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Is this normal?

jmattbassplaya

jmattbassplaya

Supporting Member
Jan 13, 2008
11,843
9,860
#1
I recently started my first big boy job, and tonight marks the 11th day, in a row, that I have had to work, with all of these days requiring a 10+ hour long shift. To make things better, I have to work straight through this weekend as well, and I likely won't get a day off until next Saturday.

Tonight I came home, poured my whiskey straight into the glass, and drank the whole thing without a single grimace, which is something I have never done before despite several years of training throughout college.

My question is this --- is this what being a man feels like?
 
#5
No company will ever put you on salary unless it benefits them to do so. Many years ago I was a line cook for a big restaurant chain. One of my coworkers was going into management, and upon receiving his first check he figured out that given the hours he was now required to work each week he was actually making minimum wage. Welcome to the real world.
 
#6
lowfreq33 said:
No company will ever put you on salary unless it benefits them to do so. Many years ago I was a line cook for a big restaurant chain. One of my coworkers was going into management, and upon receiving his first check he figured out that given the hours he was now required to work each week he was actually making minimum wage. Welcome to the real world.
Click to expand...

Believe me, I figured that out already ;) I made more reffing soccer and selling cologne (sans degree) than I am right now. It'll be different once we end our fiscal and seasonal year, but right now we are getting hosed. Thankfully, I'm up for promotional in 5 months. I'll be sure to discuss this, plus the ways I've made them more than profit, come that time.
 
#7
Check to make sure you meet the criteria for an exempt employee. They are very specific. We had to pay retroactive overtime pay for an employee that challenged his status after the fact, even though he was a manager. If he had been hourly during that time, he would have been sent home without pay on days when there was no work for him. Because he was salaried, he drew full pay, even during the downturn. So we ended up getting burned twice.

On the "being a man" question, I wouldn't know - I've never thought of myself specifically as a man. I'm a person, and that's pretty much it.
 
#9
What do you do that requires no days off. Maybe there's a rule on that too. Be salaried doesn't turn you into a slave. Are you actually a manager?

IME, they won't care that you made them profit. They already know that. They've made a wage slave out of you and will keep your around 'till you burn out.

Are other "managers" working the same hours as you?
 
#10
Wouldn't be deemed normal here, typically your salary contracts you for X hours per week. Working beyond that you'd either get time back or overtime.

My girlfriend works a 12 day stint quite regularly, but that's to do with how the rota hours at her practice have been worked out, though the weekly average still works out to her contracted hours.

Don't get too comfortable in seeking solace in the bottle, too many make the mistake of thinking that is part of manhood. Not saying there's an issue with enjoying a good whisky, I certainly do, just to be careful not to let it become the standard for dealing with crappy work!
 
#12
Some industries (like mine) have a periodic 'crunch time' peak. It comes with the territory. _Usually_ there is also a periodic slow time. If there is -not- a reason for cyclic overtime, you simply have pathological management that has determined that this behaviour maximises profit and by keeping you too busy all the time, it diminishes your ability to look for something better.

BTDT. The "standard" work week was 80 hours, for no reason other than management greed. Around 10% staff turnover -per month-. I lasted a year.

I hope OP's situation is better. The first thing every interview coach tells you is 'don't badmouth the last place' but the reality is that there really are pathological white-collar sweatshops. Especially when labor is a buyer's market.
 
#14
Munjibunga said:
Check to make sure you meet the criteria for an exempt employee. They are very specific. We had to pay retroactive overtime pay for an employee that challenged his status after the fact, even though he was a manager. If he had been hourly during that time, he would have been sent home without pay on days when there was no work for him. Because he was salaried, he drew full pay, even during the downturn. So we ended up getting burned twice.

On the "being a man" question, I wouldn't know - I've never thought of myself specifically as a man. I'm a person, and that's pretty much it.
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I'm willing to bet you're owed overtime.

There's a fine line between accepting employer abuse and demanding what you're owed.

After my last raise, they decided I was a "manager" and no longer eligable for overtime. I worked out that nonsense real quick.

I "manage" a one-man department, consisting of me.

So I don't work an extra minute for my company unless I'm getting paid time and a half.

Don't take any crap from them. If they look you as a doormat from the getgo, that's where you'll be till you find a new job.
 
#16
I'm a salaried employee and I get overtime. They take my yearly salary, divide it by 52, divide that by 40, multiply that by 1.5, and that's what I get per hour of overtime.

I don't think salary vs hourly is the only deciding factor.
 
#17
jmattbassplaya said:
I recently started my first big boy job, and tonight marks the 11th day, in a row, that I have had to work, with all of these days requiring a 10+ hour long shift. To make things better, I have to work straight through this weekend as well, and I likely won't get a day off until next Saturday.

Tonight I came home, poured my whiskey straight into the glass, and drank the whole thing without a single grimace, which is something I have never done before despite several years of training throughout college.

My question is this --- is this what being a man feels like?
Click to expand...

Sometimes people have to ManUp. Great things don't get done working 8 hour shifts.

From what I read your typical working man is doing 60 plus hour weeks. You're in the ball park.

A far as feeling? Your feelings are you. Focus on the positive. Men have routinely been doing 70 hours work work for ages. Get used to it.

But if you don't want to this your entire life either a save a lot of money. Or B get a government job where you "work" 35 hours a week.
 
#18
3234718 said:
I'm willing to bet you're owed overtime.

There's a fine line between accepting employer abuse and demanding what you're owed.

After my last raise, they decided I was a "manager" and no longer eligable for overtime. I worked out that nonsense real quick.

I "manage" a one-man department, consisting of me.

So I don't work an extra minute for my company unless I'm getting paid time and a half.

Don't take any crap from them. If they look you as a doormat from the getgo, that's where you'll be till you find a new job.
Click to expand...

In the jobs I've had the advantages of being exempt generally out weighed the disadvantages.

Turning down a management position probably will eliminate any further talk of promotions.

I did a lot of extra work and it always seemed to pay off for me.
 
#19
There is manning up, and there's getting screwed.

Much will depend on the contract the OP is signed up to.

Productivity comes from more than just brute time, countries with higher average working hours aren't necessarily higher producers. Don't get me wrong, there are some fields which end up requiring a heck of a lot of time (I spent the past few years working 70 - 100+ hour weeks), but it shouldn't be a necessity.
 
#20
those kind of hours are not unusual in areas like financial or legal businesses, from what i hear. or if it is work involved on projects with deadlines.

re: being a man, i think there was a thread on it a while back, do a search GOSH :mad:

;)

...nah just kidding, good luck. you might find you hit your stride after a bit, i know people who do similar hours and they seem to survive. don't forget to put aside some time to play your bass!
 

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