'AITA for emailing my boss and giving her an ultimatum?' UPDATED
"AITA for emailing my boss and giving her an ultimatum?"
So backstory...I 36(f), work in a medical office doing insurance, intake, and playing receptionist. Our practice is big enough where there is supposed to be 3 people doing my job, but the head receptionist quit and they refuse to hire anyone else. So I'm doing it all for maybe 4-5 months now.
They finally bring someone in to train, but sadly it is for another location. Let's call her Julie. We get to talking and she is 19 and has only worked as a seasonal cashier at Target. Somehow we got on the subject of pay which you should never do, but she was talking about the pay she got at Target then the pay she was starting out at my job.
Julie was making more than me. My mind was blown. I had more years experience than this girl had fingers plus I had been doing the work of multiple people for months without getting paid or even a thank you from the higher ups. Yes, I understand I should have controlled my rage a little more, but the build up from months finally just popped.
I emailed my head boss...I told her I have been working for months doing multiple jobs, only to have someone with less experience be hired on making more than me doing less work. I told her I wanted a pay raise or I would be resigning. AITA for demanding a pay raise?
Here's what people had to say to OP:
Mannahnin said:
You're NTA but you may have been foolish in how you went about this, emailing out of the blue rather than requesting a sober sit-down meeting where you make the case and provide data about how underpaid you are.
Sounds like you've been taken advantage of (and I can see why, with you repeating that exploitive "got on the subject of pay which you should never do" nonsense), and you're going to be lucky to get properly compensated by this place.
Ok-Pin-6955 said:
NTA, you're either 1. going to get the raise you so deserve or 2. FIRED. It's a 50/50 shot lol, I'd be looking for work if I were you. Not to mention that they will probably fire Julie as well. So yeah, maybe not the wisest choice. But you're doing the right thing standing up for yourself & your worth.
Icy-Talk-5141 said:
You're not the ahole for wanting fair pay for your experience and workload, however it would've been better to schedule a meeting with higher-ups to discuss your pay rather than an ultimatum right off the bat. I hope it works out for you regardless, and give an update on what happens if you can!
cincyaudiodude said:
Just a reminder, you absolutely SHOULD talk about your pay with your coworkers. There's a reason why that is a federally protected right. The only person who wins when you refuse to discuss salary is the company who is actively trying to fuck over their employees. NTA, hold them to account.
VSinclair35 said:
This is precisely why you DO in fact discuss wages.
Equivalent_Lemon_319 said:
Oof. You’re NTA but that was also the wrong play. You will most likely be fired at the earliest opportunity.
UPDATE:
Thank you to everyone who commented because this has been weighing on my shoulders heavily. I have a few updates for you ...So this happened a little over two weeks ago.
1st: My boss called me the next day saying it was unprofessional for coworkers to talk about their pay and we should be working instead of slacking off. Also, because of my experience and what I have done for the company she increased my pay to what Julie was making and they have hired a new employee for my location starting the following week.
I told her that was agreeable. 2nd:I have an interview at a hospital next week making more than I am now with more benefits. 3rd:Somehow my email or upset spread throughout the company including other locations. I don't know if when Julie went to her location, she said something or the higher up I emailed did.
Occasionally I have to call other offices about patients or get help on things. Whenever I would, I would be questioned about it, laughed at for doing something so bold, or I noticed my work emails would be left on read and I was constantly left on hold.
My head manager just completely stopped talking to me and answering my calls even when I sent her 911 texts. 4th:I resigned. I have enough saved up to last me until I can find another job. F them.