Q & A Table of Contents
I’m Doing Two Jobs And Only Being Paid For One. What Can I Do?
From: Abigail, Cape Town, South Africa
Question: I have been the administrative officer for a NGO/NPO (Non-governmental/Non-profit organisation) since January 2001. My Co-ordinator resigned in February 2004 and no one has been appointed in her place yet, with the effect that I am doing her work now.
I've done some research and discovered that I am entitled to something called Acting/Responsibility allowance if I am doing another person’s work for more than 14 days. We are well on our way to February 2005 and still I have not received anything extra.
I've mentioned this to our board members several times, but to no avail. Every time when I mention this, our chairperson says that we don't have money because we are dependent on fundraising, yet they forget that they've been saving thousands while I am performing the co-ordinator's duties.
I just want to know how much am I entitled to for doing the co-ordinator's work - is it a third of the co-ordinator's salary or the difference between my salary and the co-ordinator's salary. I am only working on a half-day basis and ever since the co-ordinator has resigned, I am on standby (diverting the office phone to my cell phone). I would appreciate it if you could get back to me to inform me of my rights and what I am entitled to: both for acting allowance and standby.
Response: We cannot give you any legal advice about your rights under the law. For that kind of information you should make inquiries with the appropriate government agency or agencies. You can also talk with a lawyer — depending on whether you a) want to spend the money and b) whether you are contemplating taking legal action against your employer in order to force them to pay you appropriately.
From a negotiation standpoint, you need to find out as much as you can regarding the strength of your position vis-à-vis your employer. Can they be fined for failing to pay you the ‘Acting/Responsibility allowance’? Would it make sense for you to tell them that unless they pay you an appropriate amount of money you will resign? To understand the consequences of this step, you need to research what alternatives are available to you in your professional field and in the geographical market in which you are located.
If your board insists that fundraising is the only stumbling block to proper pay for you, perhaps you should suggest they do a special campaign to raise enough funds to be able to pay for a co-ordinator — and that the first funds raised should be used to compensate you for the extra work you have been doing.
It might be worthwhile examining the way the organization raises and spends its funds. It may be missing target groups who would be appropriate sources of donations. Perhaps the organization doesn’t spend its money wisely — so you might want to ‘suggest’ that the books should be audited to make sure everything is being done properly.
Charitable organizations can be particularly difficult when it comes to doling out rewards; the board members are probably volunteers and may feel sufficiently zealous about their ‘cause’ that they can’t comprehend the needs of staff members to be paid a living wage. Understanding how the board members think — and what will cause them to take serious notice of your personal needs — could be the key to improving your situation.
Good luck,
Steve
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