Pay cut rant

[kdailey4315]

First let me say that I would much rather take a pay cut than be unemployed. I perfectly understand why my company did this and I'm ok with the 10% cut. We are an electrical contractor and the construction industry is in the crapper. It's the circumstances in the way it happened is what has me furious. We (the pay cut was company wide) were not talked to about this and had no warning. I found out by noticing that my paycheck was 10% less. The week that I found this out the owners of our company were on their annual fishing trip with about 15 people from the office (of the 30 total office workers) that cost around 70K. Or about my yearly salary. I understand the pay cut but I think our President or VP could have at least had the balls to talk to us about it.
Sorry rant over.

 

[joe_peters]

So, are they telling you its raining?

If you were not informed of the pending change, and given the opportunity to NOT WORK for a reduced wage, i.e., quit, then you are owed the former wages until such time as you are formally notified, and accept, the wage reduction.

File a wage claim with the state.

 

[kdailey4315]

So, are they telling you its raining?

If you were not informed of the pending change, and given the opportunity to NOT WORK for a reduced wage, i.e., quit, then you are owed the former wages until such time as you are formally notified, and accept, the wage reduction.

File a wage claim with the state.

Thanks for the info. I might look into that.

 

[ChiXJeff]

If you weren't notified in advance of the pay cut, I'd be pounding the streets looking for another job at every opportunity. And what Joe suggests has some serious merit.

At a previous job, a pay cut did happen, and everyone knew about it beforehand.

 

[kastein]

X3... and that's just low, going off on a big schmoozing trip while screwing the employees. Guess they had to pay for it somehow

This happened to a friend of mine over at Teradyne too, they canned a bunch of people due to budget cuts but then pretty much made up for it by giving most of the top brass big raises.

 

[old_man]

In this day and age, just be happy to have a job. Roughly 1 in 7 is unemployed.

My firm laid off half the employees and gave everyone else one week a month off without pay for over a year.

Things aren't the way they used to be.

 

[kdailey4315]

If you weren't notified in advance of the pay cut, I'd be pounding the streets looking for another job at every opportunity. And what Joe suggests has some serious merit.

At a previous job, a pay cut did happen, and everyone knew about it beforehand.

I've thought about leaving but I don't have the required experience that most places are seeking and I don't want to go back to retail management. Other contractors want 5 years experience at least. I've been doing this for 4 years and I'm almost done with my degree in Construction Management and will be starting on my Masters. In a year I'll have many more options. This is the first shady thing this company has ever done so I think I'll sit tight for a year graduate, start my Masters and then evaluate my options. I'm still very grateful to have a job though.

 

[Darky]

I'd definitely look into what Joe brought up. If the law backs it up, you could have a class action suit on your hands, get your money back, and keep your job.

 

[kastein]

I'd definitely look into what Joe brought up. If the law backs it up, you could have a class action suit on your hands, get your money back, and keep your job.

if you do this... bear in mind they WILL be gunning for you. If there is an excuse or reasonable cause for termination after winning something like this, count on it being used.

 

[Darky]

However, it wouldn't be very difficult to prove retaliatory actions. Document everything that they say and do if you go that route. Also, class action would be brought for the benefit of everyone else who got the surprise pay cut. You'd have a lot of people looking out for you.

 

[ChiXJeff]

Even if you're in the right, filing a suit claiming unfair labor practice will get you out the door. It might not be right away, but it will happen.

 

[kastein]

yep... it's like catching an SO cheating, once the trust is gone there aint much left, are you still going to want to work there? Are they going to like you working there? No, on both counts probably. File your suit (once you make sure they didn't wedge the news into the bottom of some weekly newsletter email or something to be tricky) but start looking for a new job ASAP.

 

[RichP]

Had similar for a company I worked at in NJ, was supposed to get a 5 figure bonus and got nothing, owners said 'bad year' then bought the principals new Infinity's which might have flown but the office manager took a package and gave me all her accounting passwords. Myself who was the unix and open view guy, my buddy who was the remedy guru and other openview guy left with 2 days notice and we were working at Lucent within a day making 75% more. I never shut off my job search engines, even now I keep 4 of them running.

 

[PhotographerMike]

First let me say that I would much rather take a pay cut than be unemployed.

I think you're on the right track with your Masters program and current job, although what your company did isn't very nice.

I've been working with an unemployed / underemployed support group for over a year, partly to help me find a "real" job after being self employed for 20+ years and partly because I like to help.

A few observations, mostly for others looking for something or something better;

It's much easier to get a job if you are employed and not desperate.
I've met people that quit when pay or benefits were cut and now have been looking for a job for over a year.
We've had several hiring managers talk to our group. The first thing they do with a stack of resumes is eliminate as many as possible for the slightest error, typo or inconstancy. After they have eliminated 75% + percent that way they MAY look at yours.

IF you're out of work;
Network.
Get in a support group / job club.
Volunteer at a place you might want to work.
Tailor your resume to each specific job you're interested in, don't just send out hundreds of form resumes.
Practice interviewing.

There are jobs out there. We've "lost" several people from our group, some to the best jobs in their lives.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[joe_peters]

Some pretty good information/points have been brought up.

I think the most compelling is your desire to complete your degree and start your Masters program, along with obtaining the 5 years experience level. So, it is a good idea to keep quiet and achieve your goals.

However, there is still good news! Depending on the type of wage claim--you don't have to sue--you have from 2 to 4 years to file a wage claim. Some good reading here: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/howtofilewageclaim.htm

Poke around on that website, there should be a number you can call for confidential information.

This could be a "Have your cake and eat it too." situation. Bide your time, get what you want, then file a claim and get what you were entitled too, plus interest.

Good luck, and hoping for your success!

 

[97GreenXJ]

I know it's tough in that field right now. I'm also in the electrical business, though I've been more on the engineering/sales side of things... I've been laid off for quite a while now, and have been travelling all over the country looking for job opportunities. Right now there are a lot of really qualified people that are in the same boat though... If I were you, I would be very careful about any complaints you're going to file. As Joe mentioned, you have a couple of years to file a wage claim. If you can afford to live on your salary after the cut, I'd strongly suggest waiting until you have another job lined up before going that route. It's a poor business practice, but they WILL find a reason to send you down the road after going to the labor board. Contractors, especially in a closed shop, are notorious for acting in retaliation.

I may get flamed for throwing this out there, but it's something that I'm running into on a regular basis... You may also consider changing employers BEFORE you complete your Master's. Find a company that will give you a position with some promotion potential, and then negotiate for the raise and increased responsibility after you finish. A lot of the things that would have provided job security a few years ago, like advanced degrees or specialized training, will put you in the group they consider "too expensive" these days... I'm not saying you shouldn't get the degree, but understand that it's not going to make changing employers any easier. At least not now...