Negotiating a Pay Cut?

csb asks: "My employer will probably ask me to take a pay cut in order to prevent (or at least minimize) layoffs. I want to keep this job; but, I don't know what to request in return for accepting a temporary reduction in salary. Is this a negotiation? What questions should I bring to the table? Which issues should I stand firm on, and what should I let slide? Are there some resources out there about this sort of thing?"

Comments

Few tips

[SuiteSisterMary]

Find out if it's a pay cut, or a temporary reduction. Get, if you can, in writing, an agreement that when financial condition X is met by the company, salary will go back to normal, back-pay will be coughed up, etc. Try to get time off/vacation in leiu of. Start looking for another job; everybody else will be. And some of them will leave. Those that are left will be asked to do more. They'll get pissed, look for a new job. Vicious cycle.