Q. I work for a food and beverage management company that has had a few closures over that past year in my region due to cutbacks by our clients. To stay employed with my company, I agreed to consult in a different region (with a much higher salary scale for the same position) until new business opens back up in my home region. This agreement was on a month-to-month basis. Three months have gone by now and there is a possibility of new business back home. This new business will not open for six months though, so they have asked me to stay here until then. How do I negotiate for a salary increase that reflects this region while I am consulting here? A. You can ask your client to increase your contract rates whenever you want, since you have a monthly arrangement. You should still use the Salary Wizard or a Personal Salary Report to determine the appropriate pay in the location in which you are working. The Salary Wizard applies a geographical differential to its data, so you'll be able to know the appropriate pay for your job in either region. The Personal Salary Report reflects a geographic sample of the data, so it is an even better reflection of pay practices in your region. Once you have determined the appropriate pay, tell your clients you did not expect to be away from home as long as you have, and that to accommodate your expenses, you would like to renegotiate your contract so that it takes into account the market rate for your geographic location. Good luck. - Erisa Ojimba, Certified Compensation Professional