STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I've been thinking about this for a little while. Intuitively it seems to me that any time you are given additional responsibilities, it's appropriate to ask for a raise. Absorbing the duties of the part-timer would be one of those times.

I guess you can approach it by saying "I really appreciate the faith and trust you have in me by giving me these extra responsibilities. I'm glad I can save the company some salary and benefits money too. Will there be any change in my compensation to reflect that I'm now taking on more work?" (Or something along those lines...)

We've also talked here about ways employers can compensate the worker that does not result in their paying higher payroll taxes, so there may be things they could do for you that are not considered a pay raise. They could pay your cell phone bill or your car payment or bus pass. They could give you a monthly cash bonus for childcare expenses. They could cover any supplemental insurance payments.

These things just go into the "expenses" pile versus the HR pile, so they're easier to absorb and cover at tax time.