Hi everyone!
I started a new job in a barn a few months ago, and at the time it seemed like my dream job, in reality, it still is. I am the sole caretaker(6 days a week) and on site presence at the farm, a 2 bedroom apartment attached to the barn with utilities is included as is board for my horse. When I started here there were a little over 20 horses, we are now at 30, with 3 being young babies with minimal handling. I recieve 750 a month, and no health insurance, nor did i fill out a contract or w-2. I have been involved with horses for many years but only recently started pursuing a career taking care of them. It is my passion. My question is, what is the average salary of a barn worker, working alone or as a team, in a 30 horse barn? Am I being paid fairly for the amount of work I do with board and living included? I work an average of 60-70 hours a week, feeding 3 times a day, turning in and out, cleaning stalls and water buckets and filling them, all by myself every day. Should I be recieving health insurance or a signed contract or something about workers comp in the event I get hurt? I love this job but I feel as though sometimes I am being taken advantage of. Many of the additional horses were dropped off with no notice on me, but the barn manager and owner knew they were coming, and each horse adds time to my days.
You are the only one taking care of the 30 horses:eek::eek::eek:? Not knowing all the details, $750/month without benefit seems low, even with housing and utility included. To find out what you are actually, getting paid, find out the average cost of two bed room apartment around your area is, and what the average monthly utility is. Do they pay for your gas? Add these to your $750, and that comes to your total compensation. Divide your total compensation with the hours you work to derive your hourly rate.
Hi Gloria, yes, 6 days a week I am the only one caring for them. Someone comes in one day a week to give me a day off, but other than that it is just me. Average for a 2 bedroom is 5-600, and i dont believe i have gas here, but given that i am only in the apartment for a few hours a day(that i am not sleeping) and I only use the 1 bedroom and the kitchen, I would think utilities would be less than 100. Board is 300. Assuming 1000 is coming from my pay a month for rent and board, i am being paid a little less than 7 an hour with no benefits or insurance should i get hurt.
You at least need workers compensation. Horses are dangerous. If you get injured by a horse and can’t work, will you lose your wages? Will you lose your housing? If you can’t work due to a work related injury, what happens to you?
It sounds like you are being paid under the table (I am guessing because here there would be automatic deductions for employment insurance). If that is the case you have no protection should something happen to you. Which could given you at caring for 30 horses on your own. I’d be insisting on being legally paid or find other work.
I work at a barn with 35 horses, 5 days a week, 7 hours a day, and I get roughly $1700 a month. Yes, you are being taken advantage of.
You’re working in an incredibly physically demanding and with the potential for serious injury for peanuts. Is $750 a month enough to pay for insurance for your car, vet/farrier for your horse, food for yourself? Do you have health insurance from some other source?
It doesn’t seem sustainable to have 1 person doing all the stalls, feeding and turnout for 30 horses 6 days a week.
The average salary is the lowest amount of money a barn can get away with paying someone.
If you’re not getting taxes taken out of your wages, your employment situation is illegal and can land you - and the barn - in trouble.
$750 a month for 70 hours a week is:
$187.50 per week
$31.25 per DAY (assuming a 6 day work week)
$3.13 per HOUR assuming 10 hour work days
You said board was $300, the apartment would normally be 600 and utilities about 100, so $1000. $1000 broken up into 6 days a week of 10 hour days is an additional $4.17 per hour
So you are effectively paid $7.30 per hour, without health insurance, certainly no worker’s comp to cover you if you’re injured, and without taxes being paid.
You tell us if you’re being underpaid.
There wouldn’t be any taxes on an annual income of $9,000 … I have a hard time writing $9000 per year as a wage
In 2016 you had to make at least $10,350 (assuming OP is under 65) to even be required to file
Thanks everyone,
In response to some questions, I am not sure if it is under the table or not on the owners end, they own another business besides the barn and, I assume, have employees there. I am paid by check twice a month. Some friends have mentioned he could be writing me into his taxes. As for the care, it is very hard and i have almost been injured by the babies, and a few others, a few times. While boarders have sung my praises and told me how much they appreciate me, as well as told the owner and manager, the only feedback I get from the bosses is negative. This puts me in a uncomfortable position as far as negotiating better terms. I struggle each month with personal bills and sustaining myself, and have totally devoted my life to these horses, as they want/need someone on site pretty much 24/7 in case of emergency. My car is on the verge of dead and there is nothing I can do in my current situation. So.before i try to negotiate better terms, i’d like to get a better idea of fair pay and work expectations to.use as a basis for negotiation. I’d hate to leave this job as its fantastic, but I may need to if I can’t find a solution
If you are not receiving pay stubs showing taxes withheld, chances are they are not. And your employer would have clear workmans comp info posted and available, with details.
At the very least…
How on earth do you do 30 stalls on your own, plus all the rest of the duties?
As someone who struggles to find someone to work half as hard as you do, and pay twice as you are getting, your bosses need you more than you need them. Trust me.
As your charge increase from 20 horses to 30 without additional pay, you are essentially getting pay cut by half. Normally when you get more experiences and are given more responsibilities, your pay goes up, not down. I don’t care how much you love what you do. Is this really a “fantastic” job?
A friend provides housing, all bills paid, for her barn help and his whole family (husband, wife, and two children) in exchange for care of her 6 horses (stall and feed, no babies.) He travels to nearby barns after taking care of her 6 to earn extra money. She also pays him extra one day a week to help her with farm work.
I agree with the above, and the only plus I see is that you are gaining experience to offer another (better) employer.
Never sell yourself short as you re obviously a very hard worker and these employees are hard to find.
Sounds like you have your answer.
Yes, you should be paid more.
I would also expect to be paid more caring for 30 horses than when I accepted a position caring for 20 horses.
I work very hard and start my days at 430 am. I love all the horses, and with them having no back up plan should i be unable to work, it pushes me to get up every day and work hard until its all done, because if i cant take care of them, who will? With the additional horses i can feel myself burning out sometimes, but my salvation is my sister and a few of the boarders who will pitch in sometimes with turnout or other small tasks as they refuse to find me any additional help. I am definately going to speak with the owner about at the very least a pay raise and find out more about how much is being taken from my pay for rent and board.
OP, you are not “illegally employed,” your employer is simply possibly not paying your taxes and withholdings as required by law (you never answered the question about your paystub). Your employer is responsible for this, not you, as you do not fit the IRS definition of an independent contractor. Even if your employer does not have workers compensation insurance, you are still covered by the workers compesation laws in your state. Payments for your medical bills and lost wages for an on-the-job injury will come from a state fund or your employer’s pocket if you get hurt and your employer does not have insurance.
And going from 20 horses to 30 horses increased your workload by 50%.
Barn jobs don’t pay well. Consider education or training in another field that will allow you to live independently and keep a car on the road, and still stay involved with horses.
You need to start the process right now as in today of fixing this. Of course you are being taken advantage of! If you can’t get by on what you are being paid something has to give and if you get hurt and have nothing but a long legal battle because they don’t have workers comp that’s a terrible path to travel. I would rather live in my car than work like a dog for nothing but existence. When they changed it from 20 horses to 30 you should have gotten a 50% pay increase non negotiable. Either give them your two weeks notice with the information that you will only be caring for 20 horses so you can job hunt or negotiate a better pay deal. You don’t even have enough time for a part time job so you can keep this one if it is your dream job.
I do not recieve a paystub or any other form to indicate i’m being employed and paid other than the check they bring me on paydays.
I got 750 a WEEK plus housing and benefits to do that many horses
