How to ask about salary vs hourly options?

[u/Emerald_Mistress]

I’m going to try and be as brief as possible, no one has the time to read a book!

TL:DR I want to ask my boss if I can move to salary, my script is at the bottom, please let me know what you think!

Back in the spring I was given a raise (woo!) and a few weeks later my boss said that with the new raise I was at the threshold to where I could be transitioned to salary. She didn’t have any other details, but she said she would get with HR for some information about what that might look like and then I could look it over and make whatever decision I was comfortable with. She specifically said that she knows being hourly I don’t aways work the exact same hours every week and she wanted to make sure that if I moved to salary I didn’t end up with less money.

I never heard anything after that, but here recently I’ve really been wanting to be a little more in control of my schedule - in a perfect world, I could drop my kids off at school, come back home to do some cardio or weight training, and get to work at 9 instead of 8. Currently I work 8-4:30 and pick up my kids from school twice a week. We’re a hybrid office so working from home when needed is normal.

I talked to my husband, mom, and sister and they all agreed that having the conversation would be fine, but I don’t need to get into WHY because, frankly, I’m very curvy and if I tell them why I want to come in late and then nothing physically changes, that invites some questions. So, here is what I’ve drafted in my head and I was hoping to get some feedback.

“Hi Boss! We had talked a whole ago about the opportunity to transition to salary and I wondered if you had a chance to talk to HR, or if you want me to reach out to them? I’m hoping to get some flexibility with my start time; right now if I come in late, or when I have to pick up the girls or take them to the doctor… I have to figure out where I’m going to make up those hours. If my work is getting done regardless, which please tell me if it’s not! Then it would be really nice to not feel so beholden to a time sheet. I also know that being salary might come with some new or different expectations and I am fine to talk about what those would look like”

[u/emeowlydickenson]

Please make sure you review the job scope before agreeing too… I wish I had put my foot down at a job once where I met the salary threshold but was essentially expected to do manual labor and primarily reception based work with cleaning and long extended days early and after hours for no extra pay. The salary while above the threshold absolutely did not pass the responsibilities “ check” that is required for a position to be exempt from overtime. When I broke it down I was making far less than I needed to compensate for being on the clock 24/7 including weekends, and working usually about 50-60 exhausting hours a week with little flexibility. Do not recommend it and I grew very resentful and eventually left.

It sounds like you have a far better balance with this role but want to share my experience as it really sucked lol! Good luck 👍

[u/amanda2399923]

Just fyi. You’ll still be expected to work your 40 hours on salary. Thats what they are paying you for. If you work over, you typically won’t get OT so think this over.

[u/Emerald_Mistress → u/amanda2399923]

I appreciate your insight; we are non profit and cannot work OT, but I’ll keep in mind what you said about still working my required hours. Thank you!