SavvySugar

Schwarzenegger's Wage Threat: A State Employee's Reaction

SavvySugar — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:00:51 -0700

As California Democrats and Republicans struggle to find a satisfactory compromise and seal the deal on a new and overdue state budget, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's frustration has risen to the point of making threats. He's considering an executive order that would reduce 200,000 state employees' salaries to the $6.55 per hour federal minimum wage, which CitizenSugar points out is $1.45 less than the state's minimum wage.

A good friend of mine happens to be a hard-working California state employee, so I asked him for his thoughts on the governor's threat and how it would affect him should the order go through this week.

SavvySugar: How would something like this affect the public sector?

State Employee: I think it is a fair assumption that state employees do not jump into the public sector expecting some great financial windfall as a result. No, most people are doing it for a sense of security. Every month you are going to get your paycheck and you are going to get it on the first or the 30th and that's it. Likewise, you are going to have not just financial security, but job security. In general terms a concept such as the one which Arnold is proposing would overthrow one big benefit of being a public sector employee.

See his thoughts on the concept of Arnold's threat and how he'd personally be affected when you read more.

SS: What's your opinion on the concept in general?

SE: The fact of the matter is these are hard financial times for many people and by cutting people's salaries, in some cases up to 90 percent, you are putting their livelihood in dire straits and for what purpose? Stymieing the ability for 200,000 state employees to subsist on their own financially seems like a very backward way to help quell the budget crisis.

SS: How would you be affected? Does the fact that your salary would be paid retroactively make it no big deal?

SE: For me personally, I have enough savings that I could stand a few months without making my regular hourly pay, but it would be tight. I actually figured out what my pretax paycheck would be under the governor's proposal of lowering the salary to $6.55 an hour, and it comes out to $1135 a month. My paycheck after taxes would pay rent and that's it. No food, no water bill, no electric bill, nothing, just rent.

Source

Do You Feel Like the Economy Is Getting Better?

SavvySugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:00:15 -0800

Word on the street is that the worst of the recession is over. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke declared as much in mid-September, and the economy actually grew instead of shrinking in the third quarter of this year. So, in theory, things should be on the upswing.

But firsthand experience tells us maybe not so much. Consumer spending is down over last year as we all try to keep our holiday spending in check, and there hasn’t been much new job creation.

In fact, I’m still hearing stories from friends, state employees in particular, who are experiencing layoffs, pay cuts, and involuntary furloughs. What has your personal experience been?

Ask Savvy: How Should I Critique My Co-Worker?

SavvySugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:00:38 -0800

Dear Savvy,

Today, my manager called me asking me to write up a report about a fellow co-worker. I had mentioned that she was having some difficulties adjusting to the workplace, that she was rude to us, and where she was getting better but that she still often isn't on task. I told her that I would, but I just sat down to write it and have no idea what to say, how to say it, etc. Any suggestions?

Savvy says: Your manager is essentially asking you to put your spoken criticism in writing. See my thoughts on this situation when you read more.

Your manager is taking your co-worker concerns seriously which means they need to be added to her employee file. It's not a test for you; it's simply your manager's job to make sure that all complaints are recorded appropriately, and it's more legitimate to have the report coming from the person that has witnessed reportable behavior.

You obviously had enough to say about the situation when you originally presented the complaints, so just expand on what you've already told the manager. You say that she's having difficulties adjusting to the workplace, so you should state that along with a deeper explanation of why you feel that way. Each judgment should be paired with a real-office observation to illustrate what's going on with your co-worker - this will keep your report sounding professional.

You don't need to go off on tangents about the co-worker, just write enough to get your point across. Also keep in mind that you don't have to include every little imperfection you've seen in the individual. It's better to focus on the big things (like the fact that she's often off-task) rather than her habit of taking an extra five minutes at lunch (or something equally minimal).

Have a question for me? Ask away by posting your questions in my Ask Savvy group and I may answer it on the site!

Schwarzenegger Terminates Full Salaries of State Employees

SavvySugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 04:02:27 -0700

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man of his word this week. His threat to significantly cut the salaries of 200,000 state employees if lawmakers failed to produce a budget turned into reality when he signed an executive order reducing their pay to $6.55 an hour. The Governor's order also eliminates more than 20,000 state jobs, saying the state can't pay its bills without a budget.

Today, I am exercising my executive authority to avoid a full-blown crisis and keep our state moving forward. This is not an action I take lightly, but we do not have a budget, and as governor, I have a responsibility to make sure our state has enough money to pay its bills.

Needless to say, state employees facing enormous pay cuts are not happy about the situation. Karen Bass, the speaker of the State Assembly, shows her solidarity with the workforce: "It is an unwise and unfortunate move to cause economic strife to public servants and their families who are working hard and playing by the rules."

Source

Should Hooters Waitresses Have to Pay For Their Own Uniforms?

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Hooters is one of the rare establishments where the workers' uniforms are more famous than the food. In some states, employees are required to cover the bill for their orange outfits, but New York isn't one of those places. That's why two New York women are suing Hooters for forcing them to buy their own work wardrobes.

Gina Rosati and Amy Frederick say Hooters required them to buy the getup, and their lawyer says it's against state law to make employees purchase anything other than street clothes. The total for each uniform is $19.45, broken down below. What do you think; should the ladies be responsible for the job-related expenses?

$5.45 for orange hot pants
$6 for the Hooters embellished tank top
$3.25 for a pouch
$2.50 for "suntan" pantyhose
$2.25 for thick white socks

Not So Smooth Criminal Steals $11 Million For Love

SavvySugar — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 04:30:12 -0700

Crazy in love might be one way to describe Michelle Cawthra, a former Colorado Department of Revenue employee who stole $11 million in unclaimed tax refunds from her employer. With her morals blinded by love, Michelle deposited unclaimed tax refunds and other state money into her ex-boyfriend's bank accounts over the course of two years.

She received a 24-year sentence after pleading guilty to racketeering and testified, "I did things I don't think I otherwise would have done had I not been in love with him." Those things included using co-workers' passwords, forging documents, and creating fake businesses to deflect detection. Talk about a nightmare employee. The crime beneficiary, ex-beau Hysear Randell, is currently on trial for theft, forgery, computer crime, and racketeering.

Employers Experimenting With a 24-Hour Work Week

SavvySugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:15:44 -0800

The four-day work week has been a popular option for employers looking to save money without losing employees, and some companies have started slashing hours even more, going as low as 24-hours per week. A three-day work week means part-time pay, making it harder for many workers to make ends meet.

The difference in maintaining health benefits at some companies is a mere eight hours - a 32-hour week could mean continued coverage, while a 24-hour week could mean you're out of luck. New York employers cutting hours may have more incentive to keep health benefits in tact. A state program allows employees to collect unemployment benefits to help cover the difference resulting from reduced salaries, but their employers must not have cut benefits in order for them to qualify for the program.

Some workers are embracing the three-day work week, particularly if they have kids at home, but others struggle with the financial hardship it causes and are having trouble adjusting to a choppy schedule. I would definitely need to find additional work if my salary were slashed by 40 percent. How would you handle a huge pay cut?

Source

Some Employers Saying Stay Home With No Pay

SavvySugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:30:11 -0800

Employers are starting to resort to measures other than layoffs to make it through these trying economic times. They can't get rid of all staff if they want to stay in business, but they also can't afford to fulfill their payroll obligations. Working without pay isn't an option so some companies are asking employees to stay home without pay as a cost-saving measure.

The Seattle Times is one of many newspapers struggling to stay afloat, and on Friday it asked 500 managers and nonunion workers to take a week off without pay before the end of February. The news comes after the paper already laid of 500 workers in 2008, and precedes more layoffs to come in 2009.

The very same day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called for new payroll policies in the face of increasingly unmanageable budget problems in the state of California. He announced a hiring freeze, payroll cuts, and ordered the 235,000 state employees to take two days off every month without pay as of Feb. 1.

Source

Which Employees Are Most at Risk for Layoffs?

SavvySugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:30:43 -0700

Unemployment numbers have been rising throughout the year, with the economy losing more than 600,000 jobs so far. If a company is facing financial trouble that mandates cutting overhead costs, we're all left wondering, will it be my head or hers? Maintaining a live document with your job history is a good idea no matter the state of the economy, but now more than ever before in your professional lives it may pay off to be prepared. There are certain factors that play into an employer's decision to hand a pink slip to one employee over another - find out what they are when you read more.

CNN Money asked several recruiting experts for insight about the factors that contribute to deciding which employees are the first to be laid off. Here are some of their remarks:

Job performance: Last hired, first fired, is an old way of thinking. Management focuses on keeping their best talent - those who are productive and consistently produce quality work. Instead of resting on tenure, every employee's goal should be to make themselves as valuable as possible to her employer.
Salary: Higher paid employees are more at risk and will have to work hard to prove they are worth the money.
Business need: When money is tight, companies may cut entire departments if they are not cost effective and aren't essential to business operations.

Are you worried about losing your job?

Source

News Flash: Utah Embraces the 4-Day Work Week

SavvySugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 04:04:42 -0700

Eighty percent of you think a four-day work week is a great idea, so many of you are probably about to have a few minutes of Utah envy right about now. Next month, Utah state employees will put in 10-hour days four days a week, opening up Fridays for whatever they please. There are some issues with the compressed work week like child-care for longer working hours and public transportation, but many workers are already busy planning how they'll spend their extra free time.

The initiative is built around reducing the state's energy costs and commuter's gas bills, and Utah is the first state to experiment with the four-day work week for its employees. Public offices will extend their hours to accommodate working residents that need to use their services before and after regular work hours. Other states considering moving to a condensed work week will be paying close attention to how energy bills and employee productivity will be affected.