It may be time to quit your job
More work but no raise? HR expert offers tips.
Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest HR professional society.
The questions submitted by readers and Taylor’s answers below have been edited for length and clarity.
Question: I work for a small private company. When my HR director was fired more than a year ago, I stepped into her role. My managers won’t give me a pay increase or upgrade my title. I have broached this subject on different occasions (professionally and politely, presenting salary data and an outline of the extensive duties that I now perform), to no avail. I am concerned about retaliation. I am a minority female in the company and the only minority in a decision-making capacity. What recourse, if any, might I pursue? — Anonymous
Taylor: Many companies turn to an existing employee to help fill the immediate vacancy created by an unexpected management departure. Sometimes they simply need a shortterm fix while they commence their search for the position. Other times, they want to see how the “acting” person performs in the role before they give her the promotion.
While I have no way to know about your specific situation, I think it’s safe to assume after a year (during which you’ve made known your interest) you’re not going to get the HR director role.
So, you have two options: Option A: Have a conversation with your managers and let them know you’ve concluded, based on their actions, they are not prepared to promote you in the role. As tempting as it will be to debate the point with them, “actions speak louder than words” — they’ve decided you’re not the person for the job.
Assure them you’re fine with the decision, but request that they give you a temporary compensation while you perform the role and allow them to recruit a director.
Option B: Resign. If you believe you’re capable and deserving of the role but they don’t agree with your assessment, it’s time to move on. A year in a position is plenty of time to prove worthy of the task. So maybe it’s time to take a different approach. If you are truly not being recognized, promoted and paid fairly, accept that it might be time to dust off your résumé, start networking and find a company where you will be appreciated for your skills and abilities.
Neither option is bad because you will have finality and certainty — what you deserve for yourself after a year auditioning for the role.
Finally, keep in mind there could be other factors at play here, such as budget or financial issues, that explain the delay in giving you the additional compensation and title. This will become clear no matter which of the two options above you decide to take.
Good luck. Can’t wait to hear how it works out.
Q: I have a friend who works as a server at a restaurant. People at one of his tables “dined and dashed,” paying only a portion of their bill
($20 of $64). The restaurant manager is making my friend pay the difference and withheld $44 from his pay. Is that legal? — Rodgers G
Taylor: The policies and practices of your workplace are influenced by state and local law in addition to federal law. So, this is one of many times when an answer depends upon where you live.
Yes, it may be legal for the restaurant manager to make your friend pay the difference. It depends on the amount deducted from your friend’s pay and what state he works in.
Under federal wage-and-hour law, a restaurant can require an employee to pay the loss from the dine-and-dash if it does not cause the employee’s wages to dip below the federal minimum wage, which is
$7.25 an hour for nonexempt employees.
There may be some good news for your friend, though.
A few states, such as New York and California, go further than the federal law, outright prohibiting employers from deducting from employees’ paychecks for cash shortages or other business losses.