# Payroll for summer vs winter



## Kent Lawn Care (Apr 16, 2001)

Howdy, im just wondering if there is anyone out there that pays more for winter work to their employees over the summer work.

for instance...
if an employee works for $10.00 an hour during thesummer season, would you pay them $15.00 for plowing in the winter.

obviously i pulled numbers outta my ... but i,m just wondering if anyone pays this way.


Phil


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## Great Lakes Snow Removal (Jan 19, 2002)

I pay my guys more for the winter work, a shoveler to me is worth more, given the conditions he or she is working under and also the snow work pays better than the warm weather work.
The drivers are compensated well, and they operate my equipment, sub's are paid considerably high but keep the usage of them to a minimum.
I don't know if ths answers your question, but i am bored as hell and am just rambling on. 

Steve


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## jkkalbers (Mar 29, 2002)

I pay my drivers twice as much as my summer help. It's the only way to get someone with a different full time job up at 2:00 am to go plow snow. plus getting them back year after year helps because they will save you time on your route because they are familliar with it.


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## Kent Lawn Care (Apr 16, 2001)

Thanks for your help guys, ive been paying my guys $4.00 an hour more for the winter work, but i was wondering if it was enough. im at least in the ballpark. i was thinking about trying something new though this year. pay them a minimum wage. for istance if they show up from the beginning of the work day and stay till the end pay them a certain amount of hours. ive noticed that when we only have to salt the hours are really low, and as the season goes further in they get faster. whats your opinons about this? or am i just being to kind about it. the way i was looking at it is that if they are gettiing up at 2 and only work for 4 hours each salting, then is it worth their while coming in. this is the problem i had last year, when i would call guys in it was "i'm not coming in for just a couple hours, its not worth my time, call one of the other guys" just something else to converse about. thanks again guys.


Phil


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## Mdirrigation (Dec 12, 2003)

ask yourself a question, how much would you shovel driveways for in the cold wet and wind at 2 am in the morning ? How much would you want to get paid for driving a truck 20 hours in bad conditions , then figure out hou muck to pay. I always throw my guys cash on top of their pay on a good productive snow. 

Shovelers and snowblowerr 1/2 of what I bill for them

Driver 25.00 per hour and they are responsible for their damage or screw ups


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## elite1 (Dec 30, 2003)

I Pay about 1.5% higher to all my guys for snow. I will always pay what they are worth. I some person gets the job done quicker and safely than another I will add some $ to his checks after all i bid a set price and figure a set price for labor, so if a a shoveler gets the job done faster, why should he make less, it is after all helping me out.

when you increase your employees rates, you should make the extra $ (.5% in my case) be part of a "snow rate" column
so you don't have any problems when summer roles back around, or other winter work.


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## WHITE=GREEN (Jan 14, 2001)

i second what Mdirrigation said, just ask your self how much would you want paid to work in those conditions at all hours of the night. we pay all of our sidewalk guys and drivers $25/hour. its well worth it because i know they will be there every storm and besides every minute i spend out of my truck is money im loosing.


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## badranman (Dec 22, 2003)

I pay 1.5 x more for winter work. It's worth it to me to treat my guys fairly. Like White=Green said, they are working in some pretty crumby conditions. If they know they are getting compensated for doing so, I find they work better and know they are part of a family and not just another guy.


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## gpin (Dec 5, 2003)

I pay my people about 20% extra for plowing, snow blowing and shoveling for all the reasons stated above. AT THE END OF THE SEASON, I give out bonuses based on profit. Blown equipment lowers profit so this is the incentive to be careful with the trucks, snow blowers and to not leave the $40 shovels behind.


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## landman (Dec 2, 2001)

We pay our laborers regular pay plus $4.00 per hour more. drivers vary on years with us/driving experience usually $25.00 per hr though.


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## badranman (Dec 22, 2003)

> _Originally posted by gpin _
> *I pay my people about 20% extra for plowing, snow blowing and shoveling for all the reasons stated above. AT THE END OF THE SEASON, I give out bonuses based on profit. Blown equipment lowers profit so this is the incentive to be careful with the trucks, snow blowers and to not leave the $40 shovels behind. *


How much of a percent do you give? This seems like a good way to have them take care of your gear, give them an incentive to do so.


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## The Boss (Oct 22, 2003)

I pay more in the winter due to the fact of the weather and usually the hours we all have to work.


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## gpin (Dec 5, 2003)

Badranman, I give my foreman 8% of the gross profit, number 2 gets 6% and number 3 gets 4%. It seems like alot but I would rather have fewer people putting out 110% percent and making more money.


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## chtucker (Sep 6, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Mdirrigation _
> *ask yourself a question, how much would you shovel driveways for in the cold wet and wind at 2 am in the morning ? How much would you want to get paid for driving a truck 20 hours in bad conditions , then figure out hou muck to pay. I always throw my guys cash on top of their pay on a good productive snow.
> 
> Shovelers and snowblowerr 1/2 of what I bill for them
> ...


No matter how much you want to make the driver''s responsible it is ILLEGAL unless they are sub contractors. If you are paying them a wage... then it is your repsonsibility.

Are we going to start holding the engineers at NASA responsible when the "lose" a billllooooonn dollar space exploration tool.

The only way you can legally hold an employee responsible is for theft or shortage.

Employees might agree to your stipulation, but get one pissed off and watch him go to the labor board.

Howard


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## gpin (Dec 5, 2003)

Howard, your point is valid. You have to be extremely careful about who you put behind the wheel. I am a general contractor and most my people are legal subcontractors. The two people who plow for me are legal subcontractors in the GC business, but do not carry their own insurance for snow plowing. I limit their time in the truck to less than 8 hours a day. Both of them have been with me for over ten years and are responsible individuals. That is why I only run 4 plow rigs with 3 drivers, (2 plus myself). I could sell the work all day but getting it done without major exposure is another issue.


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