Are you being payed for *all* hours you work? - Egon Willighagen

Like most others, I'm being paid a lump sum each month, regardless of "work hours": http://www.dfg.de/en... - Björn Brembs

But the tax payers only pay you for about 40 hours. Per law, I'm sure. Us academics created a rat race, rewarding those with more output, so that we ended up working 80 hours, and even on holidays (... is my CDK work today part of my academic output? likely...)... the whole world allows a Gates tax, and we worry about a honoraria ... - Egon Willighagen

I see your point. However, for me the issue is more to make them pay rather than me getting anything. I get by fine, I don't need any money. But I'd very much like to make them pay for what they get regardless :-) - Björn Brembs

It's worth balancing off the benefit you get from the exposure as well. But where I've been asked to advise for profits or do more than give a short talk I've started asking for a day fee. Partly as a way of doing less but also because I need to justify the time away from "real" work. And when they do pay its a nice bit of money to pay for travel or other things that usually end up coming out of my own pocket. But I also usually work on the basis that the "first one is free" - Cameron Neylon

Björn, you don't have to keep the money! You can spend it for the better cause... That's what happens with a few percent point of the Gates tax... - Egon Willighagen

@Egon: which is why I will either donate the money to charity or buy lab equipment. I only wonder: should I charge and if so how much and to charity or lab? - Björn Brembs

You should charge. If the company in question does not have much money but you like the people or the ideas, then don't charge much -- but always charge something. If you don't, you risk being under-valued: the point is not about pride but that if you are going to give advice or information you want it taken seriously, otherwise why bother giving it? After two years in biotech, my perspective says that if they don't pay, they don't value ("they" = business types). Don't respond to appeals to emotion -- "help us out" -- in fact, those are red flags. If they want you, they will pay what you are worth. If they say "we can't afford that" they mean "we don't think you are worth that". Again, it's not about pride -- if they don't think you are worth what you think you are worth, then don't waste your time giving them advice they won't use. - Bill Hooker

Oh, and you should charge *at least* the same as you get in your normal job. That is, if your job pays X per year, work that out as an hourly rate (based on 40hrs/week not what you actually work!) and charge that for the hours of work you will be putting in (both preparation and presentation time), plus expenses (travel, accomodation, etc). - Bill Hooker