I have a great job with one of the best organizations in the industry. Overall I am happy with my job and it is supposed to be challenging anyway but lately I am starting to feel like I am being treated unfairly and taking much more of a load than my colleagues.

I'm reluctant to say something because I don't want to come off as a complainer but at the same time I fear my performance may be judged as "not optimal" because I am working much less efficiently than my potential and busting my ass due to all of the extra responsibilities they have given me.

I feel like the chances they have overlooked the overwhelming amount of responsibilities they have given me are low but I also doubt that I am being paid extra compensation. I believe my pay is probably the lowest because I have much less experience than my colleagues but I have 25% (measurable) more duties than most everyone else.

Company housing was full when I was hired so I was given a supplement stipend for my housing costs. They favor employed couples for housing to save money. (also pay insurance for your entire family. I'm single so lose out on that.) Problem is, the company is located 15 minutes away from a town where a 1 bedroom apartment starts 400 more than the supplement(and thats before utilities) so I have a 30 minute commute and pay 200 more than the supplement but my location is never considered when someone is needed to come in at the spur of the moment and do a 2 hour job during the weekend.

There are also extra duties that the entire staff splits time wise and this include 1 weeknight per week and 5 weekends per year. I have the same amount of weeknights as everyone else but the night I was given was Sunday since I was new and everyone hates having sunday so I feel like I'm working 6 days per week to everyone elses five. I end up working 4 extra Saturdays so I'm at 9 weekends for the year. I had 3 total off days in the month of october.

The nature of my specific job is also a bit more involved and time consuming than others. It often involves driving 1-2 hours out into the field to complete a job. Some of them are able to just be a warm body while on the clock and done afterwards while I have to work from home as well. I have no idea what salary anyone is getting paid but I do know that mine is much higher than the industry average(so are my hours though). I could be getting paid a lot more or a lot less than everyone else.

Part of me feels like I should just shut up and be happy and part of me feels like I am being a wimp for not advocating for myself. I could come off as an unappreciative complainer by confronting the boss or he may not have ever noticed how overwhelmed I am. At the end of the day, I'm happy and expected a large work load, I just didn't expect it to be so lopsided compared to everyone else.

Possibility 1: If they know I have a heavy load and I don't say anything, everything will be fine because they know I'm doing my best with a heavy load but if I say something then they might not think I can handle the job I have been given and demote me.

Possibility 2: If they don't know I have a heavy load and I don't say anything, they will think I am a slacker for putting out rushed work and if I say something they will realize I am overworked and adjust my work load to help me be more efficient.

The real dilemma is that the supervisor is new and I know he knows the nature of my work and that I am overworked, but my other supervisor for field work does not anything about the type of work I do in the other department. The manager has to understand that I am overworked but doesn't know the nature of my work and I don't know if the boss overlooks the innerworkings or if he's just letting them run the show.

[Edited on December 1, 2012 at 2:08 PM. Reason : jesus christ]

12/1/2012 1:58:42 PM

Don't start by complaining to your boss.

Start by befriending your colleagues. Make friends with coworkers and talk to them about their work experience. Comparing notes with your coworkers is a much easier, more reliable, and more constructive way to deal with feelings of being unfairly treated or overburdened.

I feel the same way all the time, but all it takes is a lunch or coffee with a couple of my immediate peers to remind me that they too are being worked to the bone and saddled with tons of responsibility that is neither recognized or rewarded.

If, after talking to a group of your peers, they too agree that you are being treated unfairly, then it is time to have a conversation with your boss about your working conditions. But do not complain, instead you should talk about fair compensation and equal treatment for the work and responsibilities you have. Don't tell him what you have been doing, ask him what he thinks you've been doing.

12/1/2012 2:08:54 PM

Get this, my supervisor and manager ARE my immediate peers and friends. We go out for nights drinking from time to time and the funny thing about is that the last several times they went out and invited me, I've literally had to be at work and say " can't, I have to work tonight". One night, we even went out and got a hotel, and I had to leave them passed out the next morning to go to work.

Either way, it is in their best interest to keep reassuring me that I am in the same boat as everyone else and that they are just as overworked even though they are in higher positions and don't have as much time consuming work (since overseeing my work is part of their work.) They are in higher positions than I am so its hard to compare. Everyone else in a relatively similar position to me is in an entirely different department.

12/1/2012 2:23:17 PM

sounds like your friends have you right where they want you then.

12/1/2012 2:33:54 PM

Are you able to say no? I turn down extra assignments when I feel they will interfere with my ability to do the responsibilities I have to the high standard I hold myself to. I've always seen in the workplace that it's way better to do fewer things really well than do a lot of things half-assed.

12/1/2012 2:55:12 PM

Is this a long term job for you? You may be better off suffering through the bullshit now so that you can shit on the people below you for the rest of your life once you've paid your dues.

If not, then commence to bitching.

[Edited on December 1, 2012 at 3:07 PM. Reason : l]

12/1/2012 3:07:37 PM

Quote :

"taking much more of a load than my colleagues. "

Sorry, thought this was Chit Chat

12/1/2012 4:41:32 PM

Quote :

"Get this, my supervisor and manager ARE my immediate peers and friends. "

This is why it's a bad idea to be friends socially with your boss(es). I'm even reticent to befriend co-workers socially because, in my opinion, it usually ends up being a bad thing in the workplace.

12/1/2012 7:42:18 PM

If this is stressing you out, and over time it will, then you should say something. Not even about the compensation, but the stress will eventually kill you. No job is worth your health. It's ok to be selfish when it comes to your own personal time IMO. Yes, sometimes you have to suck it up. But doing so shouldn't become an every week occurrence.

Look to see if your company has a comp time policy. If you're working on days that you aren't scheduled to be there, and you're salaried, you should certainly be getting comp time. If you're being called into work, you should get comp time. But it's up to you to keep track of your hours and to speak with your supervisor/boss about using it. The last thing you should do is burn yourself out, and the last things your bosses should want is for you to burn yourself out, because thing you have a big problem on your hands. You'll feel overwhelmed, your productivity will suffer and in general, you'll just be pissed. If you don't think about you, nobody else will. It sounds like you're new, and you don't want to step on any toes and earn yourself a reputation for being a "slacker," but if you are indeed putting in "overtime" uncompensated, how could you be a slacker? If you're going above and beyond what your company policy is without compensation, that should go towards your record/reputation of not being a slacker. If they don't recognize that, and if you try to give you a hard time about wanting compensation, or comp time, firmly, but respectfully, tell them that you put have gone above and beyond what's required of you, that you have been more than flexible to work with them, and that you want the same in return. Seems fair to me.

For instance, I worked from 7 AM today to 6:10 PM today in preparation of a major project. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I am going to use that time as comp time, probably right before the project starts. And during this project I'm going to keep track of my comp time (ie weekends worked, ect) and use it to have a few days off from work without it coming out of my vacation time, especially considering that I am either going to have to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (official holidays outlined by company policy) and the fact that my Christmas is essentially ruined even if we get off for those two days (I have no family in the area, and I will be spending it alone by myself). I don't plan on asking for a 1:1 comp time, but if I work 4-6 weekend days, I would like 2-3 days off during a weekday without it going towards my vacation. Essentially, I want to take some days after the start of the new year to be with my family and make up some of the time I missed being able to be with them and unwind from a stressful event. Plus, unlike you, I make well below industry standard on salary.

12/1/2012 11:15:53 PM

Sorry about your dilemma. I had the same sort of issue when I started at my current job. It's a small team, two 1st, two 2nd, and two 3rd shift folks to cover a 24-7 work environment. We each work alternating weekends and work 10 hour shifts. So the schedule itself isn't bad because for my shift I get 4 days off every other weekend.

The issue I had was working 6 days in a row while my counterpart on 3rd was only working 4 in a row. After a few months of that my wife started to complain about not seeing me and I'll admit I was a bit of a zombie by the end. In that case I spoke to my coworker and we worked things out. Wife is happier and I'm less of a zombie.


The only other issue was our attendance policy changed and a 1st shift person typically came in late was going to be an issue. We're supposed to have overlap in coverage and never leave the area unattended. We're also not supposed to have overtime, so I was told by coworkers to leave even if she wasn't here as long as she had called in. So after the attendance chance I asked my counterpart if I should talk with her or my boss. He recommended the boss because that's what he gets paid to do..lol


If I am reading this right you work Sunday to Thursday and a few times a year your schedule might be Saturday to Wednesday?


Not knowing your exact schedule or how many folks in your department with the Sunday thing I'd talk to your coworkers about that. Let them know how much time you spent at work in October and that you'd like to work out something different with Sundays so you could take time to spend with friends and family some weekends. Once they are on board take it to your boss. If they don't agree with you then I'd bring it up to your boss.

The extra workload. I dunno about that one. To me it seems like you're the new guy and you get the crap jobs. It also seems like this is what you were hired for so deal with it. Since you are salaried, what are the laws for overtime in your state (assuming it's not NC)? Hopefully you are collecting overtime or have the ability too. Noen and Merbig have given you great advice. It is always good to advocate for yourself. The tough part is figuring out the who and hows of it. Good luck.

12/2/2012 12:30:14 AM

As for overtime (I'm not sure where The E Man lives), but in NC a company is not required to provide overtime to salaried employees. A company can keep track of when a person is at work, but only if it is related to their job duties (ie, you need to be there at a certain time to have a meeting). They cannot keep track of hours with the intent of docking your pay. Obviously, you can be fired if tardiness is an issue.

12/2/2012 12:52:40 AM

Yeah, but that depends on what classification of employee he is. Some salaried workers will qualify for OT. I'm thinking it's if you're paid below something like $10.00 per hour type of deal. There's a whole thing we went through when I was hired and had to attend the new hire class. Something about exempt and non-exempt and the FLSA. IThere's also companies like my wife's that if they work over a set amount they qualify for OT.


I'm not sure if different states have different laws on top of the FLSA that add in OT in various scenarios.



Found it

[link]http://Found it http://www.dol.gov/elaws/esa/flsa/overtime/info.htm[/link]

[Edited on December 2, 2012 at 2:56 AM. Reason : link]

12/2/2012 2:54:54 AM

Everyone works every typical work week monday-friday. We also all are scheduled to work five weekends which means monday-friday + friday evening+ all day saturday + sunday day. In addition to that everyone has one evening per week that they are responsible for. Mine happens to be Sunday evening so I never have more than saturday off as a full day. Then my specific job has things happening on 4 Saturdays this year.

12/2/2012 11:29:27 AM

Tonight I sat down with a coworker who has a babby and they just started talking about how the boss doesn't understand what its like to have a baby and both parents working for this company because none of our high ups have kids or have raised kids without a stay at home parent. I never told them about how I feel but they were asking me if they should go to them and ask for a paycut and some accommodations.

I'm pretty much a bitch compared to them because they do all i do and have a 2month old. So at least its reassuring to know I'm not the only one.

[Edited on December 3, 2012 at 3:01 AM. Reason : this is our peak season]

12/3/2012 3:00:49 AM

I'd say bring it up to the boss-man. But don't go in there complaining. Present solutions to the problem. If you give them a few courses of action to choose from, it prevents them from weaseling out of making a decision, and it doesn't make you look like a whiner.

And so what if it irks them? What are they going to do, continue to make you do more work for less money? I was / kinda still am in an eerily similar situation, and the thing I've learned from the experience is if you don't speak up, you get steamrolled.

[Edited on December 5, 2012 at 12:27 PM. Reason : .]

12/5/2012 12:23:57 PM

What kind of job do you have that gives you a housing stipend? Are you an ex-pat or something?

12/5/2012 1:41:50 PM

Make one of those videos of gangnam sytle with the bosses head on the rapper and then send it out to the whole department.

12/6/2012 6:26:42 PM

Today, I was given another assignment that would begin in february (as soon as the one that has pushed me over the edge of business ends) so i mentioned one thing to one person about possibly giving it to other people because I have a full plate already and now it has backfired and now they think i'm a complainer who is "keeping score". probably game set and match now for my reputation. They said that nobody cares about the quality of my work as long as it gets done. theres just no way to advocate for yourself without coming off as selfish. I should just send them a link to this thread.

12/13/2012 8:48:25 PM

It IS being selfish, and there is NOTHING wrong with that. You have to balance your work with the rest of your life. If you don't, both will be worse off.

Let me tell you, the spot you're in isn't all that unusual. I work for "one of the best organizations in the industry" too. And my company will take every single minute you will give. The first 3 years I worked anywhere from 50 to 80+ hours a week. I know people that work themselves to the point of physical illness, and I know others who arrive at exactly 8am and leave at 5pm on the dot every day.

You need to decide what your priorities are and make them clear to your management. If they aren't going to be accommodating, then it's time to start thinking about a new job.

12/13/2012 9:40:09 PM

Quote :

" The first 3 years I worked anywhere from 50 to 80+ hours a week. I know people that work themselves to the point of physical illness"

That's fucking horrible. Why would you want to work for someone who clearly doesn't respect their employees' physical and mental well-being?

12/13/2012 10:41:35 PM

^It was my choice. I was single at the time and I love my job. My hard work was recognized and rewarded, so it wasn't like I was being forced into it. The point is that many jobs can take as much of your time and effort as you're willing to give. Balance means different things to different people at different times in their lives.

12/13/2012 11:20:35 PM

Quote :

" They said that nobody cares about the quality of my work as long as it gets done"

That's one of the hardest things to get over, at least for me. In my previous job I made very few errors and everything was near perfect quality wise. I watched a coworker who was sloppy as hell get a promotion and then spent two years after he left fixing his shit as the screwed up projects popped up.

Sometimes you've just got to realize the game you're playing doesn't give you brownie points for effort. He was after the promotion and knew what he had to do to get it. He didn't care about quality because it wasn't rewarded and he knew he wasn't going to be there long enough for his screw ups to adversely affect him.

12/13/2012 11:53:46 PM

The big boss just sent me an invite for a meeting tuesday and the little boss will be there too even though i only talked to the supervisor the word may have gotten around.

[Edited on December 14, 2012 at 7:27 PM. Reason : ironically, i'm scheduled for a job at that time because they couldnt find a time i was free to meet]

12/14/2012 7:27:09 PM