Forums: Purgatory:

I tend to make things wordy to say the least but I've got a lot to fucking say on this topic so it kind of needs to be wordy. Any chance any of you kind people could take some time to help me make this as good of a letter as possible.

When I initially interviewed for a position with [Company, Inc], you told me you were willing to pay me $[XX,XXX] a year. I accepted this job based on that number and left my previous job. When I arrived my first day to sign my offer letter and begin employment, you offered me only $[X,XXXX]. $8,000 is a significant difference, to say the least. You promised me a review after six months and said that my salary would be raised, if appropriate, at that time. I took this, apparently naively, to mean you were considering the first six months to be a trial period and, if I performed, you would give me a raise and pay me what I'm worth.


When my six month review came around, you told me how great I am doing at the company and what a wonderful job I was doing coming in and immediately burying myself in the [COMPANY] project. You were happy that I was willing to work often times late and into the weekend. In my first six months working, you never once heard me complain, despite a very large number of UNPAID overtime hours. I did it because I was trying to prove my worth and, according to you, I had done just that.


Then you offer me a $1,000 raise, a percentage that is less than a standard cost of living increase -- a raise that still puts me $7,000 below the number you and I initially agreed upon. At that point I was a bit upset. Then you promised me a $1,000 bonus at my one year review, which is a nice gesture but still doesn't pay my bills the rest of the year. Again, upset, I learned to live with it and continued to do whatever was requested of me to get what you needed done.


When my one year anniversary came around, I waited for thanks for doing so well over the past year -- thanks for being a team player. More importantly I'm awaiting my $1,000 bonus, the one you promised me six months ago. When I asked about it, you told me you meant one year from my six month anniversary. I appreciate that you forwarded me half the bonus; thank you. However, I will say that in my five professional years, I've never heard of someone being given a 1.5 year anniversary bonus, it just doesn't make sense.


Every day I'm the first person in your office. I'm here on average an hour to and hour and a half before anyone else gets in. Even when I'm not in a busy project, I work at least nine hours a day. Lately, I've also been here after everyone has left. I work unpaid overtime for you on almost a weekly basis and often times I'm forced to give up visitation with my own son to stay here and do work for you. I do it hoping that one day you'll realize just how valuable of an asset I truly am to this company. You heard with your own ears what the clients all said when they finally met me at that meeting last Friday. Apparently they all love me and the work I do for them. They appreciate me, and they voiced that appreciation.


You on the other hand, do not seem to appreciate me. You've never so much as said thank you to me -- all the weekend hours and late nights I've worked . After all the unpaid weekends and all the times I've been forced to put this company before my own flesh and blood, I've never once heard the words thank you from you. A simple thank you will go along way with company morale.


This project would be complete already and signed off on by the client. You as the CEO of this company and person managing this project left out the single most important detail because you didn't deem it to be of enough importance to tell us. You didn't tell your developers what language we were supposed to create it in. How could you not realize this is one of, if not the single most important, detail about any project? This is something we should have known before so much as one page was created.


We had that meeting Friday with the client and the other developers. In the lobby of that building you accepted fault for putting us in this situation. You told me not to mention the fact that you overlooked to tell your developers that you knew all along what language we were supposed to do it in. I complied and I sat there and I hammered out an approach to save a disaster, a disaster that would most likely not have been avoided without me. I saved the dignity of this company with its biggest and most important client.


An honest mistake was made by me on Saturday, while I was working unpaid weekend overtime instead of spending time with my son. I made a simple honest mistake that shouldn't have mattered because this project should have been done last week before you sprung the "oh yeah, by the way they wanted..." on us at the last minute. You then felt it necessary to email me and call me an embarrassment to this company? My coming in and working on the weekend and putting you and this company in front of my own son to save a project that you messed up is embarrassing? After all I've done for you that is completely unacceptable.


I enjoy our clients. I enjoy the work we do. And I enjoy the people I work with. But I do not enjoy feeling unappreciated or being called an embarrassment. I'm willing to keep working hard to make this company shine in the eye of its clients. I'm willing to continue to be a key player and to put in those overtime hours, but I'm only willing to do it if I feel it's worth it to me.


At this point, in order for me to remain a happy employee, or contractor with [Company, Inc.] I'm going to need more money. If I'm kept on as a salaried employee I want to be paid what we originally agreed upon, which is [$X,XXX] a year. Also, I want it written into my contract that I will be given a 3% cost of living increase on the anniversary of my employment every year.


If you would rather retain my services as an independent contractor, that is an option as well. In that case, I would need $[XX] an hour with a guaranteed 30 hours per week. It would be a straight forward 1099 basis where I will be responsible for all of my own benefits and taxes.


Alternatively, if you would like to continue paying me the same amount you currently are, that will work too. I will work from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday I will not take lunch and I will not work overtime or weekends.


I would also appreciate at least two days notice of any overtime or weekend work you would like done so I can adequately arrange my visitation with my son. Telling me at 3:00pm on Friday that I'm going to need to work the weekend I'm supposed to have my son will no longer suffice.


If you feel I'm important enough to this company to retain my services, I'd like an answer by C.O.B. tomorrow.

[edit]no more apology[/edit]
[edit]grammar is fun[/edit]
[edit]but[/edit]
[edit]give him more time[/edit]
[edit]no caps[/edit]
[edit]no more "I'm sorry but"[/edit]
[edit]STICKMAN is a SPY[/edit]
[edit]added audrey's cleaned up version[/edit]

wow.....thats a great letter.......I'm sure somone of more worthy penmanship than me can make some decent suggestions although I would like to say, drop the apology at the end. You don't need to apologize for anything in my opinion.



best of luck mate

Yeah same here, best of luck. It definately gets the point across with a good explanation.

"If you feel my requests and statements are out of line, but consider this my two weeks notice."

forget about 'but' for once in your life.... seriously

"If you feel my requests and statements are out of line, but consider this my two weeks notice." this doens't seem to make sense.

do you mean "If you feel my requests and statements are out of line then consider this my two weeks notice."

Great letter - you get your point across without being too aggresive

that typo is cause it said

If you feel my requests and statements are out of line, I apologize, but consider...

i removed the aplogy and brokeded the english.

If you feel I’m important enough to this company to retain my services, I’d like an answer today and a contract in my hand by C.O.B. tomorrow. If you feel my requests and statements are out of line, I apologize, but consider this my two weeks notice.

I think this part will bite you in the butt. Lots of companies don't have a way to produce a new contract within a day without notice. Is it a small enough company that he writes those himself? Or do they go through an HR person - because they may not be available to do it within that timeframe.

Also, I'd hold off on the two weeks notice, because a threat will just piss him off, and make him likely to let you go just out of anger. I've seen that happen before.

And I'd give him til COB tomorrow to give you an answer. I know you are anxious, but I think giving him a chance to sleep on it will give him time to get past his initial anger at the letter, and start thinking about your value to the company.

Oh ... and don't apologize! Sheesh.

so ...

If you feel I’m important enough to this company to retain my services, I’d like an answer by C.O.B. tomorrow and a contract in my hand by the end of the week.

editted to address audrey's concerns.

I want this to be a collaborative email so it sounds perfect. I've never stood up to a boss before like this. Typically when my boss is an ass I just get pissed off and tell him to eat my arse. Then I pack my shit and leave the building.

personally, Id take out the UPPERCASE - those words will stand out because of the way the sentences are put together, they dont need hilighting.

Other than that good letter.

Yeah, no apologies, no "but"....

Your boss's quarter has just about run out and the donkey ride is OVER.

Best of luck, it sounds like you know what you're getting into & are makng the right choice.

This is a very well thought out professional letter. I only have 2 questions though.

In the first paragraph, you mention you were offered $XX,XXX amount of money, and in the 11th paragraph you only say $X,XXX was the amount of money origionally agreed upon.

In the 7th paragraph, you just say the project. I assume your company is only working on this one project now, but it might be good to say the [client's name] project.

we are currently working on about four projects with three different local governments.

I am floating this project (the biggest one) single handedly.

the X's will be replaced by numbers.

Darvocet: check yer PMs

Originally posted by Stickman
Darvocet: check yer PMs

good lookin' out.

Great letter and suggestions so far!!

I'd just not show up tomorrow and be done with it.

If you're in a job where you have to write a letter such as this, just get out now.

you didn't send it in yet, did you? I'm doing a bit of a rewrite.

I'm basically doing this with the intention of still leaving within the next month or two. My friend's company is a day or two possibly a week away from securing a $500,000 investment which budgets a NICE salary for me for two years and a FATTY computer. If/when that paperwork gets signed I'm quitting anyways. Unfortunately, with the child support, lawyer bills, car payment, rent, etc. I can't just up and quit. I've already started speaking to a few friends who manage restaraunts and am trying to secure a bartending gig. If I can get into one of their stores (hopefully harry's) I'll make on average 600-1000/week in tips which is plenty of money.

The letter was more of a threat to begin with. Basically pay me or I quit now and you miss your wednesday deadline and the $250,000 attached to it. I have toned it down a great deal.

But I hate to burn bridges, I've done that enough in my life.

No, my goal is to send it at 12pm EST. I've got copies posted on about three forums and am working all edits in and rewrites where appropriate. I also have a good friend of mine (the dean of english at GMU) tweaking it a bit for me.

I want this thing to be no joke when it's done so all of your comments and feedback is very appreciated. I'm nervous as shit right now, it's hard to stand up to an asshole like this and I fully expect him to fire me.