You are here: Forum > Living in North America > USA > New York > Work > Local work contract conditions - need your advice
  Register and reply  

Local work contract conditions - need your advice


#1  2008-01-21 16:33:52

Masdu
New member
Registered: 2008-01-21
Posts: 5

Local work contract conditions - need your advice

Hello,

I have just been proposed a job (operational controlling team, in charge of different peformance reporting instruments) in NY (based in Manhattan) and I don't know what to think about the conditions. Any comment regarding the adequation vs the cost of life in NY or about whether or not the salary matches the local averages for that kind of job are welcome...
Here are the conditions:
-$45,000 yearly (the proposal states a yearly payrise ranging between 5-10%)
-15 vacation days, 5 sick days
-some commuters benefits
-health insurance paid by the employer with some co-payments still to be paid by the employee (from $25 to $500)

My background is in Finance controlling (2 years internships+ 1 year and 9 months as an expatriate in Australia)

Please let me know what you think

Masdu

  • Offline

#2  2008-01-21 17:11:48

Masdu
New member
Registered: 2008-01-21
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

One other quick precision, another aspect that adds to the confusion is also the recession that is announced in the US for 2008...

  • Offline

#3  2008-01-21 18:24:56

Jean-Philippe
New member
From: Miami, Florida
Registered: 2005-11-03
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

Do you live in the US ?
Or will you need a visa ?
Do you have children ?

45000$ per year is about what earn a school teacher or a call center employee.
The other conditions are about the same as the very basic proposed to any employees.

  • Offline

#4  2008-01-21 18:53:11

Masdu
New member
Registered: 2008-01-21
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

I'll need a Visa, and my (potential) employer will go through the admin process for me... I don't have any children.

I just found the salary proposed so low, which is why I needed comments. I suspect the HR lady I talked to must have made a very low proposal, expecting me to propose a salary much higher than what she proposed and eventually agree on an in between amount

I found this web page giving average salaries per categories of work: http://www.nyjobsource.com/salary/business.html

Do you think that mirrors the 2008 situation?

  • Offline

#5  2008-01-22 05:50:58

Jean-Philippe
New member
From: Miami, Florida
Registered: 2005-11-03
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

Masdu wrote:

...
Do you think that mirrors the 2008 situation?

Yes kind of, check also:
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Sta … ork/Salary

I think yes it is low, depends where you come what you do... and yes living in NY with a 45K salary is not easy (some nanny earn more here) but again it depends of the type of job, not everybody do a 6 figures job.

  • Offline

#6  2008-01-29 05:09:54

french vanilla
Active member
french vanilla
From: Lake Forest, CA
Registered: 2007-08-03
Posts: 44

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

Beside the salary (which I agree is low to live in Mannhattan, but I'm not aware of the standards for that kind of job... and it doesn't sound insane either!), you may check out the kind of visa your employer is applying for.
Working visa usually are attached to the job you get, which means that you may not be allowed to look for another job in the US with your visa in case you decide to quit the job after a few months or if you get fired. If that's the case, I would ask for a minimum duration or an indemnity to be stated in the contract (knowing that it's very fast and easy to lay off an employee here)... unless your employer agrees to pay for your way back !

But I would not worry too much about "the big recession" announced for 2008. It will happen for sure, but the past years have been very good, the basics of the american economy still are good, and more importantly, you don't have a mortgage and are not working in the real estate or at some kind of hedge funds, are you?

Good luck!

  • Offline

#7  2008-03-18 11:34:21

Masdu
New member
Registered: 2008-01-21
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

All right, thanks all for your comments...

Eventually, the conditions were raised to $53000 (and a $5000 indemnity for the first year).
My Visa will be an E2 Treaty investor/Treaty Trader. I guess that is attached to the job and not transferable according to what I read on a website, can anybody please confirm?

  • Offline

#8  2008-03-18 17:03:42

Masdu
New member
Registered: 2008-01-21
Posts: 5

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

And also, given this salary, what will be roughly speaking my 'take away home' pay after all charges (tax...) have been deducted?
Or do you know any goo dnet salary calculator for the state of New York

  • Offline

#9  2008-03-26 02:07:23

french vanilla
Active member
french vanilla
From: Lake Forest, CA
Registered: 2007-08-03
Posts: 44

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

Yes, all working visa are attached ...to the work dumbom You lose the job, you lose the visa.
Regarding the salary, employers usually advertize a gross salary - before tax - and you should apply an average of -20% for taxes. You may check wich your employer if that's the case. It is your choice to fix the rate. Taxes are taken off the payroll, based on the rate you've chosen. Once a year, the IRS calls for an adjustement based on your actual income (if you paid too much taxes on your payroll, they'll send you the money back).
This applies to the Federal tax only.

You'll also have to pay a State tax (New York) and a Borough tax (Manhattan, if you decide to live there). It is your responsability to make those declarations and pay. The local (borough) tax may vary a lot depending on the location. I assume that Manhattan must be expensive.

Last, if you own your house, you'll have to pay the house owner tax, based on the real estate value.

Bottom line, it's a lot of paper work but taxes are much lower in the US than in most european countries (I assume that you're currently living in Europe?).

My recommendation is to have a CPA make the job for you. It is very affordable ($100 to $200 per year depending on your revenue), they know all the tricks, and usually help you save much more money than the cost of their service.

Good luck

  • Offline

#10  2008-07-29 11:03:28

LilBrittany
New member
LilBrittany
Registered: 2008-07-29
Posts: 6

Re: Local work contract conditions - need your advice

As it has been mentioned, I think the offered salary is too low.




 
 
 
 

The world is a book and those who don't travel read only a page.
  • Offline
Like this topic? Share it with your friends!


Expatriate health insurance New York

Free advice and quotation service to choose an expat health insurance in New York.
>> Click here

Moving to New York

A few tips from professionals about moving to New York.
>> Click here

Expat banking New York

Discover the benefits of expat banking for people living and working abroad.
>> Click here

Businesses and services in New York

Find the professionals in New York in the Expat blog directory.
>> Click here

Luggage shipping New York

Useful information about luggage shipping to New York.
>> Click here

Travel insurance New York

Don't worry and travel happy across New York.
>> Click here

To
Subject *
Message *
   You are here: Forum > Living in North America > USA > New York > Work > Local work contract conditions - need your advice