the new overtime law is here — if you earn less than $35,568, read this by Alison Green on January 6, 2020 Now that you’re back at work for the new year, you might be seeing some major changes to your pay. The new federal overtime law went into effect last week on January 1. Here’s what it means for you: If you earn less than $35,568, you now must be paid overtime (time and a half) when […] Read the full article →
interviewer wants to know my current salary (with an update already included!) by Alison Green on December 9, 2019 I sometimes answer letters privately that I don’t publish here (due to the volume of mail I receive), and I thought this exchange was worth sharing (with the writer’s permission). In September I received this letter: I’ve interviewed with a great company that I am very interested in. I’m close to getting an offer. At […] Read the full article →
asking for a raise is easier than you think by Alison Green on November 18, 2019 With lots of employers doing performance reviews and year-end raises this month, now is a good time to ask for a raise. But will you? I’ve been shocked – horrified, really – by how many people tell me they never ask for raises. Some people rely on their company’s system of merit raises (or worse, […] Read the full article →
employer required me to agree to a salary during our first conversation by Alison Green on October 29, 2019 A reader writes: I was recently interviewing with a nonprofit, and in the screening interview, a brief 15-minute conversation with HR, I was asked my salary requirements. I named a number I thought was reasonable and was told this was over what had been budgeted. HR asked me to confirm, then and there, that I […] Read the full article →
the new overtime pay law is here (for real this time) by Alison Green on September 24, 2019 The U.S. Department of Labor issued a final ruling today on the question of what salary level should make workers exempt from overtime pay, and here it is: If you earn less than $35,568, then starting on January 1, 2020 you must be paid overtime (time and a half) when you work more than 40 hours […] Read the full article →
will it hurt me if my current salary is much less than a job’s posted range? by Alison Green on August 20, 2019 A reader writes: You’ve made clear your thoughts regarding employment applications that request the applicant’s current salary. One concern I saw mentioned frequently in the comments is the fear that employers might reject a candidate applying for a lower-paid position, thinking that person will be out of their price range. I have the opposite question. […] Read the full article →
my job is getting reposted for a lot more money than I’m making now by Alison Green on August 14, 2019 A reader writes: I’m quitting my job in a month and moving to a new country to start graduate school. Hooray! I’ve been at this place for a few years and genuinely like it (except for the low pay and terrible benefits, but that’s nonprofit life for you), so I made sure to give my […] Read the full article →
should recruiters tell you up-front what a job pays? by Alison Green on July 24, 2019 A reader writes: How common is it for recruiters to disclose salary range for positions when they reach out to you? I’ve heard colleagues who have professions that are highly technical and in demand talk about how recruiters have disclosed salary ranges to them for the openings they are recruiting for. This has helped my […] Read the full article →
another salary negotiation success story by Alison Green on July 19, 2019 A reader writes: I just wanted to share a my recent success story with you. I started an admin role about nine months ago, thinking that it would be an in to a field I was interested in. I quickly learned that I not only find admin work mind-numbingly boring, I’m also not very good […] Read the full article →
can my employer dock my time off when I work less than 40 hours if I’m salaried? by Alison Green on June 27, 2019 A reader writes: I work for a small company (fewer than five employees) in an industry where 50% of our business happens in the fourth quarter. During the months of October and November, I regularly work 70 or more hours per week, and as a salaried employee I don’t get overtime or comp time for […] Read the full article →