Age discrimination in pay for a voluntary demotion?

owotm

I am in a management salary position in a non profit. I want to take a demotion 3 steps down. In a word, burnout. I have all good job evaluations. We have a salary schedule with gapps of 1.23 to .48 per hour between the pay grades. In the salary section it is figured in as 2080 hours per year. A management person has never done this before. When hourly people have done this we have reduced the pay by the gaps between the pay steps. My boss has indecated to me that in my case I have recieved raises much higher then I would have if I was the 3 steps down and there for should not get the normal redution, but a much larger reduction. I haven't recieved a figure yet. I have been with this agency for 18 years. Any other voluntary demotion has been only one step. Is this age discrimination? Does this seem right?

Theresa Gegen TX

It seems to me that if an employee wants to take a less demanding job, the employee also takes the pay that goes with the less demanding job. I would think that the only way to know what you should be paid in the less demanding job would be to compare the pay the organization is planning on giving you to the pay that others are making in that job.

For example, if in the less demanding job you are making less than the other employees in that job, you might have cause to be concerned, especially considering your experience. However, if you are making in the mid to high range for that job, it would seem to be a fair salary.

Good Luck!!

owotm

that's what I am thinking except I expect to be the highest paid person. Nobody has my expereance or education. I started 2 steps down years ago so I do know what's going on "down there". When the talks come I have a plan of compairing myself to the highest paid staff at or about that level. Why would I be mid range? No way. If my boss want's to be cheap and not pay for my expereance like we would anybody else I would think about talking to a lawyer. I'm not a sue me sue you blues typ of person. I have never done anything like that before.

Gillian

I agree with Theresa. I think that the key to accomplishing what you want is the approach that you take. If you go in like gangbusters demanding stuff you may not get a positive reaction. If the director doesn't seem reasonable talk about your education and experience and that this warrants consideration. If that doesn't work talk try to talk about the morale implications in a way that doesn't sound too self serving. On the other hand, I don't know your work environment or the director so maybe it takes some strongarming to accomplish anything.

owotm

Oh I plan to be nice. I don't want to burn bridges. I have a good plan on logicly explaining my position. If the boss is a jerk I'll go someplace else. I have options. But if I have to go soemplace else and shouldn't have to, I plan on checking the discrimination thing out. I was just wondering if anybody has an opinion on this.

owotm

Well it's done. I got offered the job and offered 14% higher then the highest paid person in that pay graid. 6% higher then the highest person in the pay grade just above that, which is where I started years ago. I think I will take it. Run it by my wife first. Bottom line is I feel I was treated fairly. It was a good talk. Thank you for the comments I got. I really do mean that.