by Melissa D. Ing

Created on: February 06, 2008   Last Updated: January 28, 2012

Most people have been exploited by their employers at some point in their lives. While exploitation by employer to employees is often associated with teenagers and illegal immigrants, it is alive and well in Corporate America. Recognizing exploitation is essential for both your mental and physical health, and while you can't always stop it immediatly, becoming proactive is the first step. Exploitation takes many forms and may be blatant or incredibly subtle, here's how to recognize it.

Over promising and under delivering

The first point of exploitation can occur during the interview process. The interview has gone well, the job offer has been extended and the rate of pay along with a benefits package has been decided and verbally agreed on. Then, you show up for your first day of work only to find a letter on your new desk that states the rate of pay discussed during the interview is not applicable until the 90 day trial pay period is up, the salary is actually based on a 40 hour week not a 35 hour one, and the benefits are not available for six months.

Having been through this exact scenario I felt exploited by my new employer. What she did was not illegal, but it was certainly unethical, and involved subtle exploitation. My expectations were not met, and yet there was nothing I could do about it except accept a longer work week, accept the 90 day trial and fix my own broken tooth. At subsequent jobs I learned to get any job contract in writing before I began!

Under and over employment

Keeping someone in a low level job when they have clearly demonstrated themselves capable of promotion is out right exploitation. While we cannot expect to get every promotion we try for, when we are continuously turned down for no reason or even told we are 'too good where we are' we are being exploited. Everyone has the right to better themselves, and employers who hold employee's talents back so they can pay them less money are not only exploiting them but will eventually find themselves without that employee.

The flip side of keeping someone underemployed is to over employ someone. Giving someone tasks or a promotion, that they have clearly demonstrated they are not competent to complete without increased training or experience, is exploitation. Employers love to say, 'Well so and so will tell you how to do it' instead of investing in their employee by providing some real on the job training or even professional development courses. No-one can be expected to know everything,

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