Re: Tech Writer Lawsuit?

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

If you're an independent contractor, you're a vendor,
not an employee, and your rates and terms are
determined solely by your contract.  If you bid the
contract as service by the hour, you work and bill by
the hours the client requires and are paid that way.
If you bid the contract as fixed price, you bill by the
deliverables and the hours you work and therefore
the hourly rate is entirely determined by what you
decide you need to complete the deliverables.

If you are an employee, the compensation equivalent
of billing by the hour is "nonexempt hourly," and the
equivalent of billing by fixed price for deliverables is
"exempt professional."  Most companies I have
worked with prefer to hire technical writers as exempt
professional employees, and most technical writers I
have worked with who are employees prefer to work
that way.

Gene Kim-Eng



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hemstreet, Deborah" <DHemstreet -at- kaydon -dot- com>
> I am perhaps expressing my ignorance, but when I read this article, I
> was stunned.
>
> Where I lived in Israel - I always insisted upon, and received, pay
> based on the hour. My reasoning - if I work overtime pay me for it - 
> if
> not, don't pay me for it. Hourtime was based on total number of hours
> per week, irregardless of hours worked per day.
>
> When I came here to the US, I began working independently. I am also
> contracting with other companies. The same rate of pay is applied.
>
> Since when is it "standard practice" to expect technical writers to 
> work
> as indicated in this article? Is this indeed standard practice and I 
> am
> the happy exception?
>
> Curious people want to know...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.