RE: Exempt status for Tech Writers

["Al Geist" <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>]

Scott (Quills) wrote:
"I'd like to see the faces of the CIO, CFO, CEO, et al, when they are 
told that they will be hourly employees from now on."

I am a professional, the CEO of my (small...really small) company and I get
paid a salary, but my company bills hourly or per project depending on the
customer's needs (mostly by the hour). I don't get overtime and it is never
a problem. I just charge straight time for the hours I work, and I charge
for all the hours that I work.

I think the exempt or non exempt argument also depends a lot on if you have
more than one client. I have worked with one client rather steadily (i.e.
averaging 40 hours per week) for over three years, but I've had several
other clients that I've worked with on a regular, but more infrequent basis
(up to 20 additional hours per week for short periods). I've also had
several one-time clients that are charged on a per project basis (primarily
web development). I do this is because I remember the Microsoft lawsuit and
how it hurt as many Technical Writers as it helped. I also work mostly out
of my home office.

I also worked for a company several years ago whose CEO was paid an hourly
wage and offered bonuses, like the rest of the company, based on the
company's performance. It was a great place to work, and I'd still be
working there today if it wasn't for the desert (I'm a north woods kind of
person with an affliction to giant spiders).

Al Geist
Technical Communicator, Help, Web Design, Video, Photography
Office/Msg: 802-872-9190
Cell: 802-578-3964
E-mail: al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com
Website: www.geistassociates.com
See Also:
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