# Accepting the rip off



## Sunny 1 (May 11, 2012)

Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

i don't get it. You figure you just need your boss to sell you a permit?


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Yet you want something for nothing.

Like your boss to accept full legal responsibility for your 'side job'.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Sunny 1 said:


> Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


Why can't you just pull the permit your self?:blink:


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

What did you expect him to do?

Next time take on a scab job like a man; no permits.


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## Sunny 1 (May 11, 2012)

Not sell me a permit. Give me a better cut of the money. I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day. It's a rip off when he is charging 1100 for the job. Does that seem fair to you when I brought the job in?


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Sunny 1 said:


> Not sell me a permit. Give me a better cut of the money. I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day. It's a rip off when he is charging 1100 for the job. Does that seem fair to you when I brought the job in?


You brought in $1100 worth of work. I don't get a cut unless it's over $20 000.

Like I said, next time scab the job like a man if you want to maximize profits.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Sunny 1 said:


> Not sell me a permit. Give me a better cut of the money. I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day. It's a rip off when he is charging 1100 for the job. Does that seem fair to you when I brought the job in?


Does the magic health care fairy pay your your heath care, van, gas, equipment, accouting, legal, 401k, taxes, liability insurance, etc...? Or does your boss pay for all of that?

Go start your own company if you think it is not fair. :whistling2:


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

jza said:


> Like I said, next time scab the job like a man if you want to maximize profits.


Or get fired


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## Sunny 1 (May 11, 2012)

U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway


I'm an employee.

What I say stands. You brought your boss $1100, pennies. If you aren't happy, don't bring him anymore work.


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway



How much do you think your boss is making off that $1100?

Start by taking your pay out...


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## bruce6670 (Apr 27, 2010)

Once you went to your boss, it became his job. You should thank him for letting you do the work.


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## Rochsolid (Aug 9, 2012)

Sunny 1 said:


> Not sell me a permit. Give me a better cut of the money. I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day. It's a rip off when he is charging 1100 for the job. Does that seem fair to you when I brought the job in?


So you want a finders fee? That's ridiculous! It's a side job, why get your company involved? Since you did that it is no longer a side job, your regular hourly wage is all YOU SHOULD GET


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway


Well you obviously don't understand much about the business if you think that is a rip off. 

However, $15/hr in NYC sounds pretty cheap, so does $1,100 for that job. 

But here is the real question, is this "friend" of your girlfriend a guy or girl?


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

You should thank him for letting you do the work.[/QUOTE]

You know I wish it was really like that, because I'm a boss.
I have been an employee and an employer to the op (this will sound harsh) but buck up bro if you want all the reward you have to take the risks. Like having licesnses and insurance.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Yet you want something for nothing.


Don't you know 480, that is the American way these days? :whistling2:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway



The vast majority of the contractors you now disdain used to be employees. We've played both sides of the field. You haven't.


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## torok005 (Jul 14, 2012)

I like to throw some of my larger side work to my employer(s) just so that they can make a few bucks off of it and so that I am seen as not only an employee but an employee that brings in some jobs. Employer is 1st priority (steady cash flow and funded pension) side jobs HAVE to be secondary, to the point of rescheduling side jobs when your employer NEEDS you to work over at the last minute. I am an employee. I do not want my employers headaches.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

How bout this- would any of you business owners throw a bonus to an employee for not only bringing in work but lets say they bring you a whale of an account that produces tens of thousands of dollars (maybe more)in billings a year


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## jza (Oct 31, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> How bout this- would any of you business owners throw a bonus to an employee for not only bringing in work but lets say they bring you a whale of an account that produces tens of thousands of dollars (maybe more)in billings a year


My boss would.


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## running dummy (Mar 19, 2009)

I brought an account with me to my new job. Started as my own personal side job account, commercial/light industrial. 

We've done 50,000+ with them this year all with good profit. 

Nothing has been said about a bonus and am not really expecting one. I want to make them the most money I possibly can. Then the perks will trickle down.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)




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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

is this a real question..? LOL....


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

captkirk said:


> is this a real question..? LOL....


Which one mine or the op?


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

the op...


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

captkirk said:


> the op...


Gotcha yeah its silly. That's why I hijacked the thread. My question is way more realistic


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## walkerj (May 13, 2007)

ponyboy said:


> How bout this- would any of you business owners throw a bonus to an employee for not only bringing in work but lets say they bring you a whale of an account that produces tens of thousands of dollars (maybe more)in billings a year


10k if you are making 20% isn't **** unless you are getting it every week. So if I was a contractor and you were working for me I might let you get your 40 that week if you get done early.


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## stuiec (Sep 25, 2010)

Sunny 1 said:


> I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


 
I've heard it said that expectations are nothing more than premeditated resentments :laughing:.

If you want to be pissed at someone for breaking a deal, make sure they are aware of the deal to begin with. Bring it up with him, you never know :thumbsup:.


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## ponyboy (Nov 18, 2012)

walkerj said:


> 10k if you are making 20% isn't **** unless you are getting it every week. So if I was a contractor and you were working for me I might let you get your 40 that week if you get done early.


I said tens of thousands, maybe more. Don't diminish the figure to substantiate your post. And the "might let you get your 40" comment...come on man.

Edit: but in all fairness it is a hypothetical so there is no wrong answer.


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> How bout this- would any of you business owners throw a bonus to an employee for not only bringing in work but lets say they bring you a whale of an account that produces tens of thousands of dollars (maybe more)in billings a year


 Yeah, I think most would.


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## 123electric (Jun 3, 2012)

Zog said:


> Yeah, I think most would.


I'm with you all the way Zog machine. He simply works for him, hold no license, or liability after the work has been completed like we do!


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## B4T (Feb 10, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> How bout this- would any of you business owners throw a bonus to an employee for not only bringing in work but lets say they bring you a whale of an account that produces tens of thousands of dollars (maybe more)in billings a year


Sure.... unless you're a greedy SOB...

Making money off an employee is why you have employee's.. but if a guy brings you a new account worth $$$$$$$... you share the wealth....


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Sunny 1 said:


> Not sell me a permit. Give me a better cut of the money. I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day. It's a rip off when he is charging 1100 for the job. Does that seem fair to you when I brought the job in?


 
Dude, grow up.

I'm glad he's not a profiteer like others after a major storm or catastrophy. He's the same rates no matter what. :thumbup:


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## vinister (Apr 11, 2012)

am I the only one that needs pictures of said girl in order to give an opinion?

and... $15/hour???? why bother?


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## hardworkingstiff (Jan 22, 2007)

Believe it or not, your boss is doing you a favor and protecting himself.

If you did this job and were not on his payroll, you and he both would have liability if something ever went wrong. He would have insurance to cover him, but you would be left hanging. As an employee working by the hour, you are covered by his insurance.

If you did this with his permit but he or his employee did not do the work (if you are not working by the hour you are not his employee) he (in some states) could get in trouble with the licensing board.

Like someone else asked, how much profit do you think is in this job? What do you think your finders fee should be?

If it bothers you, you should talk to your boss about it, not us.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Sunny 1 said:


> Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


The fact that you wrote this shows you know nothing about business. And if you're only making $15/hr you can't be an electrician, apprentice maybe.


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

Please refer to post 23 or check out the other threads the OP has started. :laughing:


Find all threads started by Sunny 1


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Sunny 1 said:


> > U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes.
> 
> 
> Indeed, and it's taken years of cultivation to achieve the misathropic tones you may hear....
> ...


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## k_buz (Mar 12, 2012)

He really didn't expect sympathy did he?


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

You're lucky he's even considering it. Get your own license if you don't like it.


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## drumnut08 (Sep 23, 2012)

Sunny 1 said:


> Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


I have to agree with most everyone on here sunny . If you were looking to make any kind of decent money on this , you would have not mentioned it to your boss and done the job yourself as a " side job " . Expecting the contractor you work for to pay you more for bringing in a little job , is ridiculous ! If you came to him with a signed contract for $ 1,000,000 electrical job , that's a different story . If you're concerned with doing it legally , there's ways around that too . The homeowner can still pull a permit themselves and say they are doing the work . As long as it gets inspected and passes , they really don't care who did the work .


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## KGN742003 (Apr 23, 2012)

It sounds to me like you came to your boss wanting a special deal for your girlfriend's friend. I can't see those numbers being much above his cost.


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

The only argument I can see being made is that if you bring in enough of these jobs, your boss should definitely consider the positive contribution you make to his bottom line when deciding your pay or benefits.

Other than that, I fail to see why you would get angry that he accepted a job you handed to him, and no I'm not a company owner.

-John


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## Dangerously (Dec 1, 2012)

IMO, if an employee is going above and beyond his scope of work and actively bringing in new work on his own, then extra compensation is warranted. However, this needs to be negotiated beforehand. You can't just bring one job to your boss and expect him to give you something.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Dangerously said:


> IMO, if an employee is going above and beyond his scope of work and actively bringing in new work on his own, then extra compensation is warranted. However, this needs to be negotiated beforehand. You can just bring one job to your boss and expect him to give you something.


 

Let's be honest, he's not "bringing him work". He approached wanting him to put his license up and let him "sidejob" it. That's what he was really after. He's upset he didn't get his way.


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## B W E (May 1, 2011)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway


We've all been employees at one point. Everyone understands what you're saying, it just makes no sense. Your boss is exposing himself to a lot of risk but accepting the work, you are accepting zero risk. Look at it like this, your company accepts the job, you get paid, as usual to do it. Thanks to you, sure. Or, your company never gets the job, and you get zero. Be happy you're working, and take the $120, or start your own business. I doubt you'll be doing then what you expect him to be doing now.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

You do electrical work for 15 bucks an hour? :blink:


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway



Bro, we were all there where you are now. One day you will be here too if you put in the time. Then you'll have the same attitude too. :whistling2:


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## Greg Glasgow (Dec 7, 2012)

Sunny 1 said:


> Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


Think this out a little deeper. Besides the security of a job, your Boss is paying for trucks and tools, insurance, business office space and other related business costs, as well as wage burden and taxes. If you were to receive more than your regular rate, would you feel like giving something back to cover some of these expenses?


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## Wirenuting (Sep 12, 2010)

Sunny 1 said:


> U guys must all be contractors with those attitudes. Any regular employee would see my discomfort with the deal. But thanks for your opinions anyway


Thanks, I needed a good laugh at 5am as i start the work week while I sit on the throne waiting to go out into the cold cruel world.


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## I_get_shocked (Apr 6, 2009)

What a dumbass he is for not giving you a $500 bonus. He doesn't know how good he has it- I mean he gives you 30k in work a year but this is a really really big job you threw him! WTF!:jester:


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## Elephante (Nov 16, 2011)

Sunny 1 said:


> Hey guys! A friend of my girl friend needs a panel change due to water damage from the storm, and she asked me to do the job. So I went to my boss so he could file the job and things would be done in a legal fashion. After all, it is a friend of my lady. Problem is, my boss wants to give me my reg hourly pay for a 8 hour day. I feel like its a rip off because it's my job, and my labor. Its funny because he always complains about customers wanting something for nothing. And now he is no different in my eyes. Since I already promised the lady I would do it, I have no choice but to accept the rip off. But I know better for the future


you should have did it on your own.buy your own equipment and material with the profit.


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

I think it's proper to give a commission to the guy who brings in the work. 

There's a special word for such folks. We call them 'salesmen.' No business can survive without them- which is why they usually make lots more than the guys who actually do the work.

What does the boss want his guys to do when a customer approaches them? Just shrug and say ' I dunno- call the office?' Or, would the boss prefer his guys to say ' Absolutely! Making you happy is what we're all about! Let me call the boss and set things up!"

When I was 'on the clock,' I had all sorts of folks approach me with 'side work.' Often, they made it plain they wanted to hire ME, not just hire the company. What's a guy to do? 

I can't speak for others, but I told folks that everything went through the boss, and would as long as I was working for him. While there were a few occasions where things were done 'on the side,' EVERY such job was done with the boss's knowledge and with him standing just out of sight. 

Why was I so particular? Well, for me, it's all about trust. The boss and I need to have absolute trust in each other. I am not going to undermine a 'business' relationship for a few pennies.


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## Elephante (Nov 16, 2011)

My old boss was really kewl.he would let me use some of his tools to do side work.he actually would give me pointers as well.he didn't mind as long it wasn't around his area he was fine.but if the ops boss is going to let him use his truck and all his tools then I guess it's only fair to pay him by the hour. If its just a panel change and the meter base looks like its in good shape ,he should have just done it on his own and made some extra cash.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Celtic said:


> *How much do you think your boss is making off that *$1100?
> 
> Start by taking your pay out...


around 550-625


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

I am an employee, but your boss needs to run and maintain a business, and that ain't cheap or easy to do. Lighten up dude and don't get all bent out of shape, its not like he is price gouging your friend, that would be different.


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## 360max (Jun 10, 2011)

Wirenuting said:


> Thanks, I needed a good laugh at 5am as i start the work week while I sit on the throne waiting to go out into the cold cruel world.


TMI


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

360max said:


> around 550-625


Before or after overhead?


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## Celtic (Nov 19, 2007)

Sunny 1 said:


> N I currently get paid 15 dollars per hour. So that's only 120 for a 8 hour day.





Celtic said:


> How much do you think your boss is making off that $1100?
> 
> Start by taking your pay out...





360max said:


> around 550-625


1100
- 120
$980

So you are saying the OH is about $380 (980 - 600)

How did you arrive at this conclusion?


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