Three months ago, I was hired as one of four shift supervisors for a unit in a local hospital: two on days, two on nights. I was to be one of the daytime supervisors. The unit is budgeted for 14 employees. They had 11 at the time I was hired.
When they made the offer, I was not entirely satisfied with the pay offered. I asked them if there was room for negotiation, and HR told me no. I told them that I would have to contact them in a day or two. I talked it over with my wife, and we took the offered pay.
After I was hired, one of the night supervisors had to resign because his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Two of the others transferred to other departments within two months of me being hired. I am the only supervisor left. On top of that, two employees retired and three resigned in the past month. We are operating by using overtime employees from other units, and by hiring temporary travel nurses.
As a result, I have been working 12 hours a day, six days a week. It’s been tough. I am exhausted.
Yesterday they hired another day shift supervisor, and I begin training him in two weeks. We will be splitting the day schedule: three days one week, four the next. The problem I have?
I got his new hire packet, and I am livid. He is making ten percent more than I am, and he doesn’t have as many certifications or as much experience as I do. He is ten years younger than I am. I went to my boss (the department director), who told me that pay is decided by HR, and suggested I talk to them. So I did.
They refuse to talk to me about the other employee, his experience, or his pay. I get that. They also said that my certifications are not pertinent to pay, because they aren’t required for the job.
I like the job, and I was happy with the conditions, and satisfied with the pay. Until I saw his, and realized that I am training an employee less qualified and making more money.
I just saw another job at another nearby hospital. I am more than qualified for that, and they are offering a four-figure signing bonus. The difference is that I don’t think it will be as satisfying or challenging. I applied. If I am offered the job (which I probably will be), and the pay is higher (I don’t know) I will use it as a bargaining chip where I am. If that doesn’t get me what I want, I might just walk.
I don’t know yet. Stay where I like the job, but am not respected and not making as much as I could? Or a less fulfilling job that is more lucrative?
I guess that will depend on how this plays out.
11 Comments
Big Country · May 25, 2021 at 10:54 am
is the new job -easier-? If it is, you owe nothing to the goobers who gave you the high hard one. I’d tell them two things… your boss is obviously a crapweasel. If your boss was a standup guy, he would have said “Hey, can’t afford to lose this guy, pay him”, call him on it, AND the HR folks could give a rats anus about you. Tell ’em to pound sand. My opinion. These days I sure as hell wouldn’t take ANY schiesse from ANY company in any way, shape or form. Not witht he current dire straights of employment vis-a-vis qual’d individuals.
Ersatz Naugahyde · May 25, 2021 at 1:10 pm
+1. Boss is a complete Douche Rocket.
HR doesn’t care about your job satisfaction either. You’re in a highly sought after profession. No reason you can’t find both job satisfaction and compensation.
Jen · May 25, 2021 at 11:01 am
Walk.
MN Steel · May 25, 2021 at 11:20 am
Take another class and get another certification. Shows motivation in improving your value to the company, that you’re not just another worker-bee trading time for money.
why · May 25, 2021 at 11:34 am
From a business perspective, most employees who negotiated a higher salary still left after 6 months. Why? It wasn’t the pay that was the issue as much as the working conditions. Meaning – they paid you more but still crapped on you.
From a contract employee’s position (I live and die by contracts), I walk if the contract becomes null and void. I have never failed to complete my contractual obligations, but many a company has failed on their’s.
looper · May 25, 2021 at 11:52 am
They told you upfront what they think of you (non-negotiable)
IF you threaten THEN they paymatch….what about the next hire or next issue…You did not mention if a diversity hire, that is a huge point.
If you feel you are treated well AND fair…stay
if not…walk..you owe nothing more than you promised to give.
Yankee Terrier · May 25, 2021 at 1:30 pm
They treated you shabbily, go for the money…If they ask why tell you FUPM!
Miguel GFZ · May 25, 2021 at 1:34 pm
You are not getting any younger. Satisfaction and pride only go so far and they are not accepted at Publix to buy groceries.
Be mercenary as you head to retirement…. yes, you will eventually get there.
Ben C · May 25, 2021 at 1:36 pm
This employer has had no respect for you from the start and when you objected both the boss and the HR continue think little of you. The question now isn’t if you leave, it is how soon. They will never trrat you well where you are.
Don Curton · May 26, 2021 at 7:36 am
As others have mentioned, walk. Don’t bother going back to HR, their whole job is to screw you over in favor of the company. Your bosses will defer to HR because of cowardice. There is ZERO company loyalty to the employees anymore. We are treated as a disposable commodity.
I was in a similar situation where I had to train new people coming in who were offered more money than my salary after I had been there for years. I should have walked then, but I stupidly stuck around. I got transferred to the worst plants because I was good at what I did and they wanted me to fix stuff. I got passed over on promotions because I stupidly pointed out what was wrong and then tried to fix it. After 15 years with one company, I finally left.
The new company immediately increased my salary by 15%, then another 10% with a year. Better working conditions, better hours, and better location (I needed a good area with good schools at the time cause children).
And as Miguel mentioned, after 50 you need to start being a mercenary in terms of work and retirement planning. Although with Biden in charge, retirement is not looking too good. Any savings is being devalued faster than the COLA is rising. Take the money and run.
someguy · May 27, 2021 at 10:00 pm
Late answer but trying to paymatch and stay is a loser’s game. They won’t think much of you for going outside then staying if they raise, and you’ll always have a bad taste in your mouth. HR’s job is to “protect” the org: legal compliance, retirement fund compliance etc, not to manage your career. If they told you no negotiation when hired and won’t do anything now after you’ve demonstrated your abilities, it’s time to move on.
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