Surprising Recession Trend: Secretaries Hiring Secretaries

An unexpected trend has emerged from the ashes of thousands of lay-offs: overburdened secretaries hiring their own secretaries, with their own money.

With the trimming down of so many office staffs, secretaries and administrative assistants are finding themselves saddled with extra work as the duties of the departed are now being heaped on them.

To keep from losing their minds, certain clever secretaries are pooling their financial resources and paying out-of-work secretaries to help with both personal and work-related tasks, thereby relieving the pressure. And these hired "virtual assistants" are able to bring in some much-needed cash in an otherwise bleak job market.

A secretary we'll call Angela and two of her co-workers asked to remain anonymous, because they're concerned that their employer would not approve of them sharing work with an outsider.

"There's the confidentiality issue," Angela says. "I'm pretty sure my firm doesn't want anyone on the outside seeing our internal work product. I don't give anything sensitive to our secretary. And she doesn't care what she's looking at, she just needs to get paid like we all do. Of course, we don't want to get fired over this. But (our assistant) is a friend of mine, and I know I can trust her."

Despite the risks, Angela sees the "secret secretary-to-the-secretaries" solution as being resourceful. She's taking action where her employer can't or won't.

"My firm has a dumb rule about having no part-timers. If we had just one part-time secretary in our office it would make a huge difference to a lot of secretaries. I know (the firm) is trying to cut costs, but if the three of us (secretaries who are sharing a virtual assistant) can get enough money together from our salaries to pay for help, the firm should be able to do the same. But they won't."

"It doesn't make sense that they're willing to pay us extra for overtime, when that same money could probably pay for a part-time person," she added.

"We're not going to suffer just on principle," one of Angela's co-workers said. "It's true the firm should be able to get us a little extra help. But if they won't do it, why shouldn't we take matters into our own hands? I'd rather pay to keep from going out of my mind and be able to see my kids at night instead of being here 'til all hours of the night. If I said, 'I'm not paying out my own money for help on principle, because the firm should do it', I'd still be miserable and overworked. So let's just take control, pay up and be happier."

Another of Angela's co-workers added that "It's not just about the firm's money issues. Sometimes I think the reason we can't get what we need has more to do with being blocked by one stupid person in middle management who's either too stupid to take action or too afraid. If it was up to the managing partner, maybe we'd get a part-time helper. But we'll never get to him because we have to go through this terrible manager who's just not that smart."

So what kind of work do these secretaries-to-the-secretaries get? In the case of Angela's virtual assistant, it's a mix of the professional and the personal.

"Whatever we can farm out," Angela said. "I scan hand-written stuff and document mark-ups and e-mail them to her for typing. I know (one of my co-workers) gets her to make travel arrangements. She took care of a major pain-in-the-ass problem for me with the cable company the other day."

Similarly, across town, an entire office full of secretaries is handing work off to one recently laid-off co-worker at home in Queens. They, too, are on the down-low because of confidentiality issues.

"We know (our hired secretary) isn't going to do anything with the (company)information," Donna told us. "It makes sense for her to be doing the work anyway. She used to work here. She's seen all this stuff before."

Further uptown, two other secretaries, Nora and Rayna, are helping out a recently laid-off co-worker by paying her to run personal errands.

"We're buried in the work left behind when Leslie was fired," Nora said. "We don't leave the office for lunch anymore, and we're constantly staying late."

Until recently, this overworked lifestyle left them feeling like their lives were being lived on a treadmill.

"By the time the weekend comes, all you have time for is the shit you didn't get to do during the week," Rayna complained. "Laundry, go to the supermarket, all that crap. And if you have to make a phone call and be on hold or something, forget it. I don't have time for that at work, and a lot of people don't have hours on the weekend. It's just ridiculous. It's a stressful way to live."

But then Nora and Rayna got wise and started paying their unemployed friend Leslie to take care of personal errands for them, freeing up their evenings and weekends for just plain enjoying life.

"Oh my god, it's made a world of difference," Nora sighed. "It's absolutely worth the money. We have no regrets."

For Leslie, it means much-needed cash-in-hand, and a powerful weapon against inertia.

"If I didn't have things to take care of, I'd be completely depressed, sitting on my couch and stuffing my face," Leslie said. "(Helping Nora and Rayna) gives me a reason to get up every day and I feel good knowing I'm helping my own friends."

Nora and Rayna don't have the same concerns regarding confidentiality, because they chose to keep their noses clean and keep the work they give Leslie personal in nature. Leslie stays busy making phone calls, processing health insurance claims, sorting mail, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and even doing light cleaning.

They are, however, paying Leslie in cash under-the-table, $10 an hour.

The same seems to be true for everyone doing the secret secretary thing -- cash on the sly. But the arrangements differ from one situation to the next.

Donna and her fellow company secretaries -- all twelve of them -- pay their unemployed former co-worker per task, and each secretary takes individual responsibility for paying for the task he or she assigned. Their assistant gets $15 an hour. For any task that falls under an hour, she still gets the full $15.

Angela and company made an entirely different arrangement. They pay their assistant Valerie a flat hourly rate to remain on-call during certain hours -- $5 -- just for the security of knowing she's available. However, when work arises for Valerie, she gets an additional $10 per hour, or $10 per task if the task takes less than a full hour. The secretaries split the $5 on-call fee equally, but individually pony up the extra cash for any tasks they've personally assigned to Valerie.

If you're interested in getting help on the side, and you want an arrangement that's as risk-free as possible, consider keeping your hired hand's duties in the realm of the personal, and ask him or her to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement. When your assistant is an independent contractor, they are responsible for reporting their income to the IRS, and you need not withhold taxes from their pay. However, treating someone as an independent contractor comes with some rules. Get familiar with them on the IRS web site. They're fairly simple rules to comply with, so don't let them discourage you from putting a fellow secretary back to work.

-- Margaret Haney

Surprising Recession Trend: Secretaries Hiring Secretaries

An unexpected trend has emerged from the ashes of thousands of lay-offs: overburdened secretaries hiring their own secretaries, with their own money.

With the trimming down of so many office staffs, secretaries and administrative assistants are finding themselves saddled with extra work as the duties of the departed are now being heaped on them.

To keep from losing their minds, certain clever secretaries are pooling their financial resources and paying out-of-work secretaries to help with both personal and work-related tasks, thereby relieving the pressure. And these hired "virtual assistants" are able to bring in some much-needed cash in an otherwise bleak job market.

A secretary we'll call Angela and two of her co-workers asked to remain anonymous, because they're concerned that their employer would not approve of them sharing work with an outsider.

"There's the confidentiality issue," Angela says. "I'm pretty sure my firm doesn't want anyone on the outside seeing our internal work product. I don't give anything sensitive to our secretary. And she doesn't care what she's looking at, she just needs to get paid like we all do. Of course, we don't want to get fired over this. But (our assistant) is a friend of mine, and I know I can trust her."

Despite the risks, Angela sees the "secret secretary-to-the-secretaries" solution as being resourceful. She's taking action where her employer can't or won't.

"My firm has a dumb rule about having no part-timers. If we had just one part-time secretary in our office it would make a huge difference to a lot of secretaries. I know (the firm) is trying to cut costs, but if the three of us (secretaries who are sharing a virtual assistant) can get enough money together from our salaries to pay for help, the firm should be able to do the same. But they won't."

"It doesn't make sense that they're willing to pay us extra for overtime, when that same money could probably pay for a part-time person," she added.

"We're not going to suffer just on principle," one of Angela's co-workers said. "It's true the firm should be able to get us a little extra help. But if they won't do it, why shouldn't we take matters into our own hands? I'd rather pay to keep from going out of my mind and be able to see my kids at night instead of being here 'til all hours of the night. If I said, 'I'm not paying out my own money for help on principle, because the firm should do it', I'd still be miserable and overworked. So let's just take control, pay up and be happier."

Another of Angela's co-workers added that "It's not just about the firm's money issues. Sometimes I think the reason we can't get what we need has more to do with being blocked by one stupid person in middle management who's either too stupid to take action or too afraid. If it was up to the managing partner, maybe we'd get a part-time helper. But we'll never get to him because we have to go through this terrible manager who's just not that smart."

So what kind of work do these secretaries-to-the-secretaries get? In the case of Angela's virtual assistant, it's a mix of the professional and the personal.

"Whatever we can farm out," Angela said. "I scan hand-written stuff and document mark-ups and e-mail them to her for typing. I know (one of my co-workers) gets her to make travel arrangements. She took care of a major pain-in-the-ass problem for me with the cable company the other day."

Similarly, across town, an entire office full of secretaries is handing work off to one recently laid-off co-worker at home in Queens. They, too, are on the down-low because of confidentiality issues.

"We know (our hired secretary) isn't going to do anything with the (company)information," Donna told us. "It makes sense for her to be doing the work anyway. She used to work here. She's seen all this stuff before."

Further uptown, two other secretaries, Nora and Rayna, are helping out a recently laid-off co-worker by paying her to run personal errands.

"We're buried in the work left behind when Leslie was fired," Nora said. "We don't leave the office for lunch anymore, and we're constantly staying late."

Until recently, this overworked lifestyle left them feeling like their lives were being lived on a treadmill.

"By the time the weekend comes, all you have time for is the shit you didn't get to do during the week," Rayna complained. "Laundry, go to the supermarket, all that crap. And if you have to make a phone call and be on hold or something, forget it. I don't have time for that at work, and a lot of people don't have hours on the weekend. It's just ridiculous. It's a stressful way to live."

But then Nora and Rayna got wise and started paying their unemployed friend Leslie to take care of personal errands for them, freeing up their evenings and weekends for just plain enjoying life.

"Oh my god, it's made a world of difference," Nora sighed. "It's absolutely worth the money. We have no regrets."

For Leslie, it means much-needed cash-in-hand, and a powerful weapon against inertia.

"If I didn't have things to take care of, I'd be completely depressed, sitting on my couch and stuffing my face," Leslie said. "(Helping Nora and Rayna) gives me a reason to get up every day and I feel good knowing I'm helping my own friends."

Nora and Rayna don't have the same concerns regarding confidentiality, because they chose to keep their noses clean and keep the work they give Leslie personal in nature. Leslie stays busy making phone calls, processing health insurance claims, sorting mail, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and even doing light cleaning.

They are, however, paying Leslie in cash under-the-table, $10 an hour.

The same seems to be true for everyone doing the secret secretary thing -- cash on the sly. But the arrangements differ from one situation to the next.

Donna and her fellow company secretaries -- all twelve of them -- pay their unemployed former co-worker per task, and each secretary takes individual responsibility for paying for the task he or she assigned. Their assistant gets $15 an hour. For any task that falls under an hour, she still gets the full $15.

Angela and company made an entirely different arrangement. They pay their assistant Valerie a flat hourly rate to remain on-call during certain hours -- $5 -- just for the security of knowing she's available. However, when work arises for Valerie, she gets an additional $10 per hour, or $10 per task if the task takes less than a full hour. The secretaries split the $5 on-call fee equally, but individually pony up the extra cash for any tasks they've personally assigned to Valerie.

If you're interested in getting help on the side, and you want an arrangement that's as risk-free as possible, consider keeping your hired hand's duties in the realm of the personal, and ask him or her to sign an Independent Contractor Agreement. When your assistant is an independent contractor, they are responsible for reporting their income to the IRS, and you need not withhold taxes from their pay. However, treating someone as an independent contractor comes with some rules. Get familiar with them on the IRS web site. They're fairly simple rules to comply with, so don't let them discourage you from putting a fellow secretary back to work.

-- Margaret Haney

Are You AFRAID to Work from Home?

In response to soaring gas prices, there's been a lot of talk lately about the push to allow more workers to work from home. Does the thought make you a little nervous? Even if the opportunity to work from home was offered to you, would you take it? Are you hesitant to work from home, because you fear your absence might make you look bad, and make your employer doubt how much of a contribution you're actually making?

Join the club -- you're not alone. Here's an article about your fears in U.S. News & World Report, with advice on how to successfully get past them and enjoy the benefits of working in your PJ's.

What's a "Virtual Assistant"?

A growing group of business people are calling themselves virtual assistants, or VAs. Essentially, VAs are freelance secretaries who work from home. It's a burgeoning industry -- read more about it in The Lawyers Weekly.

UK Has "Work From Home" Day -- Why Not Here?

Read more about the United Kingdom's "Work From Home" day (coming up May 15th) at vnunet.com.

The Four-Day Work Week: A Green Argument

The five-day work week has been the standard in this country for a long time. But along the way, people have made their arguments for the four-day work week. (Sounds good to us!) But here's an new argument from perhaps a surprising source: read Aaron Newton at The Oil Drum.

Prime Time Multi-tasking: Computer Lap Desk Review

We all need our time to unwind after work. At the same time, there's always so much to do. Bills to pay, e-mails to answer...how can we get it all done?

Even when we've got the best intentions to get things done in the evening, once we settle our butts into that sofa, it's often a challenge getting up again.

At Just-a-Sec, we say -- stay where you are! You can accomplish a lot from your sofa or recliner, and at a restorative, relaxed pace. Get yourself a lap desk for your laptop computer and you'll be surprised by how much your can take care of during commercials. Curl up in front of "Lost" and balance your budget, plan a vacation, find a plumber or a date, or start the Great American Novel you've been meaning to write.

We tried out a number of lap desks of different sizes, shapes and price points, and here's what we thought about them:

For The Esthete: The SurfACE 1.5

By far, this is the funkiest, most chic of all the lapdesks we found. Its design cleverly allows for flexible configurations, and if you've got an imagination, it can be as much fun as a futuristic building set -- like the ones you see in those pricy little smart kids' toy stores, with the rock tumblers and potholder looms and Revive-Your-Own-Cadaver kits from Bavaria.

The desk is primarily made of three acrylic pieces – a large desktop (19.55" wide, 10.5" deep) perforated with half-inch holes, and two smaller acrylic wing pieces (about 8.8" x 9.25") with two holes each.

The unit is shipped with approximately 40 interchangeable metal pieces that fit into any of the holes on the acrylic slabs, and the bits connect to each other. They connect the wing pieces to the main desktop, and they can be screwed together to create wand-like extensions to create rise or depth, depending on your configuration. You can also do what we did, and screw two metal bits onto the main desk surface about a foot apart, creating the perfect "rests" for the laptop, so it sits on an ergonomically comfortable slant.

If you're using the unit in a chair, the wing pieces rest on the arms of the chair, with the main desktop dropped lower in the center. The wings can each do double-duty as a mouse pad, but we found ours handy for keeping a small pad on-hand, allowing us to glance at notes. The opposite wing held a can of Coke Zero beautifully.

If you're using the unit on a sofa, you turn it "upside-down" (although that term is entirely relative), and join the wing pieces to the main desktop with four long legs, so the wings act like big feet keeping the desk hovering comfortably above your lap.

The holes in the desktop serve the additional purpose of providing ventilation, preventing the laptop from overheating.

To the maker of the SurfACE, we do suggest drafting clearer assembly instructions. They were a little vague, and we ended up abandoning them entirely in frustration and just approaching the pieces with a sense of play. This approach proved successful, and in under thirty minutes, we were able to assemble the SurfACE into two fun configurations and settle on a favorite. However, it might be helpful for SurfACE to include instructions that offer two or three suggested configurations, and give step-by-step instructions for each, because not everyone is as willing to play with their purchase as we were.

The SurfACE is an ideal tool if you like your useful things equally beautiful. It's available in clear or white acrylic and sells for $149 at Edgeblur.


For The Minimalist: The LapWorks Futura


This is the lightest and most portable lapdesk we found – ideal for travel. Just one simple plastic piece that folds in half and stows easily away. Fully extended, it measures 10.75" x 22", fitting a wide variety of computer models. Folded up, it's a mere 10.75" x 11", and less than an inch thick.

A rubberized surface helps keep your machine in place, and plentiful vents keep the heat off your lap.

A sort of "kickstand" on the underside converts the Future into an angled desktop support for your machine.

It's not the most stable of all the lapdesks we tried, but we wouldn't call it unstable, either. And we wouldn't hesitate to take the Futura on a bus, train or plane -- and at $29.95, you don't have to worry too much about leaving it behind. To buy, visit LapWorks.


For The Minimalist With A Mouse: The Xbrand Lap Desk with Retractable Mouse Pad

The Xbrand Lap Desk is compact and lightweight, but with the added feature of a mouse pad extension, which flips out of the center and provides an optional surface. (Works nice for supporting small notepads, too.)

When the extension is in use, the doughnut hole it creates in the center of the desktop provides ventilation and guards against overheating.

The Xbrand Lap Desk also includes such thoughtful details as four padded disks on the desk surface to prevent your laptop from slipping, and a carrying handle molded into one end of the desk. The plastic is substantial without being weighty.

The Xbrand Lap Desk measures 11" x 14.25" with the extension tucked in. It can fit easily into most backpacks.

Although the Xbrand Lap Desk felt slightly less stable in our laps than some of the other products we tried, it still works well. (I attribute the mild tendency to wobble to the very flat design – it doesn't mold to your body, so sit still when using it, or at least sit up straight.)

So, if you're looking for something that doesn't take up a lot of space, can travel with you easily or even hide behind a sofa cushion without being noticed, you'd do well to get an Xbrand Lap Desk. It retails for $29.99 at Xbrand.


For The Sofa Executive: The Instand Bean Bag Table
The Instand Bean Bag Table is for the lapdesk user who wants more desk in her lap.

We found that the majority of lapdesks intended for computer use were generally small -- but the Instand Bean Bag Table is refreshingly generous, without being cumbersome. The work surface measures about 14.5" x 18.75", allowing for larger laptop models and room to spare. We liked being able to multi-task from this desk, as it held a spiral notebook and a cell phone in addition to a laptop, all at the same time.

It even has a depression molded into the desk surface for holding pens, and a carrying handle.

The surface of the Instand Bean Bag Table is covered with two large patches of non-slip material – no skimping here! -- that help keep your computer in place, and the center of the desktop is slightly recessed to allow for airflow under your machine.

The Instand Bean Bag Table felt incredibly comfortable in my lap. It was very stable, thanks to the bean bag underside that contours to your lap. The comfortable wrist rest along the bottom edge of the desk surface was a much-appreciated extra.

The InStand Bean Bag Table is an excellent desk-away-from-desk, and it works as well in bed as it does on the sofa. But if we could improve upon anything, we'd ask Instand to build in some mechanism to allow for working at a slight angle. There were moments we wished we had a foam wedge we could tuck between the desk surface and the laptop, just to create a mild slope. Maybe the bean bag itself could be shaped more wedge-like, a little higher in the back. It would feel a tad easier on the eyes, shoulders and arms.

Interestingly, we were able to remedy this with a product by Xbrand, whose lap desk we reviewed above. Xbrand makes a Cooling and Comfort Station that can be used on any surface, and there's plenty of room for it on the Instand Bean Bag Table. The Xbrand Cooling and Comfort Station is a compact piece that puts your laptop on an ergonomically comfy angle, with an embedded fan that keeps air circulating under the machine. The fan is powered by a USB cord connected to your computer, which tucks neatly away in a hidden compartment when the station is not in use.

Overall, the Instand Bean Bag Table was one of our favorite lap desks. It sells for $29.95 at Instand.


For The Perfectionist: The iLap

We were really impressed with the iLap, and I found myself reaching for it again and again. The iLap had the best overall stability and comfort of all the lap desk models we tried under 18" in width.

It's designed to put your computer on a gentle incline, which is optimally comfortable for typing. The angle is perfect -- I never had that weird sense of looking down at my computer screen.

A padded rear piece swivels to allow for ideal positioning on your lap or legs. As you move, it moves with you, keeping your laptop as level as possible.

The actual desk surface kept my computer super-steady, because it's one solid piece of aluminum. They haven't failed to recognize the importance of heat control, however. The iLap is ingeniously designed to keep your computer cool because the aluminum plate draws heat away from the machine, and the desk design promotes circulation. It also comes with four rubber adhesive pads to help keep the computer in place, and ours didn't budge.

I bended and unbended my knees several times, crossed my legs, folded them -- and I never, ever felt like my laptop was going to slide backwards off the desk – a disconcerting sensation I occasionally experienced with some other models.

VERY COMFY black velvet wrist rest (which is removable for using the iLap on a stationery surface).

Plus, the iLap comes in seven different sizes to ideally suit different computer models. The iLap folks asked for the make and model of my PC and matched it with the best possible size iLap. The fit is perfect.

To buy your own iLap, visit Rain Design. Prices range from $49.90 to $69.90, depending on size.


For The Floor Walker: The Connect-A-Desk

The Connect-a-Desk is by far the most unique of all the desks we tried. It's designed to let you walk and type. So if you find yourself on your feet from sun-up to sun-down no matter what you do, here's a way to use your laptop on your feet!
The Connect-a-Desk holds your laptop on a slab of plastic at belly-level, and it's secured to your body with straps that fasten around the waist, and a padded piece that hangs around the neck. The straps are adjustable, so you can customize how far you need to reach for the keyboard. It also comes with a foam rubber wrist rest.

It's very portable and lightweight -- just throw it in your tote or backpack and go. And we must admit, the idea of being able to stroll through the park or on the beach while writing is alluring -- although we haven't tried it yet. We're waiting for better weather. We did our tests indoors.

The Connect-a-Desk works just fine, although I do wish they'd beef up the desk surface a little -- it's super-thin and bows under the weight of my laptop, even without its battery. And the wrist rest isn't permanently attached to the desk, which was a pain in the butt. It kept slipping off.

And although the neck straps are quite comfy, there's one small stretch of belting at the back of the neck that was left unpadded and it's a tad abrading. We improvised by tucking a washcloth back there, but it would've been that much nicer if we didn't have to. If anything, I would've liked a little extra padding at the back of the neck.

Although the Connect-a-Desk distributed the weight of my computer comfortably and I was able to walk and work with ease, I kind of expected to have a sore back the next day. But to my delight, no such pain.

Despite a few kinks, the Connect-a-Desk is great fun, and definitely does what it's supposed to. Frankly, we'd like to see more people walking around using these things -- as long as they do it in an open field somewhere, and not on the street when we're walking behind them!

To buy your own Connect-a-Desk for $34.95, visit Connect-a-Desk.


For The Long Haul: The AKP OfficePro/10

Writing your kid's term paper -- or your own? You're gonna be at it a while.

You might consider investing in an OfficePro/10 from AKP. This is the most substantial of all the computer desks we sampled, and definitely a personal favorite of mine. It's not for everyone, especially if you're looking to conserve space. But even in my tiny New York apartment, I found the OfficePro/10 to be well worth the space it takes, because it's moveable and versatile.

The OfficePro/10 is on a wheeled base. Its surface is wide and curvaceous, with no uninviting sharp edges. It rolls comfortably up to your chair or sofa, and rolls just as easily away.

It's made to be used with a long side of the desktop facing the user. This provides more than enough room for even the heftiest laptop model, plus plenty of space for papers, snacks, and miscellany. This is how I used it when writing on a living room chair. Additionally, the OfficePro/10 has an adjustable height and tilt mechanisms.

But I found a second way of using the desk. When I was tucked into the corner of an L-shaped sofa, I pulled the table in as close as possible, so one short end of the table hovered perfectly over my lap. My computer fit nicely, sat steadily, and I worked in total comfort. And unlike any of the other desks I tried, I was able to merely push the desktop to the side when I needed to get up, and it glided easily away. It was nice for a change not to have something resting directly on my lap.

The AKP OfficePro/10 usually sells for $185, but for a limited time it's available for $129.95 plus shipping at AKP.