This will likely be long, so grab a brewski and siddown.
Wife works at a relatively small company. Hired in a little more than a year ago as the assistant to the corporate attorney. Has done a fantastic job since day one.
Shortly after she was hired, the company hired a new marketing VP. Wife (actually, then-fiance) describes him to me as a “hottie” and says all the women in the office are lusting after him. Markeing VP starts paying some attention to my then-fiance. She flirts back. (She’s a huge flirt.) She tells me the gist of some of their conversations, and where she sees innocent flirtation I see predatory scumbucket. I tell her so. She tells me no, he’s just a friendly guy, trying to meet folks in the company.
Company retreat last October – three days in Kentucky. Marketing VP hits on then-fiance so obviously that co-workers say something to her about it. She finally starts realizing this guy is after more than friendship, and begins to distance herself.
Fast-forward to January. Then-fiance’s work is being noticed by everybody – she does a great job. Marketing VP goes to CEO, suggests then-fiance could be good marketing support person. CEO broaches subject to then-fiance, who is excited. She has no college degree, and desperately wants to get away from the secretarial-type jobs. I express concern; evalutations will be at sole discretion of marketing VP. I worry what will be required for my then-fiance to get decent raises.
June. We’re married. Wife is also given marketing duties in addition to her current job. She’s pleased. I’m nervous. I ask her what sort of salary increase she’s being given, and the answer is none. I tell her that’s robbery; almost any company in the world will increase your salary if they ask you to take on additional responsibilities. She’s just excited about the opportunity, and doesn’t want to make waves. Company tells her this is a trial period, to see if she likes marketing.
Now it’s mid-September. My wife has been doing the marketing support position, in addition to her other duties, for 3 1/2 months now. No raise in salary. Wife doesn’t seem to want to push the issue, either, although she complains about how overworked she is. CEO has suggested she move to full-time marketing coordinator in January. Has given vague promise of salary increase, but nothing in writing. Wife seems excited about that prospect. One good thing – she’s finally realized what a scum the marketing VP is, although I still hate him.
I’ve suggested to my wife that she do one of three things:
- Refuse to do marketing, period, if they’re not gonna pay her for the extra work.
- Ask the company to cut her a separate check for the time she spends working on marketing projects until the position is full-time.
- Ask the company to make the marketing position full-time now, since she’s already doing all the work, and give the assistant-to-the-attorney stuff to somebody else.
None of these three appears to be happening. From what I can see, she’s gonna do all this extra work until January, then just take the marketing coordinator position. I’m not thrilled with this, since she’s gonna be working closely with the marketing VP. In fact, she works closely with him now. I have tried to be as diplomatic as possible in all the discussions my wife and I have had about the situation. She knows I hate him. She knows why. But I’ve honestly tried to advise her as best I can, divorcing my feelings about him from the situation.
My whole contention has been that if she has to work with the shitwad, she could at least get paid for it while she’s actually doing the work. Whenever I mention this to my wife, she doesn’t really seem to have an answer for me. She says she’s discussed money with the CEO and the marketing VP, but nothing has come out of it.
What are your thoughts? If I’m in the wrong, and should just let the whole thing drop, I will try.