[Spinweight]

Could I get some advice?

I started working at this fab shop last year running the CNC router for $18/hr.
I created a line of CNC artwork which my employer bought a vacuum forming machine to start mass producting them sales of.
I also designed a CNC router that would perform well enough to make my art and I built it in the shop.
I've brought a lot to this company and need to negotiate fair compensation and royalties for future reproduction of my designs.

Do you have any advice for me?

[wmgeorge]

Ask your boss for a raise and see what he says? Do you have someplace else to go that pays more money? If not don't quit your job. $2 more an hour on a average year would bump you up to $40,000 year and benefits?

[Jim Dawson]

Never hurts to ask for a raise. Given your contribution to the company it seems like that would be fair. The royalties is another issue. Did you create the artwork at the request of the boss? If it was done on company time they own it, but if you can try to negotiate royalties and see if the boss will be amenable to that, but that is kind of unusual in this situation. I have designed and built a lot of machines, made major productivity increases, and designed new products for a few places I have worked, but that was my job, I didn't expect anything but a reasonable raise at some point and maybe a bonus if it was profitable. There is a reason I have been self employed for a lot of years.

[vmax549]

Did you do all this while employed by that same company @ $18 per hour ?? If so then you may NOT have any royalties due you as the company would own the rights to the designs.

Just a thought, (;-) TP

[dharmic]

Over the years and a lot of jobs my experience has been that asking for a raise doesn't get more money, rather it creates a new tension between you and the boss and in several cases led to the end of the job.

A boss might be grateful for extra contributions you've made but all you've done is in the past and most will consider they've already paid you fairly for it - they don't think they owe you anything for it so why (in their minds) would they just give you more money?

What might work better is trying to leverage off that good stuff you've done. You could ask for a promotion to a better paid position (if that's where you want to go), but:

Be prepared to offer a business case to the boss which clearly shows why he'd be better off promoting you.

Of course, this is a challenge in a small operation because the boss usually can't afford to replace you and create that new position. Or you could say "You're paying me to do X, which I enjoy. Recently, I also did Y. I'm happy to do more of Y in the future, too, but we need to work out a way of compensating me for going the extra mile". Gotta handle it carefully though, if it starts sounding like "I'm working to rule, and blackmailing you for more cash" kiss the job goodbye.

Personally, I find the best way is to find another better paying job first, then have a chat with the boss about what the market's paying for what you're now doing for him and that - whilst you'd rather stay with him because you love working with him - you have bills to pay blah blah blah.