CAREERS NOW 07-20-08

Shorter Pay and Longer Vacations

DEAR JOYCE: After reading your column last week I pitched my boss for a deserved raise because I'm doing the work of two after company layoffs. He said no, that the company just can't afford it and remain in business. I'm not ready to hunker down and ride out this recession without a raise. More ideas? - G.B.

STAYING PUT. When you can't get the money, try going for more time off. Or if that's not in the cards because you're double-timing it at work, in lieu of higher pay, ask for something else that will make you happier - say, a flex schedule and telecommuting.

Need data to bolster your negotiation platform? Amy Kaminski, marketing manager for Compdata Surveys (compdatasurveys.com), comments on pay pressures that employers face when hiring new employees. Drawing from the firm's new "Compensation Data 2008," a survey of millions of employees across the country in jobs ranging from entry-level to executive-level, Kaminski says:

"Pay increase budgets have remained unchanged over the last five years, causing companies to bolster time-off packages. Currently, organizations are offering extra vacation time when recruiting, and many allow flexible schedules."

Your position is that if your company offers free time instead of money in recruiting, the policy should extend to current employees deserving of a raise but denied because of budget restrictions.

What are today's norms for vacation time? According to the Compdata survey, hourly employees in their first year are typically given 7.0 vacation days.

Salaried employees in their first year are given 8.3 vacation days on average. After their first year, they receive 10.5 days on average. Those with five to nine years of service earn 14.5 days.

Flexible schedules are allowed by 51.6 percent of surveyed companies and are most frequently offered to technical and professional employees, 40.1 percent.

There isn't a law requiring American employers to give vacation time but there could be in the future. Take Back Your Time (timeday.org) is an initiative to challenge the "epidemic of overwork" supporters say is threatening our health, families, relationships, communities and environment. Americans haven't been taking all their time off - it seems that many are afraid to do so, fearing they'll be replaced. That's one reason why many workers strongly support a paid vacation law.

MOVING ON. If you decide you're not the waiting-around type, start out thinking small. Another new survey, the ADP National Employment Report from Automatic Data Processing Inc. and Macroeconomic Advisers, measures job activity from March to April. Small businesses grew by 61,000 jobs during the month while large businesses lost 18,000 jobs and medium-size companies lost 3,000 jobs. What defines size? Small: 1-49 employees; medium: 50-499 employees; large:500 or more employees.

DEAR JOYCE: After working for the same company 12 years, things look shaky and I am preparing to find new employment. I took your advice and checked my salary against the market and guess what? I am being paid less than the market average. Am I going to have trouble getting an offer from another firm that pays market rate? - R. P.G.

Your chances of getting a market-rate offer, especially right now, aren't great. Recruiters are going to think you're satisfied with less, or perhaps that you're a mediocre performer.

If the gap is substantial, you may need to get your compensation up to par with two or three job changes over the next half-dozen years. Without knowing your situation, hanging on and getting a bump where you are may be the better strategy - every extra dollar added to your current pay helps your bargaining position. (On the other hand, if your company is a candidate for collapse, you may want to beat the mob out the door to lessen competition for your next job.)

You need coaching. My favorite salary coach is Jack Chapman (salarynegotiations.com).

DEAR JOYCE: It must be a generational thing. My 19-year-old son went out of the house to his summer job at a tennis shop wearing shorts and flip-flops. I was appalled but he said the owner dressed the same. Is he right? - K.A.V.

If his employer is flip-flopping around in shorts, yes, your son is right. Generally, relaxed summer dress codes in offices still don't include flip-flops, T-shirts, shorts or mini-skirts.

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