what would you do about this pay rate yours/vs new employees?

nightstar22

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so i have never had a problem about what i was being paid until now.. i have worked for this company for over a year. i never have recieved a raise. i make 10.25 a hour. i am part time, full time employees make around 11 a hour. recently the bosses son, who was a dispatcher for the company before he recieved his emt license, makes 12 a hour. he has been an emt for less than 2 months, but makes more than the rest of us. is their a law against this? we are in tennessee. the thing that gets me is, about a week ago, the bosses step son was complaining that he only makes 9 something an hour, since it was just switched form his dispatch pay... the other day, he had left his check stub in the ambulance, which is how i found out.. is there anything we can do or since we live in a right to work state nothing we can do? i dont really want to make a big deal of this, because i love working where i am, but i also want to move out of my parents house, but cannot afford to because of the "part time" status...
 
i have a better story for you.

its logical to assume that when a company raises the starting wage for new hires, that they would raise the pay of all current employees the same amount to keep everything balanced. alas, many companies do not.

a short while ago, i worked for a company that did not. a new company opened up in the area and was offering a pretty enticing package to get people to sign on. after losing twelve people from one station alone in one month, the company said whoa whats going on here and how to we stop it. one of the items on the laundry list of deficiencies was pay. some of the silverbacks didn't feel they were being properly compensated and in fact they weren't. at this point i had about two years in the field and a little over a year in the company. i was making iirc 7 cents an hour less than one of the guys that was working on his eighth year with that company. it was a disaster.....

of course, they got a slap in the face raise(27 cents iirc) and we basically got told to shove our list of demands somewhere but whatever. its a private ambulance service in massachusetts. its not surprising.

(yes piranah, you know who im talking about)
 
Why would there be a law about what a company pays their employees outside of the minimum wage law? Is it fair? No. Is life fair? No. The company I used to work for raised their starting pay over the 2 years I worked there from $9/hr to $10/hr. Has there been any other dispatchers who went to field work? There's a legitimate argument that since the son can either work in the field OR dispatch that his value to the company is greater than someone who can only do one or the other.

No one made less than starting pay. The catch, though, was if you were being paid $10/hr when the starting wage was raised, you didn't get an automatic raise out of it.
 
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so i have never had a problem about what i was being paid until now.. i have worked for this company for over a year. i never have recieved a raise. i make 10.25 a hour. i am part time, full time employees make around 11 a hour. recently the bosses son, who was a dispatcher for the company before he recieved his emt license, makes 12 a hour. he has been an emt for less than 2 months, but makes more than the rest of us. is their a law against this? we are in tennessee. the thing that gets me is, about a week ago, the bosses step son was complaining that he only makes 9 something an hour, since it was just switched form his dispatch pay... the other day, he had left his check stub in the ambulance, which is how i found out.. is there anything we can do or since we live in a right to work state nothing we can do? i dont really want to make a big deal of this, because i love working where i am, but i also want to move out of my parents house, but cannot afford to because of the "part time" status...


Does your boss own the company if so then his son will probably own the company one day.
 
so i have never had a problem about what i was being paid until now.. i have worked for this company for over a year. i never have recieved a raise. i make 10.25 a hour. i am part time, full time employees make around 11 a hour. recently the bosses son, who was a dispatcher for the company before he recieved his emt license, makes 12 a hour. he has been an emt for less than 2 months, but makes more than the rest of us. is their a law against this? we are in tennessee. the thing that gets me is, about a week ago, the bosses step son was complaining that he only makes 9 something an hour, since it was just switched form his dispatch pay... the other day, he had left his check stub in the ambulance, which is how i found out.. is there anything we can do or since we live in a right to work state nothing we can do? i dont really want to make a big deal of this, because i love working where i am, but i also want to move out of my parents house, but cannot afford to because of the "part time" status...

So here is my question........................

How do you know what everyone else is making and why is it any concern of yours? If you want to make more then ask for a raise, but employee income is a private matter and most companies have policies in place concerning discussion of this matter. Bottom line is that it will probably not change any level of self perceived "fairness" and will probably just irritate your employer thus preventing further raises. When I was a manager, if you came into my office with what you just wrote, I would have fired you on the spot.

There is a better way to request an increase in compensation. You also need to ask yourself why you deserve a raise. What have you done lately to promote your worth? Would it be possible to go full time and then seek a raise (quite often, part time employees have a harder time receiving raises than fulltime employees)? How has your attendance been? Have you been available when they need you? Have you ever had any disciplinary actions? Remember, lower level EMT's are a high supply with an unequaled demand. you have to look at the economic side of it because your manager will be. Think about it....................
 
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Why do you think nurses travel around shopping hospital to hospital? For example, one can stay at a hospital and receive that 35 cent per hour raise for being a great employee or one can work at another competitor hospital for a hire on rate for $2.00 more an hour. Then 6 months to one year later return back to their original employer at even a higher rate let's say $3.00 more. In comparison, if they had stayed they would had continued to make that 35 cents and $2.70 less an hour.

Makes one dedicated to an employer huh?

I do agree with above posts, prove that you are worth.. if it is a private service, they can pay anything to anybody they want. There is no law stating anything else.


R/r 911
 
Its really none of your business what others get paid, the fact you snooped at his pay stub is bad enough, dont go complaining to higher ups about it unless you are prepared to seek employment elsewhere.
 
I was just hired at a new company three days ago and I already make more money per hour than an EMT that has worked there for 10 years.

What's your excuse for not moving to full time or upgrading to medic status?
 
Ask for a raise.......and be prepared when you do it. For example, if your system is busy and your filling in for others is something that they rely upon against the possiblity of dropping an ambulance, then you can make the argument that if you pick up the shift the increased revenues will more than cover your raise. If you don't pick up a shift you are not getting paid anyway. If you are prompt, reliable, and able to effectively replace someones regular partner then point that out too. Go in and ask with confidence, have your list of reasons why you are worth a raise. If a dollar more would make you happy then ask for a buck fifty or two dollars, you might get it, at least it can leave room for negotiation.

Many privates pay part timers more since they do not offer insurance.

Good luck and ask yourself if you would want someone snooping in your personal life.
 
Yah it stinks, but this kind of stuff happens everywhere.

I use to ask why, but now I just stay out of it lol
 
Since he is the Boss's son, you have to remember that nepotism is a game the whole family can play.
 
You dont have much say being part time, ask yourself are you happy making what you are if you are not make yourself more valuable and then ask your boss for a raise,( were you happy with your pay before you snooped in someone elses business?)
 
Welcome to corporate America. This is how it works EVERYWHERE.
 
so i have never had a problem about what i was being paid until now.. i have worked for this company for over a year. i never have recieved a raise. i make 10.25 a hour. i am part time, full time employees make around 11 a hour. recently the bosses son, who was a dispatcher for the company before he recieved his emt license, makes 12 a hour. he has been an emt for less than 2 months, but makes more than the rest of us. is their a law against this? we are in tennessee. the thing that gets me is, about a week ago, the bosses step son was complaining that he only makes 9 something an hour, since it was just switched form his dispatch pay... the other day, he had left his check stub in the ambulance, which is how i found out.. is there anything we can do or since we live in a right to work state nothing we can do? i dont really want to make a big deal of this, because i love working where i am, but i also want to move out of my parents house, but cannot afford to because of the "part time" status...

I promise, I wont attack you. Always so much hostility here, seriously guys, its not necessary this time :rolleyes:.

First off, if you need more money, go full time or get your medic! What's holding you back?

Second off, are there other companies in the area? Sure, you like the one you're at, but if there's an opportunity for better money, aren't you going to take it?

Third of all, if you decide to ask for a raise, don't mention anyone else's pay, unless it's pay at another company. You can say something like "Boss, I'm trying to make a living for myself. I love working here, but I'm considering moving to ___________ because they pay better. Can you help me out with a raise, because I like it here enough to not want to move."

I've known people in other jobs I've had use something along those lines with great success. You might not get 12 an hour, but maybe 10.50 or something. And you shouldn't get fired for asking for a raise if you do it appropriately.

Good luck!
 
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I promise, I wont attack you. Always so much hostility here, seriously guys, its not necessary this time :rolleyes:.

Apparently, you don't visit forums very often this is one of the tamest around.

Just remember, if you are a Basic he can and will find another to replace you ... cheaper. So if you do tell him that you have another place to go, be prepared to go.

R/r 911
 
I promise, I wont attack you. Always so much hostility here, seriously guys, its not necessary this time :rolleyes:.

What hostility?
 
Were you happy with your pay until you found out that someone else made more? Because if you are going to negotiate for more money, you will need to be clear on your motivation.

As a veteran of many contract negotiations, I believe the old adage that in business, you don't necessarily get what you deserve, but you get what you can negotiate. If you want to make more money, you will have to do some preparation prior to going into the boss' office with your hat in your hand.
  1. What do part-time EMT-Bs make in your area at other companies?
  2. What is your value to the company? Be specific.
  3. How long does it take for a new EMT-B to get up to speed with your company? Are there skills you are already trained in that a replacement would take time to learn?
  4. Do you really like working there?

You want to be very clear going in, that you have value and you are worth the money you are asking for. You want to be confident but not beligerent. A father is not going to be upset about paying his son more. It may be a strictly business decision where paying his son's wages through the company is a tax write off while giving him an allowance or helping out with his living expenses isn't.

In short, in business the owner of the business has the right to pay anyone whatever makes sense to him/her. You will do yourself a disservice if you walk in there all upset/hurt and acting like he owes you. He owes you only the negotiated wages and benefits you agreed upon, for the hours you worked. Do your research, be confident and make your case. Thank him for his time and go cheerfully back to doing your job.
 
Good advice Bossy Cow!!
 
the biggest piece of advice i can give you here it the end all be all of rules in employment negotiating:

if you plan to offer your boss an ultimatum, be prepared to swallow both choices.

an ultimatum is just that, an ultimate decision. although it doesn't always happen, the theory is that your boss will either take one or the other. if your "good news" scenario is going to work for your boss, he'll go the other way every time.

so if you say "i want $2 more an hour or i'm going to quit" be prepared to hand him your notice on the spot. if you back off and try to end around after being rebuked, you have no standing because you obviously aren't committed. further, if you ever put a "this or i quit" in front of your boss, be prepared walking into that meeting to be fired effective immediately. bosses don't like being painted into a corner anymore than you do. once you tell them that you are going to quit if you don't get something, before you finish you long winded demands, they have already decided whether or not they are going to work with you or not. if not, they know you're going quit, so why keep you on after you have shown your lack of commitment to the team.

granted, sometimes its necessary to assert yourself in your job. nobody will argue that sometimes you have to fight for what you deserve. all I'm saying is be prepared to sleep in the bed you made.

Ive made that mistake before. its easy to get tunnel vision and think your the only reason the company is still running. the boss always see's it differently.
 
"What can I do?"

Ask your parents to open an EMS service.
 
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