Ever been ripped-off by your own boss...?

[Icey101]

to the OP, forget about the 500 bucks, turn the whole thing around, ask if you can do it again, you want more of this type of work!!!....but next time your interested in being recognised for this type of work...get it

 

[Simo98]

So, I've yet to see the suggestion to actually, y'know, talk to you boss about it? Maybe a little bit of communication would help? Bosses are people too you know.


Talk to your boss. Tell him you feel you really put yourself out for the project and you got the impression that the check was going to be a bit of bonus for you, tell him you understand if it was all expected under your regular salary that's all good, but as it was work for an external firm you thought there might be a little extra in it for you. Let him know where you're at and what you're thinking, maybe he'll understand where your coming from, maybe he'll think your naive and have a chuckle, but unless you ask him you're not gonna know.

Chances are he'll keep the check to help cover your wages for the time you spent on the project, as well of the use of equipment and other overheads that go with running a day to day business. Though if you were one of my employees and did a good job, and we clearly netted a bit extra just doing a favour for a friend after your wages, overheads etc. I'd be pretty happy to split the left overs with you as a but of a bonus, hey, it might only be $50, but it's better than nothing.

Now, if you worked around the clock and somehow completed the project without delaying any of your other normal work, then a bonus would be in order, as you completing the job hasn't really cost me anything and it's all extra, in which case I'd probably split the whole check.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Well, next time he comes expecting, drop things off significantly. If he comes over to you and asks what you're doing, just say, "crappy pay=crappy product".

Good advice.

When you find yourself at 60, still working at a little cubicle with a boss who's half your age......don't wonder why. This is why.

 

[Truktek2]

Makes no difference if he does both as long as his boss is not extending his normal hours to do it.

If the OP works 9-5 everyday, and that didn't change, then the work done between those hours is up to the boss. Again within reason and or his job description.

Agreed. But the op clearly stated he had to stay late to finish his own work. He wouldn't have had to had he not had company's B work also. Say that 3 times fast

 

[Munjibunga]

You apparently did this work as part your regular job and was paid your regular salary for your time. Seems really clear to me.

Yep. The money belongs to your boss. Since you were not working on his projects during that time, it cost him money to have you do the work for his buddy.

 

[Munjibunga]

Good advice.

When you find yourself at 60, still working at a little cubicle with a boss who's half your age......don't wonder why. This is why.

Indeed. (No sarcasm here.)

 

[Truktek2]

Yep. The money belongs to your boss. Since you were not working on his projects during that time, it cost him money to have you do the work for his buddy.

Actually it didn't cost him money. If the op is salaried at 50k for the year to do a job for company A and gets paid the same 50k to do jobs for both A and B, who ends up getting shafted?

 

[1958Bassman]

Needed a place to vent, guys. I have a weird situation at work...and I'm not sure who's right or wrong here...would love some insight on this.

Back-story: I work the 9-5 grind for a small real estate company in the marketing department. I am the only one in this department and I take great pride in the materials we produce here. I was contacted by my owner here (lets call him "A") to do a one-off project for another real estate company in Michigan because the owner of that company "liked our materials so much". I guess the guy is one of his business buddies. Lets call him "B"...

So, I took time out of my day (it took 3 days actually to complete) to work on this project, setting other in-house projects aside, and over 3 days got this project finished up and emailed directly to the "B" after various emails/calls deciding what we wanted to do, and even making changes to a few drafts of the project. I should add that "A" had NOTHING to do with the completion of this project. He actually had NOTHING to do with the beginning of this project, other than soliciting my own email/work phone number to "B" before it was ever even brought up to me...and honestly, if I had a choice, I would've passed on working on it all together.

B's assistant calls me a week later saying she wanted our address because she wanted to send a check! 'Whoa! Cool!' I thought...

I wasn't expecting a check in the mail, but I gave them our office address to send it to. I think "B" wanted to do something nice for me because I was so helpful, friendly, and quick at getting them their project.

Well, a week later, I find out through my buddy/bandmate who is the I.T. guy here that a check did indeed come...for the amount of $500...he just happened to see it pulled up on a random email he had pulled up while working on A's computer yesterday.

Crazy coincidence, right?

So my dilemma is, do I ask for some of that money from "A"? I feel like I deserve it for busting my butt, and the guys who work here are REALLY cheap sometimes (even though $500 is nothing to them). I wouldn't be surprised if "A" just keeps it for himself.
On the other hand, I DID do the work on company time, as asked, and on the company's software...maybe we should AT LEAST split it? Or maybe I deserve nothing?

Also, I suspect that "A" doesn't even think I know about the check at all, but I was the one who told them what address to send the check to...so I won't be surprised if he keeps it from me.

Any help/thoughts?

If this project is what you normally do and A is your boss, you used company time & resources, you already got paid. You have no reason to expectat more money because you didn't negotiate a deal for this work. He sold the other agency a service and how it happens is just academic. You work for A and you did your job. End of story.

If he had told you that you'd make a certain amount and didn't pay you, then I would say he screwed you but since you were paid for doing your job, I wouldn't.

 

[Munjibunga]

Actually it didn't cost him money. If the op is salaried at 50k for the year to do a job for company A and gets paid the same 50k to do jobs for both A and B, who ends up getting shafted?

So you're saying A should not get compensated by B for the work of the employee A is paying the $50K? It did cost him money because he was paying the OP while the OP was working for someone else (B).

 

[Truktek2]

So you're saying A should not get compensated by B for the work of the employee A is paying the $50K? It did cost him money because he was paying the OP while the OP was working for someone else (B).

Me thinks you didn't read the whole thread. Company A got 500.00 for the work the op did above the job he was salaried to do.

 

[1SHOT1HIT]

Agreed. But the op clearly stated he had to stay late to finish his own work. He wouldn't have had to had he not had company's B work also. Say that 3 times fast

Very well, I stand corrected but still have trouble seeing where the boss should be obligated.

I must of missed him saying that, I'll take your font for it though, really not trying to go back and find/read it.

 

[1SHOT1HIT]

Actually it didn't cost him money. If the op is salaried at 50k for the year to do a job for company A and gets paid the same 50k to do jobs for both A and B, who ends up getting shafted?

The boss looses his own production for his own company and needs to compensate that, the $500 is that compensation.
Even if the 3 lost days isn't immediately missed, at the end of the fiscal year this employee has worked 3 less days on company A's production.

 

[Simo98]

Me thinks you didn't read the whole thread. Company A got 500.00 for the work the op did above the job he was salaried to do.

Nope, I think you didn't read the whole thread. The OP put his own companies work on hold in order to complete additional work for the other company. If he'd done all the work for the other company after hours and still completed everything on his usual work scheduel, I'd agree with you. However, he didn't, the company he works for lost productivity in the mean time while he completed a side project for his boss.

 

[Munjibunga]

Me thinks you didn't read the whole thread. Company A got 500.00 for the work the op did above the job he was salaried to do.

If the OP worked overtime to do the work, Illinois law requires that his employer pay him time and a half for every hour worked over 40. The last thing the employer wants is an Illinois Department of Labor claim. If the OP did not work overtime to complete the project, I stand by my original opinion.

 

[livinitup0]

This is called going above and beyond and you bring this type of stuff up when review or raise time comes around...asking for money now is silly and actually counter productive. Would you rather make a stink about it that your boss will always remember and have a few bucks now or another % or 2 on your next raise because you went above and beyond for a couple days?

Id be looking for more of these opportunities to show that you're worth being paid more than you are now... And id probably request the mods delete this thread in the off chance it ever comes back to bite you in the butt.

Tomorrow I'm going to show my boss how changing a procedure we do will make the company over 100k a year... And I don't expect a few grand to get thrown my way... But you bet your butt I'll be looking damn pretty come review time and I actually will end up with that couple grand over the next year.

Think ahead man... Long ball... Not short ball.

 

[chuck norriss]

I was a waiter; I left a tip for one o fthe bus-boys at this restaurant but he was gone for the day so the manager took it put it in an envelope & put the envelope in the front desk drawer. The very next day the mgr denied taking the cash from me--out of my hand while face to face--denied putting it in the envelope, denied putting it in the drawer. Wow. Sold out his character for $20.

 

[Ricnroll]

So the IT department divulges confidential information (including sums of money) and this then destroys the morale of the workforce? I'm thinking that is a much greater infraction than anything else that is being surmised in this thread.

 

[hdracer]

This is called going above and beyond and you bring this type of stuff up when review or raise time comes around...asking for money now is silly and actually counter productive. Would you rather make a stink about it that your boss will always remember and have a few bucks now or another % or 2 on your next raise because you went above and beyond for a couple days?

Id be looking for more of these opportunities to show that you're worth being paid more than you are now... And id probably request the mods delete this thread in the off chance it ever comes back to bite you in the butt.

Tomorrow I'm going to show my boss how changing a procedure we do will make the company over 100k a year... And I don't expect a few grand to get thrown my way... But you bet your butt I'll be looking damn pretty come review time and I actually will end up with that couple grand over the next year.

Think ahead man... Long ball... Not short ball.

This is what employers call a keeper. A team player.
Use your head and make situations like this work for you.
You will go far my friend.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

If the OP worked overtime to do the work, Illinois law requires that his employer pay him time and a half for every hour worked over 40. The last thing the employer wants is an Illinois Department of Labor claim. If the OP did not work overtime to complete the project, I stand by my original opinion.

The OP's an exempt employee for FLSA purposes, so even overtime doesn't matter in this case. He's salaried. However, there was an opportunity cost on the employer's part as 1SHOT alluded to a few posts up.

But if I'm reading between the lines correctly, it sounds like the OP is really looking for an "atta boy!" for taking on such a project. That's not unreasonable, IMHO. Really, you don't have to do an exhaustive literature review on transformational leadership to get that giving a little praise to employees every now and then goes a long way. Unfortunately, a lot of managers forget that.

 

[Tat2dHeart]

Next time, in a lighter, more non-aggressive way, I will simply let A know that I do not have time for these projects during work hours, and if they want to charge me for overtime, I will start the project at 5pm once I am off work hours, and we will figure out some sort of pay for my time.

He really could've been cool about it and cut me in, though. Maybe $100 for my time, or whatever. A friggin gift card to Starbucks, I don't care. I still think I would've done that, from a moral standpoint if I were in A's shoes.

I think a happy worker is a productive worker, and the guys here, like A, have the mentality that "we should all just be happy we have a job anyways".

I don't think everyone has the "we should all be happy we have a job anyways" attitude. I see a lot of folks with a lot of years experience in the working world sharing how business works.

In reading some of your additional comments, I don't think your hangup is really all about the money. I think you're more frustrated that you lost some personal time by staying late to get your regular work done after it got displaced by the project and the fact that your boss didn't give you some kind of recognition for getting that project done. IME, people tend to be less hung up on the cash and more hung up on the appreciation.

If you're not happy about the way this went down, go talk to your boss. Let him know that you get that he can hand you whatever projects he chooses to assign, but communicate your limits in a respectful way; e.g., "I'm glad we got that project out on time and that the customer appreciated it. If something like this comes up again, though, can we work out an alternate plan so I don't get so far behind on my regular work? I have commitments outside the office that make it difficult for me to put in 12 hour days on such short notice in order to keep up with the regular workload while these projects are in the queue."

This is called going above and beyond and you bring this type of stuff up when review or raise time comes around...asking for money now is silly and actually counter productive. Would you rather make a stink about it that your boss will always remember and have a few bucks now or another % or 2 on your next raise because you went above and beyond for a couple days?

Id be looking for more of these opportunities to show that you're worth being paid more than you are now... And id probably request the mods delete this thread in the off chance it ever comes back to bite you in the butt.

Tomorrow I'm going to show my boss how changing a procedure we do will make the company over 100k a year... And I don't expect a few grand to get thrown my way... But you bet your butt I'll be looking damn pretty come review time and I actually will end up with that couple grand over the next year.

Think ahead man... Long ball... Not short ball.

+1

I do a lot of on-call work on weekends, vacations, and other unscheduled time-slots. I'm on salary, so I don't get paid for the overtime. I keep track of the projects and the results, and I make sure my boss knows what's having to change in order accommodate the rush. I make notes of all those little things, and at review time, I haul them out and brag about every one of those late night, middle of the weekend, last minute, can you work on your vacation projects. It's earned me a good reputation with the company and an extra 2-3% on more than one occasion. The money's nice, sure, but when the boss's boss comes to my office, sits down and tells me, "I really appreciate that you helped us out with this work on the weekend while you were out of town," it means something.