# contracting pay **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966 "2011-11-05T16:55:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boston\_bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c0e974/32.png) [@boston\_bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boston_bob)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/1 "2011-11-05T16:55:31Z")
I just left my job as a engineer. they want me stay on maybe 10 to 15hours a week. what should my pay be. I’m thinking it should be like 50% more than I was making before I left. they will still be billing my time out and not paying me any benifits …any thoughts anyone ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/2 "2011-11-05T17:10:52Z")
50% more as a 1099 employee? If I was given that offer and could not find any other I might accept it, but only if I really needed the money. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/3 "2011-11-05T17:14:10Z")
> [@boston\_bob](#): > > I just left my job as a engineer. they want me stay on maybe 10 to 15hours a week. what should my pay be. I’m thinking it should be like 50% more than I was making before I left. they will still be billing my time out and not paying me any benifits …any thoughts anyone When I was a programmer contractor, the contracting pay was at least double that of an employee drone. Don’t know what it is for engineers. If you think about it, benefits, including the FICA employer portion, add 30-40% to the salary, and the other 60% is to compensate for non-permanence and part-timeness of the job. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/4 "2011-11-05T22:00:32Z")
What he said. Start thinking at double your old hourly rate. Or your old annual salary / 2000. Offer to come back for 2.5x your old rate. Settle for 2x id you have to. Don’t settle for less. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/5 "2011-11-06T08:21:48Z")
Former contractor here - I concur, at least double. In fact, depending on your current circumstances, a 10-15hr job could be more trouble than it’s worth (enough to stop you from picking up another position). If I were in that situation I’d consider asking for 3x-4x - similar to the old full time salary - since it might mean you’re unable to take on other work. But that depends on the circumstances of course. ---
**Author:** ![BACI](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@BACI](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BACI)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2011, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/contracting-pay/601966/6 "2011-11-06T09:45:16Z")
Contractor here - 3X is reasonable and usual, and fair. I don’t hesitate to ask for it.