# appropriate pay for employee in new biz



## fancyneat (Feb 1, 2013)

Hello! I was wondering if I could get some advice. I work for my mom and dad. I have been working there since 2011. I am their only employee. when we 1st opened in 2011 I would work 35 hours a week. now its less. they said since we weren't making that much money they couldn't pay me that much. so after taxes I only make either $43.17 (1/2 week) or a check for $86.35 (for a full week). Does this seem fair? what could the solution be since we aren't making that much income because with the bills that's what it seems like. however, one week I did make 800.00 and they still only paid me for a full week, ($86.35). thanks very much!!!


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

fancyneat said:


> Hello! I was wondering if I could get some advice. I work for my mom and dad. I have been working there since 2011. I am their only employee. when we 1st opened in 2011 I would work 35 hours a week. now its less. they said since we weren't making that much money they couldn't pay me that much. so after taxes I only make either $43.17 (1/2 week) or a check for $86.35 (for a full week). Does this seem fair? what could the solution be since we aren't making that much income because with the bills that's what it seems like. however, one week I did make 800.00 and they still only paid me for a full week, ($86.35). thanks very much!!!


What do you do?? What is the business?


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## shayne0307 (May 18, 2011)

@ukracer asked some good questions. Are you located in the US? If so you can fairly expect your parents, no matter what your job is, to pay you at least the minimum wage......or hopefully you can make arrangements/contract, that when the business starts doing better, that they make up the difference.
I do understand how you feel. My daughter works for me and it really is a pain in the arse.....but she is very good and I don't think I can find someone to do everything she does for what I pay....I pay the minimum wage and she gets a bonus when we vend and do well.
I am trying to find someone else, but I know I can't afford someone that will do all the things that she does, so I try to be fair.
Now, if you are a teen and still in school, than you should just help out because what ever the business makes I'm sure is for the entire family......so you should not expect anything......


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## KristineH (Jan 23, 2013)

They need to pay the legal minimum wage. Or find another print shop to work at. My parents run our biz and I've been working here my entire life. Never have I received less than what I earned (when I was younger than 15 they could pay me whatever because of the family employee laws in our state, which was fine, what did I need money for at 12??) - my parents would go without salary before their children would. Have a serious discussion on your income or have a serious discussion on you finding another job.


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## shayne0307 (May 18, 2011)

fancyneat said:


> I am 33 year old female. not married, no kids.


 Not sure why I was thinking that you would be much younger. None-the-less, I would certainly have a long and serious conversation with them. Do you still live at home? if so you may expect the "you live here for free" speech. If that is the case request to be paid a reasonable salary then you can afford to make a contribution to the household expenses, but at least then you will have some options. 
If they do not have time to run the business, and since it seems as though you do just about everything, ask them to let you have the business and pay them a monthly fee or something like that. So if the business does not make any money and you are part owner, then you get what you get. Otherwise, they should at a minimum pay you the minimum wage.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

What's your living situation? If you're 33 and your parents provide you with room, food, and pay all the household utilities, let you use the car, etc. this might be reasonably decent pay. (I don't know if they do this, I'm just speculating.) 

Federal minimum wage is $7.25 so that would be $254 for a 35 hour week. If you can rent an apartment, pay your bills, buy food, gas for the car, make a car payment and still have $86 left at the end of each week, that's not a bad deal.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

Well, in that case your pay is too low. (How can you possibly live on your own making $2.00 an hour? 

If it was me I'd quit today and apply for any number of jobs where you'll make at least the $7.25.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

fancyneat said:


> I would work 35 hours a week. now its less...I only make either $43.17 (1/2 week) or a check for $86.35 (for a full week).


You don't indicate how many hours now makes up a half week and a full week.



fancyneat said:


> ...one week I did make 800.00 and they still only paid me for a full week, ($86.35)...


If you work at an hourly rate what do you base earning $800 on?



fancyneat said:


> I am 33 year old female. not married, no kids.


It would still be helpful for some of us to know if you are in the U.S. However, whether you live in the U.S. or not, do you live with your parents paying no rent and no bills? If that is the case it changes things a little (not saying legally). If you don't have to pay rent or bills you should you should figure what you would have to pay to have a place of your own with all the expenses that go along with it and add what you make a month from your parents Divide that by the hours you worked in the month and you have what you are really getting paid an hour.

Now if you are living on your own with all the bills in the U.S. and that is your only job I don't know how you do it.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

Mtnview said:


> You don't indicate how many hours now makes up a half week and a full week.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Disregard these questions. I was typing this out when Ripcord asked them.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

fancyneat said:


> I would make 500.00 a week in sales and was only paid for at the most a full week...


Even if you worked as a sales rep for your parents or another company you can't expect to get $500 out of $500 in sales. A sales rep gets a percentage of the sales typically.

I agree with Ripcord. Find another job paying minimum wage at least.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

Mtnview said:


> I agree with Ripcord. Find another job paying minimum wage at least.


I wish when typing responses to threads we could see and read new ones coming in. 2 jobs besides this one and with all it sounds like you do I don't know how you have any free time and maybe you don't.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

fancyneat said:


> ... my "boss" told me to F$#@ing quit. we are in the USA. I don't live at home. I have lived on my own since 25 years old.


I would take the advice of your 'boss'.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

Unless you consider what you have learned as valuable for your own future needs you can never get that time back if it is not worth it to you. If nothing else quit and enjoy the time you would spend there doing things you like to do.


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## johnnyb57 (May 26, 2012)

Sounds like there taking advantage of you, to the point of abuse...Since your doing everything what do they do, and whats there pay ?


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

fancyneat said:


> Hello! I was wondering if I could get some advice. I work for my mom and dad. I have been working there since 2011. I am their only employee. when we 1st opened in 2011 I would work 35 hours a week. now its less. they said since we weren't making that much money they couldn't pay me that much. so after taxes I only make either $43.17 (1/2 week) or a check for $86.35 (for a full week). Does this seem fair? what could the solution be since we aren't making that much income because with the bills that's what it seems like. however, one week I did make 800.00 and they still only paid me for a full week, ($86.35). thanks very much!!!


What do you do?? What is the business?


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

ukracer said:


> What do you do?? What is the business?


You already posted this Andy and it was answered.


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

shayne0307 said:


> Not sure why I was thinking that you would be much younger.


How did you find that post to quote?? I cant see where age and sex were mentioned.. That said a lot of things can be assumed and minimum wages quoted but if the business is not making money its not viable.


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

Mtnview said:


> You already posted this Andy and it was answered.


Something is going haywire. I only posted one..... BUT I am also seeing quotes by others that I cant see the original post........ very strange.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

ukracer said:


> Something is going haywire. I only posted one..... BUT I am also seeing quotes by others that I cant see the original post........ very strange.


End of days!!


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

Mtnview said:


> You already posted this Andy and it was answered.


I see NO replies from fancyneat in this thread. BUT I see quotes from her. 


Quote:















Originally Posted by *fancyneat*



















_... my "boss" told me to F$#@ing quit. we are in the USA. I don't live at home. I have lived on my own since 25 years old._

But I see not replies to my questions. As working for parents is one thing but then it appears she says "my boss" says is that one of her parents?? Sumat aint right here.


REgards Andy T


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

She might have deleted them all because I don't see any either. Now none of our responses make any sense LOL.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

Ripcord said:


> She might have deleted them all because I don't see any either. Now none of our responses make any sense LOL.


It appears she has deleted everything she could except the initial post. So much for offering help.


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

You guys think that was even real? Seems like pretty obvious info a 33 y/o person would know...

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

joey1320 said:


> You guys think that was even real? Seems like pretty obvious info a 33 y/o person would know...
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


Everything on the internet is real and true.


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## ukracer (Feb 11, 2010)

Mtnview said:


> It appears she has deleted everything she could except the initial post. So much for offering help.


As I said sumat aint right lol.

I thought it was a valuable debate to be honest. many youngsters are in the same position. (I know she claimed not to be a youngster) but IMHO its bad manners to ask at Xmas and then delete your posts.


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## joey1320 (Feb 21, 2012)

joey1320 said:


> You guys think that was even real? Seems like pretty obvious info a 33 y/o person would know...
> 
> Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


Oh shoot I forgot about that lol.

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

ukracer said:


> IMHO its bad manners to ask at Xmas and then delete your posts.


Wonder if she has done that in other requests for help.


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## Ripcord (Sep 2, 2006)

I was starting to think it was fake too. Nobody would work a day job for $2 an hour and then work another job at night to pay the bills. Whether it's for your parents or anyone.


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## Mtnview (Nov 5, 2009)

Dang it! I kept telling myself to stay away from the Christmas spirit (unless I am able to drink it) and avoid helping someone. How can I ever trust again??


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