Non-paid Overtime

[frankgw@adelphia.net]

How much non-paid overtime should a salaried programmer be expected to work? What about a LAN administrator? What about other salaried computer area employees? Yes, these are "exempt" positions. What are the expectations in your shop? Should the size of the shop make any difference? Just an old mainframer caught in the Web!

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In our shop it is whatever it takes to get the job done.Sometimes its 10 hours+.But on the other hand we get a handsome bonus at EOY if all went well during the year, plus the president will throw us a bone like free meals with the wife for a job well done.sometimes even some extra days off. It compiled so it must work. Karl LauritzenSecond VP Project Developmentklauritzen@mail2.texnetwww.natlloyds.co m

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On Saturday, January 30, 1999, 11:24 AM, Frank Whittemore wrote: How much non-paid overtime should a salaried programmer be expected to work? What about a LAN administrator? What about other salaried computer area employees? Yes, these are "exempt" positions. It depends upon the employment contract agreed upon by the employer and employee. I have seen many cases where the answer to your question would be unlimited and other instances where the answer, rightfully, would be none<hr> Should the size of the shop make any difference? <hr>Larger shops tend to have more formal employement agreements than smaller shops. This is a <u>general</u> rule, not a hard and fast one. David Abramowitz

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<font color blue>On Saturday, January 30, 1999, 11:24 AM, Frank Whittemore wrote: How much non-paid overtime should a salaried programmer be expected to work? What about a LAN administrator? What about other salaried computer area employees? Yes, these are "exempt" positions. What are the expectations in your shop? Should the size of the shop make any difference? <font> The expectation is do what it takes to meet your project's commitment. However for this to work there needs to be give side as well, so that when times are quiet staff dont work a "full 44 hour" week. LAN administrators are expected to work less overtime than programmers. Staff are paid variable annual performance bonuses(2-3 months salary). From my experience generally large shops tend to get/expect less non-paid overtime. David</font></font>

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On Sunday, January 31, 1999, 02:48 AM, David Bye wrote: <font color blue>On Saturday, January 30, 1999, 11:24 AM, Frank Whittemore wrote: How much non-paid overtime should a salaried programmer be expected to work? What about a LAN administrator? What about other salaried computer area employees? Yes, these are "exempt" positions. What are the expectations in your shop? Should the size of the shop make any difference? <font> [/i] Frank, I've worked in shops that went from one extreme to another. The worst was a semi-large shop that expected you to be there 40+ hours a week, and answer calls on the weekend and at night. It was a major drag. They even wanted me to check in once a day on my honeymoon! GEEZ! I told them, "Yeah, right. Y'all just hang by the phone and wait for my call." I've also worked at shops, mostly consulting companies, that had a standard overtime set up for every hour over 40. That was nice, except that then you end up trying to accumulate as much overtime as possible because each overtime hour was extra $ in your pocket. I worked so much, and travelled so much, I 'bout wore myself out, and I never saw my wife. For the full time job I have now, I work at home most of the time. I don't get paid any overtime, and some weeks I end up putting in 70+ hours. On the other hand, when the work is slower, I am able to take off and run errands or whatever without having to check in with anybody. This is on top of being able to set my own hours (which sometimes finds me working at 3:00 a.m., but that's unusual). Of course, any free time I have now goes to Midrange Computing, but that's another story. Of all the many jobs I've had, this last one is the best because of the flexibility it gives me. I gladly give up my overtime pay for the freedom to work pretty much when I want and not having someone looking over my shoulder all the time. It's easier to put in a lot of hours when it's something you want to do, rather than being required of you.</font></font>

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On Saturday, January 30, 1999, 11:24 AM, Frank Whittemore wrote: How much non-paid overtime should a salaried programmer be expected to work? What about a LAN administrator? What about other salaried computer area employees? Yes, these are "exempt" positions. On the salaried issue, I feel that you should put in as many hours as needed. What I mean is this, if you have a crisis and production is being curtailed, you stay till it is up. It goes with the profession. If you are debugging development, 40 hours should be the norm. It is after all just coding and not brain surgery.There are obviously many different standards here, LAN Admins and other computer related positions may not have that type of requirement depending on the type of business. Is the business 24X7? 9 to 5? That will really drive the other positions. What are the expectations in your shop? Should the size of the shop make any difference? No business needs and not shop size should determine IT needs. Just an old mainframer caught in the Web! Just trying to keep up....