will only pay you enough to that you won't quit. As an employer, I must cover your salary by a multiple of 3 or 4 times to cover the cost of having you as an employee. I challenge you to take this note to your employer and ask them how can you increase your value to the company. Very different question than that which they are normally asked.
Attitude trumps aptitude.

Answer 8

If you're not licensed, and you're doing personal lines only, then *I* would expect you to handle $1,500,000 of insurance premium book, for $9 an hour.

And taking extra time off for the kids IS a good thing - because *I* would have to put in extra hours to make up for YOUR unpaid time off. It's a bonus.

If you're licensed, doing personal lines only, you can start shopping around for a job, but the going rate (varies geographically, of course) would be $11 an hour . . .and MIGHT not include health insurance. AND, you'd HAVE to work 40 hours a week, or get fired.

So you have to balance it. If they're letting you work 30 hour weeks, that's a HUGE bonus, in my mind. And don't forget to factor in the health insurance bit.

Answer 9

I would start looking for another job - Get a resume out on Monster or Career Builder. You can get a job as an assistant at a large company and make more than $9/hour plus get benefits. Don't tell your current job you are looking.

Answer 10

My recommendation is to check out Monster.com or somewhere else online where you can look up the position that you have and it will give you an estimate of a typical salary for that job in your area.

You can always start looking for a new job just to see what's out there. Sounds like you're not happy where you're at, so what do you have to lose?