I'm really annoyed with my boss (regarding money) RANT

[Anonymous]

Okay, so, my boss makes about $750,000 per year. (He is a partner at a large law firm, I am his assistant) He constantly complains to me about being broke. He expenses everything, even when he pays $1.00 for a drink while on business. I brought up the issue of my salary to him because reviews are coming up and I was hoping he would put in a good word for me to get a decent raise. The most I've ever gotten for a yearly raise works out to $0.95/hour. He asked me how much I currently make, and I told him - $58,000/year. He looked at me, and with a straight face, said "That's a lot already". EXCUSE ME? $58,000 is not a whole lot when you consider how expensive DC is. Then, just a few hours later, he comes and gives me receipts to do an expense report for him, and tells me to do it immediately because he's broke and needs the money asap. Gah!

How can someone who makes $750,000/year complain about being broke, then turn right around and tell me $58,000 a year is a high salary?!?

[Anonymous]

Your boss is a dick. Is he otherwise insufferable or is it just the money thing?

[Anonymous]

Gambling?

Owes money to the mob?

[Anonymous]

I had a similar situation when I was staff in big law.

It sucks. People are self absorbed jerks.

[Anonymous]

Wow!!!! What an ASS. I have no words other than maybe look for another job. I don't see the situation improving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your boss is a dick. Is he otherwise insufferable or is it just the money thing?

The thing is, he's totally awesome otherwise. I love working for him...but now, after this, it's really affected my opinion of him.

[Anonymous]

What degree do you have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What degree do you have?

I'm not the OP, but I am also the assistant of a big law partner. I have a BA in political science and 10 years of office experience. I make $55,000 and have had similar conversations with my boss. There are people in my position making everywhere from $45,000 to $85,000, depending on years of experience. Unfortunately, the only way to get a significant increase is to leave and go to another firm at a higher starting salary. When the market tanked in 2008, my firm stopped giving anything more than a 3-4% raise, no matter what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What degree do you have?

I'm not the OP, but I am also the assistant of a big law partner. I have a BA in political science and 10 years of office experience. I make $55,000 and have had similar conversations with my boss. There are people in my position making everywhere from $45,000 to $85,000, depending on years of experience. Unfortunately, the only way to get a significant increase is to leave and go to another firm at a higher starting salary. When the market tanked in 2008, my firm stopped giving anything more than a 3-4% raise, no matter what.

I do the same thing in a big law firm. We have similar education and experience. My firm pays slightly better (I make $69,000 finally) but they refuse to give any raises above 2.75%.

[Anonymous]

He's an asshole is probably paying alimony to multiple ex wives. Can you get a little extra training and become a paralegal?

[Anonymous]

His wife does this and it costs a lot of money

[Anonymous]

My boss and her DH earn well over a million, own a luxury apartment, and she complains about paying her nanny overtime for after hours babysitting! She squeezes every penny she can out of expenses and fudges a lot.

I just roll my eyes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your boss is a dick. Is he otherwise insufferable or is it just the money thing?

The thing is, he's totally awesome otherwise. I love working for him...but now, after this, it's really affected my opinion of him.

as it should... he's a clueless, self-absorbed, arrogant asshole (IMO and I've been a lawyer for 33 yrs.). ... It ought to affect your opinion of him!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Okay, so, my boss makes about $750,000 per year. (He is a partner at a large law firm, I am his assistant) He constantly complains to me about being broke. He expenses everything, even when he pays $1.00 for a drink while on business. I brought up the issue of my salary to him because reviews are coming up and I was hoping he would put in a good word for me to get a decent raise. The most I've ever gotten for a yearly raise works out to $0.95/hour. He asked me how much I currently make, and I told him - $58,000/year. He looked at me, and with a straight face, said "That's a lot already". EXCUSE ME? $58,000 is not a whole lot when you consider how expensive DC is. Then, just a few hours later, he comes and gives me receipts to do an expense report for him, and tells me to do it immediately because he's broke and needs the money asap. Gah!

How can someone who makes $750,000/year complain about being broke, then turn right around and tell me $58,000 a year is a high salary?!?

I'm a legal secretary to a lawyer and earn $70k. If he complained about money to me I'd just look him straight in the eyes, shrug and smile while saying, "Hey, it could be worse - you could only earn $70k!"

My former boss was once looking to hire someone (not to replace me) and looking at salary history. He looked at someone earning 2k more than me and said, "How could anyone even possibly LIVE on that?!" and I said, "Very, very carefully."

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry he's such a dick OP. Former BigLaw associate here. I always touted my admin staff in their annual reviews for just this reason. I was very mindful of the people who made it possible to do my big-bucks job.

That said, people have different ideas of what "broke" looks like based on their circumstances. Years ago I dated a partner who constantly poor-mouthed despite his $900K income. He had child support obligations and a moderate ($2K) mortgage, but no debt, so I didn't get the "I'm so broke" penny-pinching at the time. Turns out he was in the process of being forced out of the firm, and the poor-mouthing was, I think, an expression of the insecurity he was feeling. Or a practical reaction to facing the end of the gravy train.