Hourly Pay or Salary... What is best?

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Jan 18, 2007

As a previous poster said it depends on what job you are doing. If you are doing direct patient care, especially in a SNF, hospital, et.al., definetly hourly (non-exempt) payment.
The idea that salary is what makes you a professional is bogus. Lawyers bill by the hour ( they're paid hourly)and physicians bill by services rendered (called piece work). Professionalism is far more then how you are compensated.

So true.

clee1 · Jan 18, 2007

As a previous poster said it depends on what job you are doing. If you are doing direct patient care, especially in a SNF, hospital, et.al., definetly hourly (non-exempt) payment.
The idea that salary is what makes you a professional is bogus. Lawyers bill by the hour ( they're paid hourly)and physicians bill by services rendered (called piece work). Professionalism is far more then how you are compensated.

:yeahthat: It's what you do and how you do it, not how you are paid, that is the mark of a professional.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

I've had positions prior to entering nursing that were salaried, management positions. I always spent WAY more time on "them" than "they" compensated me for, absolutely.

My husband has had both management and non-management positions, both salaried, where there was also no additional compensation for time worked over the standard 40 hour week. Without consulting a lawyer, I would suggest the poster who said that a non-managing, salaried employee who does not draw overtime pay is mistaken in believing that they are entitled to receive that extra compensation. If you have entered into an agreement to do a specific job for a specific amount of pay each week (salary) then that's that. I have never, ever, heard of anyone getting overtime pay once they are a salaried employee (and that is the agreement between employer and employee, regardless of whether they supervise another person or not).

I entered into an agreement with my employer to work alternate weekends as part of my weekly schedule. I cannot later complain that I need extra compensation for weekend work.

I have worked for employers knowing that, up front, I will receive a set amount of money whether I work 32 hours or 45 hours that week.

All that said, I could not fathom doing this job (floor nursing) and NOT receiving hourly compensation! Seeing how much my hospital tries to get out of us when they KNOW they have to pay for every minute, I can only imagine we'd be getting royally screwed over if they ever put us on salary. And hey, they can claim we're supervisors because we "supervise" the LPNs, right?

Hourly for me, thanks!

Lacie, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

I've had positions prior to entering nursing that were salaried, management positions. I always spent WAY more time on "them" than "they" compensated me for, absolutely.
My husband has had both management and non-management positions, both salaried, where there was also no additional compensation for time worked over the standard 40 hour week. Without consulting a lawyer, I would suggest the poster who said that a non-managing, salaried employee who does not draw overtime pay is mistaken in believing that they are entitled to receive that extra compensation. If you have entered into an agreement to do a specific job for a specific amount of pay each week (salary) then that's that. I have never, ever, heard of anyone getting overtime pay once they are a salaried employee (and that is the agreement between employer and employee, regardless of whether they supervise another person or not).
I entered into an agreement with my employer to work alternate weekends as part of my weekly schedule. I cannot later complain that I need extra compensation for weekend work.
I have worked for employers knowing that, up front, I will receive a set amount of money whether I work 32 hours or 45 hours that week.
All that said, I could not fathom doing this job (floor nursing) and NOT receiving hourly compensation! Seeing how much my hospital tries to get out of us when they KNOW they have to pay for every minute, I can only imagine we'd be getting royally screwed over if they ever put us on salary. And hey, they can claim we're supervisors because we "supervise" the LPNs, right?
Hourly for me, thanks!

Well guess the court system in PA under the federal wage act didnt know what they were doing when they awarded all 10 of us past owed wages due to overtime. We were all salaried employees. And yes we had attorneys. You may want to look it up unless the contract specifies you are "not" entitled to overtime pay in writing and you are not in a supervisory status you are entitled to ot pay. I also payed my own employees via salary and the ones who are not in supervisory positions get overtime.

Lovely_RN, MSN · Jan 19, 2007

Yep this is true. I was a salaried worker who was considered "management" and I didn't receive OT, even when I had to work 6 days per week:( . My husband is a salaried worker and he DOES receive OT pay because he is not a manager.

Unless it's a very cushy job in academia with a 4 day work week, I will never work on salary again.

Well guess the court system in PA under the federal wage act didnt know what they were doing when they awarded all 10 of us past owed wages due to overtime. We were all salaried employees. And yes we had attorneys. You may want to look it up unless the contract specifies you are "not" entitled to overtime pay in writing and you are not in a supervisory status you are entitled to ot pay. I also payed my own employees via salary and the ones who are not in supervisory positions get overtime.[/QUOTE]

mvanz9999, RN · Jan 19, 2007

Definitely hourly, but also contrary to most beliefs salaried positions are required to pay overtime only in the condition if you are not in a "management or supervisory" position. If you dont have other employees under you that you manage then if on a salaried wage you are entitled to overtime pay. Most people arent aware of this and some companies get away with not paying or using titles that lead to the belief it is a management position. ... :)

You may have won a case, but that does not mean you are correct. You aren't. I just looked up the laws.

***

Employees whom the law defines as "administrative, executive or professional" need not be paid overtime.

1) To qualify as an executive, an employee must supervise two or more employees and have the right to hire, fire or promote workers.

2) A professional employee must generally perform original and creative work or work requiring advanced knowledge ordinarily acquired through advanced study.

3)An administrator's duties must generally include the performance of specialized or technical work related to management or general business operations.

http://smallbusiness.findlaw.com/employment-employer/employment-employer-benefits/employment-employer-benefits-wages-overtime(2).html

****

Now, having pointed that out, professionals would include a whole lot of people. From the Department of Labor: "Work requiring advanced knowledge" means work which is predominantly intellectual in character, and which includes work requiring the consistent exercise of discretion and judgment. Professional work is therefore distinguished from work involving routine mental, manual, mechanical or physical work.

http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/fairpay/fs17d_professional.htm

dragonflyRN · Jan 19, 2007

I recently took an assistant mgr. job at salary, only because everything after 40 hours they pay a great hourly rate.

WOLFE, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

I have done both salary and hourly...hourly any day.

Cattitude · Jan 19, 2007

i guess i'm a bit confused. as a staff nurse in a hospital, i was hired based on yearly salary not hourly. i was always paid ot if i had to stay late. in my current position, if i see pt's past 5 pm, i get paid fee for service rate which is essentially ot and is my choice. the rest of my 40 hr week is based on yearly salary. in other words, i don't work for free.

TrudyRN · Jan 19, 2007

Wow, this is interesting. I had no idea that some salaried workers also get OT or piecework rates.

I must look in to this.

I think that what is best for you, OP, is to take the job you like. Just be aware that being salaried carries some extra demands on your time, which can be seen as lowering your rate of pay. But if you like the job and the perks that come with it, it could be well worthwhile.

Another thought - can you get compensation time if you work over 40 hours per week?

jetscreamer101 · Jan 19, 2007

I'd take hourly any day. I've done salary, and I made more by being hourly in a lower position than I did in management with salary.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

interesting info, mvanz! My husband is clearly a professional, (in a profession that no one debates as to whether this is true or not!) and this is where I was coming from.

I think the wheels of business would shut down if employers/heads of corporations suddenly had to pay out OT to those same professionals, regardless of whether or not they supervised a single person. They don't, and I don't believe it's because no one has ever thought to ask. My husband entered into a contract of employment like any other professional, and his salary is spelled out clearly, as are the company's expectations for that salary.

Thing I've found with salary is that it always seems to look better at the interview and hiring stages ("hey, you can always leave early whenever it's slow! You don't have to punch a clock...come in when you need to, work from home or take a day off sometimes!") but in reality, it goes the other way.

Another poster discussed being salaried and still receiving OT for her work, and that sounds fabulous. If it were only true everywhere, wouldn't THAT be something? Sounds like the best of both worlds.

Til it's the norm, I'll stick to hourly :)