Irregular standards: getting paid

Getting paid is always a gamble.
[His Station and Four Aces via wikimedia]

Every time I work in a new place, I feel like I have the same conversation over again, because every place does it differently and can't imagine other places don't do the same:

• Is prep time included?
• Is parking included?
• Does the time begin when the event begins or the time I am asked to arrive?
• Is training paid? Is it paid at the same rate as the event?
• Is a meal included?
• Is break time paid?
• Is the time paid between multiple events on the same day?
• Are there any additional discounts or benefits? (i.e., medical care, services, library access, network access, food?)

I keep a list of every place I work sorted by pay rate & perks so I know how to prioritize events.

Once that's been settled, every place has a different way of hiring and classifying SPs, which affects how I am paid, taxed & benefited:

• Am I considered a "real" employee? A temporary employee? A contract employee? 
• Am I paid through HR or the department? 
• Does someone track my time? Do I have to fill out a timesheet? Do I have to submit an invoice?
• Am I paid via check, direct deposit, gift card or cash? Many schools push direct deposit, but it's not always a requirement. 
• If I'm paid by check, is my check sent to me? Do I have to pick the check up? Am I sent a pay stub?
• Are taxes taken from my paycheck?
• Many places don't bother to tell SPs they have benefits, even if they do. I poke around on the school's HR site to see what's available to me based on the type of employee I am.

Every place has a different pay schedule, so keeping track of when I will be paid is a feat of mental gymnastics:

• Immediately after the event
• Two weeks after the event
• Once a month
• Twice a month
• An incomprehensible but supposedly regular schedule
• Whenever

Finally, if you're the kind of person who keeps track of your hours (and I am), it can be difficult to compare the hours per event with the hours actually paid. If you get a pay stub, some places combine your hours into one lump sum, making it harder to know whether you have been paid accurately for events that span multiple pay periods. I really love the places that pay per event because it's far easier to catch a discrepancy. I also like places that combine the events into one check but break out the hours per event on the paystub.

If I do discover a discrepancy, following up is never fun. It has to be at least a 2-3 hour discrepancy before I say anything, because nobody likes to look it up and track down the error. Anyway, it makes it interesting to do my taxes every year. Despite my best attempts, very few of the tax documents match my final totals.

Setting the standard:
An adequate standard would be one where SPs know ahead of time the answers to these sorts of questions without asking.

A better standard would make sure SPs are paid for prep time. Parking and an appropriate meal would be provided. SPs should be paid for the time they are scheduled, even if the event ends early. If the event runs over, the SP should be paid for the extra time. Break times should be paid, even if there is an awkward gap between events. Training should be paid at the same rate as the event.

A better standard would also inform SPs of the benefits they have as an employee, which means they need to be told what kind of employees they are being classified as. When possible, I would choose SPs to have as many benefits as other workers used in similar ways or with similar hours to other employees on campus.

Payment is a trickier standard because I know few programs have a lot of ability to control a process owned by HR. If the department does the payment, I would prefer to see SPs paid not more than two weeks from the event with an option for a mailed check or direct deposit. I would also prefer the department to track the time but to receive a paystub broken down by date or event to check against my own records.

If the SP program refers SPs for events to other departments, programs or institutions, there should be a clear way to be paid that does not require the SP to be responsible for figuring it out.