Connie

[MrsYardman]

Hello, again
Once again, my husband and I operate out of Decatur, GA.
What do you all consider to be a good rate of pay for workers.
One company we know of, pays his guys $5-15 per yard, and they negotiate with him how much they will work for.
Another person suggested $7 and hour, while another suggested a salary system of $60 a day, no matter how long they work that day.
What are some of your practices?
Thanks in advance for your response

[MortNuke]

My pay scale...yours may vary.

$7 - 8 per hour to start, and while learning the ropes.

$9 - 11 (and up) per hour once up to speed and reliable.

Mort

[Stephen M.]

Connie, be very careful with the "$60/day regardless of the time put in" concept.

Every state has "Wage and Hour" labor laws that are in turn dictated by Federal Labor Law. More business owners pay heavy penalties for their ignorance in this area. Overtime pay is 1.5 times the regular wage on all hours past 40 hours per week, NO EXCEPTIONS. This CANNOT be negogiated away even if the employee and owner agree to waive that provision of law. In other words, if the employee says he will take straight pay in order to have a job, he can or will report the employer to the state labor board after he quits and the employer is toast! BIG TIME TOAST.

$60/day is $7.50 per hour for an 8 hour day; $6/hr for a 10 hour day; $5/hr for a 12 hour day. If I was the perspective employee doing the math, I'd tell that employer to shove it and then report him to my state labor board. Slavery was outlawed long time ago. Federal law dictates that no one will make less than the required minimum wage and I believe the Federal minimum wage is about $5.15 per hour.

The concept behind labor law is that if you, the employer requires longer work hours beyond the standard 40 hour work week, the employee gets ADDITIONAL compensation to meet those extra demands made on his time. You, the employer must pay an additional amount as incentive for that employee to give up family or free time in order to help you make extra bucks that benefit you.

WA State's minimum wage is $7.16 per hour and it supercedes the Federal minimum wage of $5.15/hr. I believe that where you are, the Federal minimum wage is the only minimum wage requirement.

[Phil Nilsson]

Whatever you pay ... make sure they earn it ... and the dollars paid are relative to billed sales ... let them know the goals everyday ... what's expected and track performance everyday.

[greenmogul]

Bonus Time!!

How about thinking this way minumum wage with a bonus system harder and smarter you work the more they get paid!I am setting up a emplyee ownership program.Oh yeah one more thing today's reward is tommorows expectation so surprise them sometime.HEY PHIL PRIVATE MESSAGE ME ABOUT THE WEBSITE!!!

[MrsYardman]

Thanks!

I appreciate all of the advice.
We are going the hourly wage route($7-8 start, $9-11 when speed pick up), with bonuses during the peak months.
This way we are being fair to our employees, and ourselves, when the less profitable months come along.
I met with an ADP representative Friday, and she was a lot of help.