Farming "Out" My "In" House Design Services

[GradientStudio]

I work as the only designer at a medical laboratory and I am responsible for everything design related. Recently, my marketing director offered my design services to another lab that we are working with remotely. I am skeptical about this decision for a few reasons. First, it opens up the potential for a lot more work for me, without more pay. This could happen with other labs as well. It is breaking the agreement of my job description. Also, the other company wants to art direct me, and their current brand is non-existant. I would have to start from scratch with their identity and have yet another person to approve my work. I feel stuck because, as an inhouse designer, I don't have the option to refuse the job. Does anyone have any advice to help me deal with this? :confused:

[Ned]

The only thing I can see that you can do, is to talk to your boss, and tell them you need a pay raise to take on the extra workload.

[Virgo Nightingale]

^^Agreed. A change in workload should be reflected with a change in pay.

[colonel5]

^ I also agree. Someone somewhere is getting paid for this extra work you're doing unless the lab you work for is doing it for free you should see part of that money

[PrintDriver]

Maybe they don't think you're busy enough and need to rent you out to pay your current wage?
:D

[Ned]

Good point, PD. Don't you be talking to any of my employers... :D

[DesignStudio]

that's a rough situation though because you really don't have much leverage to refuse the work or ask for the pay raise, because you're in house. i think alot of tact would be required to pull that one off. hopefully you're tight with your boss.

[Ned]

I think she does have good leverage for a pay raise, personally, assuming that the situation PD described doesn't exist. ;)

[SurfPark]

I wouldn't say anything until you see what kind of work this remote lab is sending your way. Chances are the remote lab might not add that much additional work.

[DesignStudio]

Is this other lab part of the same company? or a totally seperate lab from another company that yours happens to be paired with? If it's another company all-together then I'd imagine some money is changing hands somewhere to compensate your lab for your services, and I agree with colonel5, you should see a piece of that action.

What I meant by not having alot of leverage, is that unfortunately not all employers adhere to the standards they ought to- and it certainly wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility in this economic climate for an employer to simply let you go if you didn't want to do the extra work, and hire someone cheaper to take your place. In theory, and depending on the contract, you should have great leverage if they're adding work to the clear list of responsibilities outlined in your job description. Let us know how this works out, good luck with it.

[GradientStudio]

Thank you all for the great feedback. I had a meeting with my boss Friday and it turns out that it's only a letterhead and a couple web pages. She believes that this joint marketing effort will result in locking in the market in the Memphis area through the remote lab. I made her promise not to farm out marketing services in the future. Hopefully this small job will not open the door to a flood of new work. I think I will go against my gut instinct and give in to the corporate world one more time for the greater good of the company. (and keep my job) Thanks again.

[urstwile]

Thanks for following up and letting us know what happened. Keep us posted!

I hope it works out for the best. :)