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    smithvirgo's Avatar
    smithvirgo Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:38 PM
    Boss cutting my salary
    I've been at my company for about 6 months. My base salary was $50,000. No insurance, no 401k or retirement plan. This is a very small company (6 employees). I live and work in CT which is an AT-WILL state. I was brought on to be an account manager and bring in new business. Now, the accounts my boss wants me to break into are huge and nearly impossible to get into without a referral. I drive an hour to and from work, sit at my desk from 9-5 and hustle. Like I said, I try my best to break into these accounts as well as manager 2 large accounts that my boss had brought in years ago. I prospect like crazy and really try to leverage my previous connections from my other jobs as a sales rep.
    I haven't brought it one new account (bc it's difficult to get into these accounts) but I've made my quota each month (by working my other large accounts that were given to me).
    I had a meeting today and my boss said they love having me on the team and they don't want to lose me. She said I'm doing a great job managing my 2 accounts but since I haven't brought in any "new" accounts they want to lower my salary down to $35,000. That's a $15,000 per year pay cut. I was getting $50,000- that's not that much in CT. I'm also a single Mom and always worked from home. This job requires me to be in from 9-5 so I Have to leave the house at 7:50 am and I don't get home until 6 - 7 PM. The traffic in CT is horrible. I spend about $400 per month on gas. I know most people are gone all day and work longer hours than that but I was always used to working from home so this has been a huge change in my life (and my daughters life)
    My question is, should I negotiate back? I will still get full commission on any deals I sell and for every 3 new accounts I bring in (granted I make a sale at those new accounts)- I get $5,000 added to my base salary. I can get up to $50,000 and earn back my full salary.
    I want to accept the offer on one condition- they let me work from home 3 days per week. That would save me so much money and my life would be less complicated. I usually don't have time to budget for groceries and end up spending so much on take out and eating out for lunch. I hardly have time to pack my lunch so I eat out about 3 times per week ($100) (yes, CT is ridiculously expensive). SO essentially I would be saving money on food and gas. Plus, I could work out and enjoy the nice weather. My boss said she doesn't want to lose me and she said she loves having me a part of her team. Do I push back with 1 or 2 scenarios or just leave it as I'll take the pay cut but I want to work from home 3 days a week? HELP
    smoothy's Avatar
    smoothy Posts: 25,492, Reputation: 2853
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    #2

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:42 PM
    Personally... if I had to deal with that... I'd look for another employer. That kind of stress will shorten your life.
    smithvirgo's Avatar
    smithvirgo Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:44 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by smoothy View Post
    Personally... if I had to deal with that... I'd look for another employer. That kind of stress will shorten your life.
    I agree- I've already gained 12 lbs in 6 months by working here... ugh. If I can work from home I'll be happier.
    odinn7's Avatar
    odinn7 Posts: 7,691, Reputation: 1547
    Entomology Expert
     
    #4

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:45 PM
    Keep in mind...if you make a counter offer...they could just tell you to hit the road. It all comes down to what you really feel is going to happen...nobody here can know that.

    Me? I would accept the offer and then look for another job.
    smithvirgo's Avatar
    smithvirgo Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #5

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:48 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by odinn7 View Post
    Keep in mind...if you make a counter offer...they could just tell you to hit the road. It all comes down to what you really feel is going to happen...nobody here can know that.

    Me? I would accept the offer and then look for another job.
    Thanks for the response, I feel like they would accept it- they let us work from home all the time, this would just be formalized. Also, a girl was hired the same day I started and she asked to work from home 4 days a week and they agreed (she lived 12 miles south of me)- that's what makes me think they would agree to it?
    smoothy's Avatar
    smoothy Posts: 25,492, Reputation: 2853
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    #6

    Apr 7, 2014, 12:52 PM
    WHat have you got to lose... that will lbuy you time... and you wouldn't have to take the first job you find then... you could wait for better offers.

    But that level of stress is going to cause heart problems... high blood pressure and generally result in a lower quality of life... for what is really NOT all that much money complareed to what the costs to your health, physical and mental are.
    Fr_Chuck's Avatar
    Fr_Chuck Posts: 81,301, Reputation: 7692
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    #7

    Apr 8, 2014, 05:27 AM
    Most companies, have requirements for new accounts, even if making sale quota, since they want to grow more business. Actually you are lucky to keep your job, and if you do not find new accounts soon, even smaller ones, you may soon be out of a job.
    joypulv's Avatar
    joypulv Posts: 21,591, Reputation: 2941
    current pert
     
    #8

    Apr 8, 2014, 05:43 AM
    WAIT a sec - what's this 'they let us work from home all the time? Do you or don't you go in every day? If others get away with working from home, why are you so concerned about asking? It's all a matter of how you present it. Start with a brief but glowing love of the work and the company, without sounding phony, and then just say 'I can work some of the financial loss into my budget if I can save on food costs and gas, and formalize a work from home arrangement.'

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