Monday, March 23, 2009

Des Moines: $90K-plus must take two weeks

Gannett employees earning $90,000 and above must take two weeks without pay in the second quarter, The Des Moines Register says, in one of the first Gannett-authored stories about the just-announced new furloughs; this one doesn't carry a byline.

The Register says employees at Gannett’s corporate headquarters in Virginia will take one week of unpaid leave and also will have a temporary pay reduction of the equivalent of one week’s pay.

12 comments:

  1. the 90k thing applies to Sioux Falls too

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  2. Sounds like *any* Gannett person making over $90K will take that special extra week. Of course, $90K in McLean and $90K in Des Moines are two completely different things...$90K in McLean is more like $60K in Des Moines.

    This should lead to all sorts of fun in USA Today's newsroom, where salaries are all over the place with no apparent rhyme or reason...you can see the calculations beginning already.

    And another word to my Gannett bretheren. Take EVERY DAY of your vacation this year. EVERY DAY. You have earned this benefit. Do NOT leave a week of vacation laying on the table because you had to take off so much furlough-related time! Gannett has chosen to pay you when it's convenient for them and not pay you when it's not, so use the benefits to which you are entitled. Remember, vacation time doesn't roll over.

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  3. will be fun to see who is out for two weeks this quarter...

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  4. Furloughs and temporary pay cut programs by division

    Across the company: Some locations and groups of employees are exempt, due to other cost cutting efforts. Represented employees will be asked to participate in lieu of layoffs.

    US Community Publishing

    Virtually all employees will take the equivalent of one week of unpaid leave. Hourly employees must take five days over the course of the three-month quarter, scheduled with the approval of their supervisor. Salaried employees must take one full week at one time. In addition, employees who earn over $90,000 will take a second week of unpaid leave.

    Broadcast

    All employees will take at least one week unpaid furlough. Hourly workers can take the five days at any pre-approved time over the three-month quarter. Salaried employees must take the furlough one week at one time. In addition to the furlough week, Broadcast’s management team and department heads at each location will take a temporary pay reduction equivalent to one week’s pay.

    Digital

    All employees will take at least one week unpaid furlough in the quarter. Hourly employees will take the equivalent of one week (five days) over the three-month period, scheduled with the approval of their supervisor. All others will take one week of unpaid furlough plus a temporary pay reduction equivalent to one week’s pay.

    USA TODAY/USA WEEKEND

    All salaried employees will take one week unpaid furlough. Top 15% of salaried employees will take two weeks of unpaid furlough. Hourly employees can take any five days over the three month period, scheduled with the approval of their supervisor.

    Corporate

    Hourly employees will take three unpaid leave days in the quarter, scheduled with the approval of their supervisor. All other employees will take one week of unpaid furlough. Additionally, vice presidents and above will take a temporary reduction of one week’s pay over the quarter.

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  5. Let's see: You're a top editor. You have to take two weeks off in the quarter. You take another week off for vacation. You're now gone for 23 percent of the entire quarter. How much work -- especially big project work, you know, the kind that will push the company forward -- is going to go on in this quarter?

    This is why they call it a 'downward spiral.' Failure begets cuts begets failure begets cuts...

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  6. 2:32, it's worse than that.
    Top editors usually have enough seniority that they get 3 or 4 weeks off per year.
    At 4 weeks of vacation, that comes out to a total (so far) of 7/52nds or 13.5% of the entire year that a key employee isn't around to lead/generate content or sell ads. If we all get another week in Q3 and Q4 too, that will increase to 17.3% of the year for that employee.

    Maybe this is that 'giant sucking sound' that Ross Perot really heard.

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  7. Well, now we know some Gannett employees earn that much. I never did and they seemed to think I had maxxed out for reporters' wages. These must be editors, managers?
    After two-plus decades with Gannett, I had accumulated 4 weeks vacation. I also had considerable savings. I really would have enjoyed taking ALL of my vacation and tacking on an extra week a quarter of free time, courtesy of the furlough policy.
    Good luck to everyone who isn't as well placed. Enjoy your time off.

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  8. Oh, the humanity, oh, the buffet tables!

    Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.

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  9. Keep in mind some of us live in high cost areas. I work in Westchester and earn over $90K -- not much more. I am NOT wealthy by any means. I am sorry to find out though that my coworkers might learn my salary.

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  11. It's a shame that anyone has to take furlogh.

    U of I Hospital chiefs-if I heard right took a cut in pay of 5% to a tune of $2.5 million.

    I wonder if this can be done where the media chiefs is concerned and help the lower paid employees keep their jobs.

    But ... that may be asking too much. At least one business has a heart to do so.

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