Just what the title says. I earn $22/hr ($46K/yr) working in social services and will cap out at $24 in the next year or two. I'm experienced enough to do my job with minimal supervision and have years of glowing reviews in my personnel file. I live in a high COL area that has seen record jumps in the price of housing and food since 2020.
Similar case management jobs in the private sector pay in the range of $55-75K depending on experience.
Other states with lower COL pay closer to $25/hr ($52/yr) AND UP for similar government work. The benefits package is typical of government jobs: all the paid state and federal holidays, good health insurance plan, a modest 403(b) match, etc. Husband makes good money and has a good insurance plan. We will be financially fine even without the perks of my current job.
(Note: This is just to provide context. Of course, pay negotiations should NOT include one's spouse's income and other family financials. It should be a negotiated price for services provided by me, period.)
Before I approach my current employer with a proposal, I want to have a game plan for negotiating the appropriate rate of pay for someone who is going to continue to provide the same work without paid time off and other benefits.
Our agency is underpaid, understaffed, and overworked. Until recently, retention has been made possible by providing a hybrid work environment that has enabled workers to save significant money on commuting costs. Recently however, they have been walking back the WFH agreement (for no good reason which makes me think that the writing is on the wall — they are getting ready to eliminate WFH altogether).
The bigwigs have decided that it is a good idea to continue to underpay workers and just crack the whip on the few dedicated employees who remain. Despite the fact that I'm in a Union shop, with a no-strike clause in our contract, our Union is about as useful as tits on a bull.
That's the mess I'm opting out of.
Logically, my agency should be highly motivated to keep me on as a contractor, but they don't have much of a track record of fairness or reasonableness.
Contract workers, do you have any advice for me?