'Combat Pay' with Billionaires

I'm a former personal assistant to celebrities, billionaires, and royal families, and in every sense, being on the job is like going to war. It is really hard to express just how crazy it is. Everything moves at a break-neck pace, and it's like being in an earthquake and hurricane simultaneously (all while trying to spin plates like a Chinese acrobat).

What is combat pay in domestic staffing?

One common colloquialism that private service professionals use when working for celebrities and billionaires is "combat pay." Of course, this comes from the military, and the idea is that you should be paid more money if you're exposed to hazardous conditions.

No breaks and unpaid overtime

When working for A-listers and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, it's just about impossible to follow the letter of the law. Employees rarely get scheduled breaks, and long hours rarely result in paid overtime.

To circumvent this problem and to keep people from quitting in droves, some billionaires pay "hush money" because of the combat-like conditions.

Independent contract status

Another "elephant in the room" in the domestic staffing industry is the idea that many candidates are independent contractors. Some UHNW individuals do this to avoid having to give scheduled breaks, health insurance, and paying taxes. It's totally illegal in most cases, but another reason why combat pay exists in the world of staffing for the super-rich.

The toll it takes on health

Personal assistants who work for celebrities and billionaires have plenty of war stories. At some point in their careers, PAs have nervous breakdowns and have to go to the hospital in an ambulance with an IV in their arm because they collapsed at work (it even happened to me).

It's easy to justify being in a combat pay situation for the money, but eventually, assistants have an epiphany and realize that the lifestyle isn't sustainable. At that point, they either need to "turn in their wings" and resign or tell the billionaire they must take a step back and work "normal hours."

What's the solution?

You already know what I'm going to say. Doing it right costs more money. A family office should have an HR rep who ensures the estate managers give employees scheduled breaks and overtime. Enough staff in the mansion should be employed to ensure coverage during breaks.

At some point, celebrity employers get caught for cutting corners; then they take a hit on their reputations when it's in the news, not to mention they have to spend millions in legal fees, penalties, and back pay.