About That "Voluntary" Pay Cut (Patreon)

Media groups like Meredith and NBC is telling….errrr…. asking their employees to take a pay cut in the wake of the COVID-19 fallout. 

If you have a contract, you are not required to take a pay cut, but both companies are encouraging their employees to do so. 

At NBC, they say your paycheck will be chopped, unless you reach out to the company by next Wednesday. Meredith is passing out an addendum to under contract employees, which will the company the right to cut your pay. 

So, before you agree to the pay cut, should you try and make a deal? 

One TV newsie tells FTVLive the story of a Reporter that was asked to take a pay cut. 

She told her General Manager that she would gladly do so in exchange for moving up the out in her contract by six months. The out was only for one market, which was also her hometown. 

The GM told the Reporter that they were “appalled” that she would try to take advantage of the situation for her own benefit.

It is amazing how the narrative changes when the shoe is on the other foot. 

If you have a contract and you are asked to take a pay cut, call your agent and let them try to work out something. The company is going against your contract and asking you to work for less money than you agreed upon. 

Shouldn’t you get something for that? 

It could be as simple as a few more vacation days for when this is all over.

You never know unless you ask. By having your agent do it, it saves you a difficult conversation like the Reporter above and your agent is the bad guy/girl and not you. We know of a number of agents that are dealing with these issues right now.

Don’t just give up your pay without trying to get a little something in return. 

Just saying…