Yeah, like I’ve never done this before…
I’ve always felt that people should be paid based on the quality of their work AND the time they put into it. Bonuses should be given under circumstance in which the person goes a) above the normal quality to produce something truly nifty or b) puts in so much time into a project that you can tell their devotion to the work. I’ve done both of these things over the past two weeks. I’ve worked my ass off. I’ve come in early, had all the equipment ready to go, kept track of everything and worked long hours to get everything done. The first week I was working from 6am till 8pm nearly every night. I was carrying very heavy loads, setting up equipment quickly and generally keeping everything running smoothly. I worked Monday, a day that I normally have off, without so much as a thank-you. The next Monday, yup, I was working again. This time I was on the road to the pageant. That following week I worked all day, every day. If we weren’t shooting, I was at the booth selling crap, if we weren’t there I was printing souvenir pages or making buttons or something else retarded. I was up until 1:30-2am everything night that week working on stuff. I consider that MAJOR overtime. This past Monday, yup, you guessed it, we were on the road back home. I’ve worked 3 Mondays in a row. That, right there, is 24 hours of overtime.
Now, you may think I’m being ungrateful, but when I saw that my pay check deposit for these two weeks was only my normal amount, my heart sunk.
They’ve never mentioned anything about any bonus, but at the very least, I deserve to get paid for the overtime I worked. The boss who’s in charge of the money isn’t in today, but you can bet your sweet ass that if she doesn’t have a bonus check in her hand the next time I see her I’m going to have a little chat with her about it.
I’m not trying to seem money-hungry or anything, I just want to be paid fairly. I think I deserve it. I’ve worked my ass off around here and I’m not exactly feeling appreciated at the moment.
a: welcome back. glad to see you survived
b: i wouldn’t call it money grubbing or everyone that had a job would be called a money grubber. thereby making me a very NOT money grubber.
c: I finally got to play splinter cell. woooo.
d: the jerry has no skates/wicker cds are finally out and selling like hotcakes. As soon as there’s a DVD to speak of I’ll drop them in the mail.
e: in relation to D, if anyone who reads this knows anything about SCSI drives, Macs, and/or DLT backups please let me know as I have some questions that need some answering
Hmmmm….
It would appear that you are a salaried employee which means the labor laws regarding overtime payment do not apply. It is normal for professional staff to be employed this way, and it is also fairly normal that salaried staff do not get paid for overtime. Typically, bonuses are paid on an annual or semi-annual basis based on the companies productivity/profitability.
The downside of all this is what you are noticing – you bust your butt and don’t get anything extra for it. The upside is that if you take a few hours off, work a short day etc. you are still guaranteed the same pay check. The “contract” you have with your employer is probably that you provide a service for a specified salary, not an hourly wage. Unfortunately, you are still at the starting phase of a career which could eventually pay very well. You may feel like you are getting the short end of the stick, but the truth is that part of your reward is actually the experience you are gaining. You will be using that experience in the not-too-distant future to demand higher salaries or rates and you will be paying some young upstart a pittance to carry your gear!
Be VERY carful about asking for more or additional money. It is a very touchy subject and can quickly get you disliked or “labelled” for only being in it for the money. I think you do realize how much good experience you are gaining and you are very lucky to be getting the exposure (oooh, a pun) at this stage of your career. I agree you are probably overworked and underpaid, and you certainly don’t have to like it – just don’t screw it up for the sake of a few $$$$.
Don’t mean to beat you up – I just don’t want to read that you are looking for a new job because you have to, not because you want to!
Jason –
d: sweet. I can’t wait.
e: sorry, not a clue. my old system was completely SCSI but I wouldn’t have the faintest idea about how to go about making a DVD. I’ve tried to make video CDs in the past and all that involved was a copy of NeroVision and a little luck.
Eric –
No beating up involved, I always appreciate the input. And every single on of those points is a good one. I do appreciate the experience I’m getting and that is a huge reason why I’m there. I probably failed to mention that they pay me overtime on a regular basis. A wedding on a Saturday for example, might go well into the night. Anything past 6pm they usually pay me overtime for. I am on salery but they ask me to record my overtime as well. They’ve paid me overtime ever since I started with them. It has something to do with labor laws and the hourly rates we charge clients. Something about not being able to pay me my hourly if in turn my services are making X amount more. I don’t really understand it, but it ends up meaning overtime pay so I really don’t complain. Also, the “bonus on an anual basis” is usually associated with the pageant we just got back from. I don’t get a Christmas bonus or anything like that. I got a fairly large one last year at this time.
Again, this is sounding like I’m in it solely for the money and I’m not. I was just a little let down when there wasn’t even overtime attached to my check. No bonus I can understand, even accept, but I did work nearly $1000 worth of overtime the first week alone. I obviously don’t want/need/expect that sort of a check.
I guess you’re right though, the experience far outweighs the pay and I should be very greatful for the opportunity.
I just couldn’t help feeling like Chevy Chase in National Lampoons X-mas Vacation where he’s waiting for his big bonus check and gets a membership to the Jelly of the Month club instead.
I hear ya – and monetary appreciation of your efforts is always more welcome than a pat on the back! You are correct about the hourly billing/paying thing – and it is complicated. I wonder if you did not see the O/T ’cause the bookkeeper hasn’t posted it yet. It may be in your next paycheck!
I am keeping track of all this so that when you get your own studio…….. 😉
Well I don’t know how much money you’re making, but it is illegal under federal law for a salaried employee to be made to work overtime without compensation if their salary is less than something like $57,000 a year. Perhaps that is why they’ve been paying you OT thus far. An employer tried to make me do this once and when a co-worker pointedly posted the federal law to our bosses office door, they very quickly rescinded their order of overtime.
Thanks for the info Scott, and “welcome” if it’s your first time here. The matter has actually been resolved and I’m going to post about that shortly. Needless to say that it took a little poking but my OT check should be with my next pay check. Thanks for the concern though.