Guess I'm back on the job market...

[itbereet]

I started a new job in a different sector as we went into the first lockdown. It's been a steep learning curve and I have worked my arse off. Love the people in the organisation, and have got the experience that I wanted.

Too much to go into now but it's been a fairly bumpy ride. My workload is immense and my manager has got a temp to help me. The admin side is onerous and just takes over.

My role is specialised and I've over 15 years experience, but found out today that the temp, who is only doing basic admin, is paid exactly the same as me.

I got really angry and had to rein it in, be professional etc. but I'm really disappointed, frustrated and have signed up for two agencies already.

I will speak to my manager but I can't believe how upset, disappointed and angry I am about this! I was so close to telling the CEO where he could stick his job but you know, kids. mortgage...

Rant over

Are you being paid badly or is the temp being paid well?

If you like it, why don’t you figure out what you should be paid, all the reasons they should want to hold onto you, and what more brilliant things you will do for them in the future, and go negotiate your salary in the NY

Just walking out in a strop is weird. If you don’t demand what you are worth HR will always pay as little as they can.

I agree with PP. At least try and negotiate but have the other options available via agencies so you can negotiate dispassionately. Good luck.

Is it the money the temp is actually paid or the money they’re paying a temp agency?

Don’t forget the temp rate includes holiday pay at over 12%. They might have been the only person available, so it could be that your company values you highly enough to pay above the going rate to get you some support.

Instead of being angry pick up some negotiation tips from the temp person. Short term contracts tend to pay better because they are only temporary.

I certainly wouldn't do a temp job for the normal rate. Temporary work should pay a premium.

Remember temps are paid better because they are temps. They do not earn security of tenure, pensions, other benefits etc. They also have to allow for the fact they may work 4 months then be unemployed for a month or two.

Does that money include the agency fee?

So best to check what her package really includes, before you use the knowledge to negotiate a pay rise. Good luck.

If the temp is under an umbrella company they'll also have employers NI coming out of the pay first - 13.8% over the threshold.

Is the temp a contractor? I have a specialised role and run our team and am responsible for hiring in it, and we are so desperate for support right now, and the market is so crazy that we are paying some contractors insane rates (some admin contractors on substantially more than me). It is no reflection on what we think of our staff, other than we like them and want them to be supported so for now we are paying what it takes to make it happen. I am concerned about where it will take us in the long run, and obviously, in an ideal world, I’d argue for paying our own staff more, but for the time being we are doing what is needed…

Yeah, hold your horses.

It’s not easy to compare a temp rate to that of an employee.

Are you basing this on what the temp is paid, or what the agency charges?

Were you happy with your salary before you knew what the Temp was being paid?
Is your salary reasonable for your role and experience ?
If so then it doesn’t really matter what anyone else gets

There is a premium paid for temp/contracting work because of the lack of security and benefit etc like pps said. For me it would depend on how junior the temp is and what the market rate actually is for your/her position.
Put it another way, since you are thinking of moving on, would you consider temp work yourself? If you wouldn’t, even for more money, then maybe what she is getting paid is fair.
If you know you are being paid less than similar perm roles in your field, by all means bring it up with your manager.

There is definitely a premium being paid to contracting staff at the moment due to massive labour shortages - people have not become more efficient the only justification is lack of supply, take a deep breath, and don't be stupid going in all guns blazing - our contractors get paid more than our senior managers - but if we didn't pay the contractors our senior managers would be on their knees - it the current market, it's crazy!

Don't just walk because of money. Blot it out.

This time last year I was a confident at work full-timer 39 year who was paid 1,200 less then the actual part timer - over the course of a year since leaving that job, my confidence has taken such a battering for just following da money and seriously thinking I should ever be paid more......and I've ended up in some crud jobs because they paid more then the job with the part timer to start with.

There are so many other things to be upset about at a time when job roles can be not as they are titled even. In my most recent of the year terrible sales job all the agents are on a different commissions so it has taught me never ever be really bothered with what the next person makes.

Getting on a work place and that security is just golden.