what digitizers should be paid!

If they are fairly new we start them at 12/hr... after a few weeks we can determine if they are a match, (3-4) and then we raise them to 14/hr. After that their pay is based on their performance.. the more they produce, the more they make. ... the harder the design they can comfortably do , the more they make. so after about 6 months they are in their groove so we put them on a salary depending on their performance. This salary is renegotiated whenever they consistently show a marked change in that performance. Average digitizer here is making between 40-50k, with some making in excess of 85k... really depends on the skill level they are. Of course they all get medical, dental, 401k, holidays paid, and vacation time based on years of service.
We really try to make it difficult for them to leave and open their own shop.. they could probably make more money on their own with less work, but there is something to be said for a consistent pay and benefits!

I had been digitizing 8 years making 35000K a year and got laid off because they said they could pay someone 9.00$ an hour to do it. Oh and our vacations were taken away before I was let go, I find that pretty interesting Robert.

Yes, many of my digitizing friends and acquaintances throughout the years have been "downsized" or "outsourced"... I have one on staff now that used to work with a major clothing line until that company decided to go off-shore....only to decide months later that having in-house was working better for them..... funny thing, most of the let go digitizers did not want to go back to them... hmmm, wonder why.

You made me feel a little bit better about myself, thanks Rob.