4/14/16- The Salary

This work week should have been a high; I got a raise!  3%-- not too bad following the fact that the previous year I got a promotion and much bigger bump then.  But it's actually been a low point at work this week.  Additionally, there's been a deadline that was impossible to meet, and no team members were able to help me out because they either didn't know how to do the task or already had their own insurmountable workload.

How was a raise a low point?  Well even with my 3% raise, my salary is still way below the low end of a Systems Engineer with of a 11 years of experience (and MS Tech).  I'm a little above $89,000/year right now (and that is based on 40/week; my work prorates the full time salary for my part time schedule), and according to Salary.com, a Systems Engineer IV's starting pointing is $92,090 for my city (reading the job descriptions on Salary.com, I believe SE IV is closest to my job) .  I had a feeling I was underpaid, but actually confirming it, wow, talk about bumming yourself out.  It's such a kick in the gut.

I know I'm a woman, who works part time, but I didn't think I'd get dinged that much for my gender and my chronic illness.  And here's the part that's going to bum you all out (and it bums me out too): I don't have any fight in me to go ask for more.  I like calling myself an engineer, but I've been over the place that I work for about 1.5 years now.  And I just can't muster up enough concern to tell my company they're way under paying me.  I feel like I might be letting you and more importantly myself down in doing so, but I just don't care about that place anymore.  I'm ready to move on, and working on a plan to do so. Maybe at my next gig I'll be paid the average, or at least, the low end of the scale

In happy news, hubby and I are going to a nice resort in a nearby town this weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and Jack will be staying the night with his cousins.  Jack's already done a sleep over, so we're not freaking out about that (and with the first sleep over, there was chaos; so for me, the freaking out/being nervous/sad to leave the baby was the first and second time he was with a babysitter for just a couple of hours).  We're both really looking forward to the little vacation.  Might go check out a local winery, lay by the pool, get a massage, eat at a fancy restaurant. It will be enjoyable.  And it comes at a good time.  Happy weekend to everyone!

Here's a link to the salaries for Systems Engineer IV.  You can check out your exact position too.  And if you're brave enough, I encourage you to post in the comments your job/experience and salary.  I think being able to share that information is an important step towards equal pay.
Salary.com/Systems-Engineer

Just an extra note:  I also feel I get so many other perks, working from home, part time, that asking for one more thing, a fair salary, seems selfish.  I don't know if I'm being silly or realistic.  It's hard to know what the truth is when I'm in this spot.  Am I right to think I deserve more? Am I wrong? Somewhat both right and wrong? I believe in taking responsibility for my actions, so am I a bad employee? Or is there blame to be had on the company?  Maybe it's both.  I honestly don't know.