Am I being paid fairly ?

Question

I worked at The Home Depot last year from Feb. to August, then I went off to college then came back this summer and decided to stay here. Well, I was temp the second time around and was paid $7.50... I recently found out from other cashiers who have no experience and they are getting paid more than me. This frustrates me because I love this job and I feel that its not fair... I'm also bilingual and I always have interpret for other associates ? Am i getting paid fairly or should politely ask to be paid what I am worth ? This makes me feel that I'm not good enough to work there.

Hurt in Texas

Answer 1

I think you should tell your manager that you are having a hard time making ends meet with your money, and ask if there are any other responsibilities around the store that you can take on to receive an increase in your pay.  Chances are they will evaluate what you are making and compare to your co-workers and they may give you some extra duties, or they may not, but let them know you are interested in more money, and you are interested in working for it, you just might get it.

Be polite; ask if there is anything you can do with your bilingual abilities!  However it's not appropriate to discuss your pay with your co-workers so do not point out to your manager that you know how much they make.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

do you mean you were hired by home depot on a temporary basis

OR do you mean you work for a temp agency?

if you work for home depot discuss with your manager about becoming permanent, perhaps since you left last time for school they have assumed that is the plan again. communication will go a long way to resolve this issue for you.

if you work for the agency your pay is based on their contract and a raise probably is not going to happen until they renegotiate OR home depot hires you. again communication will help you to understand your position and what the plan is for the future but that communication needs to happen between you and the agency..

Answer 3

You say that they don't have more experience but have they been there longer? That's a very big factor.  It doesn't matter what the business is; ow long someone has been employed by a company determines how much they are being paid.  I'm willing to bet that ey are considering your full-time work only which is reasonable.

If you've been there as long as the others and all of them are being paid more than the minimum wage then I would suggest that you go to the personnel office and ask them what the requirements are for you to be paid more.

Never put a boss on the defensive which is what you would do with your question.  You are infering that he isn't being fair.

Answer 4

You bit you should asked for more. A bilingual gets paid more in all jobs. You are worth it.

Anna del C.

Author of "The Elf and the Princess"

and "Trouble in the Elf City"