[PackerBacker12]

I’ve been working at a new job for 2 months now and both the ad and my boss said that I would be paid a salary for the entire year plus overtime rather than be paid on an hourly basis. However I’ve noticed that my gross paychecks every 2 weeks aren’t the same amount as they should be if I’m being paid a salary. Instead they are different amount which means that I’m being paid hourly because there are some days where I don’t work a full 8 hrs. My question is how should I bring this to my boss’ attention?

[jenpen]

Would it even out somehow over the normal 2080 hours per year?

Regardless, since you are still new, I would think you would be able to approach your boss and just ask if it is correct. Just say that you were under the impression it would be salary, and the paychecks are not reflecting that.

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[Missy]

Maybe not a lie but he misspoke at the very least. You're either exempt or you're not and its really not at the employers discretion there are laws about who can and can not be exempt.

Do you get paid for holidays right away? Are you punching a clock or turning in a time card? Do you have an offer letter that gives the amount you are to be paid per week? Are you positive your deductions haven't changed like 401k starting after 30 days?

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Anonymous]

Look at your employment contract and see what it says. If it's in writing and you signed it, then it doesn't matter what you agreed upon before signing the contract (parol evidence rule) 😛

If you brought it up, I'm sure they would correct any mistakes if it was unintentional.

I would just email the person you interviewed with/your boss if its a smaller firm or the office manager/HR if it's a larger firm and schedule a time to sit with them and ask about it. Bring a copy of your stub and a copy of any support indicating that you are supposed to be on a salary basis.

Question, do you get any benefits at all? Typically hourly employees are contract basis without full benefits rather than permanent full time salary employees with benefits.

[Missy]

Hourly employees who work on average 30 hours a week or more must be given the same benefits as a full time employee it's the law. There's a big difference between w-2 employees and contract employees but generally if the employer dictates when where and how you work they can't legally call you a contract employee.

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Anonymous]

True. The last sentence of my previous post would be better read as “typically *contract employees are *hourly basis without full benefits”.

But I'm pretty sure the Big 4 and other large firms bring on contract-to-hire employees and they are treated just the same as full-time, permanent employees and have the same expectations (if not higher)…the only difference is they don't get full benefits.

Which makes me wonder why would anyone work a contract-to-hire position? It mostly seems like it's the employers way of saying “we don't want to take the risk of bringing you on full-time so that way we can use you and work you like a dog and if it doesn't work out we can easily get rid of you.”

Then again, it could be that the employer is truly just testing the waters and might bring an individual on as a contract so that way if they are a quality performer then they can easily transition them seamlessly into a higher Managerial position for example (from 6 month Contract to Manager)…rather than bringing them on as a full-time Senior in the first place for example then it would take longer and more difficult to make Manager because they would have to wait 12+ months before a performance review, etc. and the individual might get bored/frustrated and leave.

Anyway, I'm probably just incoherently rambling at this point. Just needed a bit of a distraction from all the REG cramming.

[andjela]

I would talk to HR rather than my boss and ask them to explain my pay stub to me. Then I would compare that to my contract. I hope it all gets sorted out 🙂

[Recked]

Comparison of paystubs will show you the differences.
You may have heard yearly salary, but they may have just said salary.

Typically you don't get yearly salary PLUS overtime.
You don't get the best of both worlds.

Also, do some calculations re: hourly salary you are earning now and factor in anticipated OT during busy seasons.
See if it makes $ sense for you to make a fuss over. You might end up making out better with the OT.

[CoachEmUp]

Check the pay stubs. Are there medical withholdings being taken out? Those are usually only deducted once a month so that could vary your pay.

Either way the answer to your question will be on the pay stub.

[Author]

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