Equal Benefits for Management and Other Employees

[ka22277]

What is the name of your state? Alabama

I am about to submit a proposal to my comany to work from home in another city (I am planning on moving soon). We have other people that work from home and are full time employees with the associated benefits (All male), that also work for the same location where I am employed. I am willing to forgo the Medical/Dental Insurance, but I want to remain a full time employee and keep my supplemental insurance (AFLAC) and 401K, along with accumulated vacation days.
If this is denied, would it be cause for discrimination, since we have other people in nearly identical situations?
I am the only woman in my department and also the lowest paid, even thought I have more experience and have worked here longer than at least one of the men. As a matter of fact, I trained him when he was hired. Would it be a possibility to bring this into the negotiations also, if they try to deny my benefits?
Any advice would be appreciated. I can't find anything on the laws here, since it is a right to work state.

 

[Beth3]

If this is denied, would it be cause for discrimination, since we have other people in nearly identical situations? Only if they deny it BECAUSE of your gender (or some other protected characteristic.)

There are no laws that require an employer to allow the same for Employee B just because Employee A (and C and D and E) were allowed to do it. If they deny the request because they don't want anyone else working from home for the time being, feel you won't be able to do your job effectively from home or from a remote location, or any other reason other than a specifically prohibited one, it's perfectly legal.

I am the only woman in my department and also the lowest paid, even thought I have more experience and have worked here longer than at least one of the men. As a matter of fact, I trained him when he was hired. Would it be a possibility to bring this into the negotiations also, if they try to deny my benefits? Bring what into the negotiatons? The fact that you trained your boss on some things when he was hired? How is that relevant?

Any advice would be appreciated. I can't find anything on the laws here, since it is a right to work state. Right to work means you can't be required to join a union in order to be employed.

Perhaps it's me but I really don't see what you're getting at here. You want to relocate and be allowed to perform your job remotely. I get that part and that's something that is entirely up to your management. It's the part about the benefits that's confusing.

 

[ka22277]

Equal Benefits

My main question is the potential for refusal of my proposal, or termination of my benefits, even though I know other people have successfully managed to do this (one was hired within the last month).

The issue with the training other dept. members and being the lowest paid in the dept. is mainly a sore point. No, the person that I trained is not my boss, but his initial salary was the same as my current salary and he has since gotten a raise. I work in Information Technology/Programming, which is still a male dominated field and wonder if that is part of the disparity. If so, is this grounds for speaking to my supervisor about discrimination. (Although salary info is supposed to be confidential). Does that explain it? I do tend to ramble.
Thanks.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

Listen, you can speak to your supervisor all you want. But if you worked for me and came to me with such petty crap you'd be home alright, but not working for me.

Working from home entails a lot more than a right. Some people can do it responsibly and others can't. Some people have obligations that would preclude them from working on-site for 8 hours but talent enough to make consessions.

Quit your whinning. Or look for a new job.

 

[Beth3]

I work in Information Technology/Programming, which is still a male dominated field and wonder if that is part of the disparity. I doubt everyone would agree with you on that. I know loads of System Admin's and other IT professionals who are women. My last employer had a department of about 45 IT professionals and at least half were women. The CIO was female too.

If so, is this grounds for speaking to my supervisor about discrimination. I wouldn't advise for that to be your opening stance. There are many reasons why you may be paid less than your colleagues that are perfectly legal, including the fact that your boss may not think you are as skilled as some of the other people they've hired.

It appears you're looking for some kind of leverage to force your employer to agree to your "work from home" proposal. You don't have any. You can ask if they'll consider it but you can't force them to agree.