I have busted my ass for this boss who owns multiple businesses for the past 3 years. I have done everything said boss has asked me to do including physical construction labor not meant for an office employee just so they could save money.
My original job description, that I agreed to for $13/hr, is office employee (A/P, A/R, filing, communications, directing calls) and for the first two months that's all it was. After that, the first year this boss spent teaching me how to do things while also piling on new things and being the sucker I am I never complained or questioned the few raises I got.
Since then I do all of THE BOSSES work plus mine, I basically run all of these companies (five to be exact, small businesses) for them while they run around doing 'errands' that have absolutely nothing to do with work such as; grocery shopping, trips to the city, visiting grandkids, etc. This boss is no longer in the office except maybe once a week to sit at their desk and scroll through Facebook and answer some of the few questions I had but couldn't contact them for to get an answer, this has been ongoing for 2 years.
About a month ago I broke down and expressed I needed help in the office, things were getting out of hand with businesses growing and I have been falling behind. So boss surprisingly agreed and hired me a helper. Its been great having someone to help me with the small things so I can focus on the bigger concerns.
Fast forward to Thursday last week I go to run payroll and found boss hired this new person, who does far less than I do and has minimal experience in an office, for $5 more an hour than what I get paid. I've been underappreciated my entire employment and out of the three raises I have received, I have only gotten an overall extra $0.75. Making a grand total of $13.75/hr.
When I mentioned this to my employer I thought it was a mistake and they clarified it was not a mistake. I then mentioned perhaps it was time to reevaluate my pay considering I have run all 5 of these companies with absolutely no help but yet my new helper is making quite a bit more. They agreed to give me a $1.50 raise, I will still be making less than the new helper.
I have spent my entire weekend job hunting and submitting over 70 different applications. The moment I am hired elsewhere I'm putting in my two weeks, actually I may not even give this current employer two weeks, I might give them a two minute notice. All that loyalty and dedication I had is gone.
I will never again be doing more than what my paycheck reflects.