Company Size: 10-49 (United States)

When I started this job I was very excited because it gave me an opportunity to work in a rewarding environment. I did not realize they had reduced the previous job title from Chief Operating Officer to Director of Operations kept the same amount of responsibilities but lowered the level of authority. I do almost everything but I am restricted from calling all of the shots that affect final outcomes. At this level the position should pay a min of six figures and have the authority to execute.

I have worked for the same practice for 4 years. A surgical clinic consisting of 5 surgeons, 2 of whom specialize in vascular surgery - ever since I was hired I have been praised by patients and other staff members alike (albeit only verbally) as the one who got things done, the one to go to for answers, and the one who did his job well. This resulting advice comes from years of very hard work, very long hours, and the painful reality underneath it all.

The other staff members dump (on average) about 70% of their workload onto me whilst they stand around chatting to patients and amongst one another about their personal lives (getting extremely intimate at times about very VERY inappropriate details)

Pay was never based upon skill, work load, work quality, attendance, or any other criteria based in reality - rather; the other staff members, some who had no more than a high school education were ALL paid more than medical assistants and the physicians assistant. Specifically the main receptionist who had no formal education or training was paid almost 3 times my rate of pay for doing what is comparable to shuffling papers on a desk and pretending to work for 7 hours a day, after which time her workload was promptly given to the back office staff (aka yours truly) to preform on top of all other job duties.

The manager (who happens to be the owners significant other) has constantly been of the "we're just in a phase, things will get better" mindset and dismisses my requests for fair pay and my suggestions with a smug passive aggressive attitude something along the lines of a "if I ignore it it'll go away" attitude. The manager would also gladly throw anyone under the bus to save face or avoid her own short-comings whenever possible, commonly resulting in being told to preform a task; when the doctor found out and brought to your attention that what you were doing was against what they wanted the manager would inevitably deny any involvement in telling you to do said task.

The icing on the cake is the legal corner cutting involved; like the employee handbook that specified that employees were not to discuss their pay in OR OUT of the office REGARDLESS of whether you were on work time or not. A clause which (in the state I am in at least) is SPECIFICALLY and COMPLETELY against the law.

When managers are asking you find ways around laws to exploit workers or give someone less money - RUN, and do NOT turn back EVER!

What's the moral of this story? The medical field is not as straight forward as it seems, office politics and personal grudges between doctors affecting the lives of sick people is not pretty, why should you get stiffed and have to deal with that and not be able to do anything about it?

All flooring installers need to come together on a fair wage increase. Many of us have not seen an increase in pay in over 20 years and in some cases have taken a cut in pay. We recieve no benifits, no paid holidays. If we don't work we don't get paid. Most of us have to buy our supplies and recieve no reimbursment and I'm sure you all have noticed that the price of gas and vehical matainence, materials, tools, and the cost of living has more than tripled since many of you started in this trade. All involved in the business end of the trade have raised their fees to help cover rising costs: deliveries, the price of padding, carpet, etc.. The company you work for raises its price accordingly to stay in business but what about the people who actually do the job? Nothing. Not a penny increase in 20 years and in many cases are getting less for doing even more like vaccuming, now considered to be part of the installation, moving furniture for an extra $.50 a yard. That's only $50.00 per 100 yards the size of an average 3 bedroom house. That's quite a bit of furniture to move and be responsible for an extra $50.00 not to mention the extra time on the clock and we don't get paid by the hour. It just seems to me that we are paid like laborers that don't have to think just work. But the reality is that we have to get the material to the job, figure out how to make it work, then put it in according to specs, own the tools and have the know how and skills needed to do it and all in a timely fashion or we wouldn't even make minimum wage. So people please hear me if we all demand an increase we will get it but we all need to stick together and be firm or it won't work and we will start getting less than $3.00 dollars a yard for berber like many of us do now. Which, I started laying carpet 25 years ago was the standard rate and was increased to $4.00, then $5.00 less than ten years later. Now I'm lucky to get $2.85 a yard. What happened to change the pay scale? an endless supply of foreign workers that are willing to let the shop owners take advantage of them or convince them that they will get more big jobs for taking less money which in many cases seems to be true but they fail to realize they are cheating themselves as well as all in the trade because the work needs to be done and if they would stand their ground and demand the same wage they will get it. So please all installers start talking to your co-workers about demanding a raise it is way overdue and we deserve it and you'll see start talking and it will come. Thank you my brothers.

Get your annual salary in writing! I was told I would be tried for two months then I would get a raise. I have 3 years in the hotel industry. 1 year in management. certified in hotel management and I still make what I started out with, $22,000.00!!!

i used to be full time in this office but left for five years. i came back to help the office when people are out sick , what should i get paid an hour?

I think that I should be making more than what I am. I have been with the company 10 years. I work in my area and every where else they need me. If you miss more than 7 days a year you could get fired. I think that it not fair. You can not help if you get sick or your child gets sick. There are alot of single parents today. And, you are the only one that your child has. We don't get any sick pay at all. And, I don't think that is right. Alot of the big supervisors don't have kids so they don't know what it is like. The high cost of everything is today, I think we should get paid more.

I don't think I am being paid fairly due to the amount of education I have and the job functions that I perform. I have a MBA in accounting, but I am not allowed to even see the online/realtime bank statement, or make any decisions in the office but I am the Office/Accounting Manager. I don't have any authority to fire employees but I am part of the HR department. Everything that I do has to be explained to the owner in 2 year old terms because he has the mental capacity of a five year old. I am not allowed to write "stiff" collection letters to customers who don't pay, but he still complains that they don't pay. I do ALL the book keeping for the company and some for the old company but am not being compensated for it. I am the Owner/Operator assistant but I am more or less his lackey due to the idea he has of women. I see much bias, especially for the children of the owner...they are allowed to get tuition reimbursement, but I cannot. Plus the only benefits I have are 1 weeks paid vacation a year...that's IT. No medical/dental/401K nothing. I have to pay my insurance out of pocket through a completely different company. This place is a joke.

I'm not sure if this is better posted at Fair Wages or Negotiate Raises but...if you want to make good money as an electrician go union! Here in Seattle a commercial wireman makes $37.00 an hour and an additional $14.50 in benefits such as an employee sponsored annuity and health/vision/dental plan. We've already negotiated yearly raises so in 2 years time we will be making $43.00 an hour ON THE CHECK and $14.50 an hour in said benefits. Thats $57.50 an hour as a total package! You work 2000 hours (40 hrs a week for 50 weeks) you will make well over 100k as an electrician. The average electrician nonunion makes something like $30 an hour and POSSIBLE benefits. Ours are guaranteed! Some companies in Seattle also partake in profit sharing plans but you have to ask around to find out which ones do.

I don't believe im being paid fairly, because I should at least be making 13.00 an hour, I have been an excellent employee with a boss that has a very bad memory and attitude.

I have been with this company for 16 years and three times I didn't get the promotion that was promised to me 10 years ago. Also, more work was added to my responsibilities and no substantial increase only $0.50/hr.