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Work question..

LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
edited November 2011 in All Encompassing Trip
Can a job discipline or fire you for not working more than you are getting paid?



For instance I'm salary, but this time of year I am pretty much forced into extra hours. I'm essentially "on call" 24/7. It is not worked into my pay. It's just become kind of expected out of me.


I need my sleep. I live 40 minutes from work and can't be making multiple trips back and forth on my weekend off because the company can't get their shit together and needs my constant support for something. They are so backed up that anytime the equipment goes down, they are getting more backed up and losing money,


I am not a robot. Can I get in trouble for not acting like one? Is the law on my side if for some reason one of their phone calls didn't wake me up in the middle of the night or I decided to take one day off from responding to them for the week?

It's not even about money to me. I don't get paid well as is. I don't think I'd want more money to stop bitching. I just need my rest.


I feel obligated because of how bad the economy is. There are temp employees willing to work these ungodly hours and that is why I am on call so much. If the equipment goes down, they are just standing around or are being sent home.. Maybe they don't make as much as me over the year, but the difference is, they get paid hourly and get over time for this time of the year.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • DS1119DS1119 Posts: 33,497
    That's a fine line especially with the way the job market is. I would check with your state's Department of Labor but at the same time not try and cause too many waves. Do you have a good relationship with your superior so you can talk about this freely?
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    DS1119 wrote:
    That's a fine line especially with the way the job market is. I would check with your state's Department of Labor but at the same time not try and cause too many waves. Do you have a good relationship with your superior so you can talk about this freely?
    My direct boss tells me I don't have to answer my phone.. the vice president of the company, who likes me, is the one who freaks out and calls me when shit goes down and acts like its the end of the world. I've always been good at responding, but am getting tired of it. I need support.
  • DS1119DS1119 Posts: 33,497
    Gob wrote:
    DS1119 wrote:
    That's a fine line especially with the way the job market is. I would check with your state's Department of Labor but at the same time not try and cause too many waves. Do you have a good relationship with your superior so you can talk about this freely?
    My direct boss tells me I don't have to answer my phone.. the vice president of the company, who likes me, is the one who freaks out and calls me when shit goes down and acts like its the end of the world. I've always been good at responding, but am getting tired of it. I need support.


    Can you sit down with the VP and your direct boss and express your concerns? Maybe something to tune that the way your job is tracking it's going to burn you out and you need your days off for yourself to perform your best.
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    edited November 2011
    DS1119 wrote:
    Gob wrote:
    DS1119 wrote:
    That's a fine line especially with the way the job market is. I would check with your state's Department of Labor but at the same time not try and cause too many waves. Do you have a good relationship with your superior so you can talk about this freely?
    My direct boss tells me I don't have to answer my phone.. the vice president of the company, who likes me, is the one who freaks out and calls me when shit goes down and acts like its the end of the world. I've always been good at responding, but am getting tired of it. I need support.


    Can you sit down with the VP and your direct boss and express your concerns? Maybe something to tune that the way your job is tracking it's going to burn you out and you need your days off for yourself to perform your best.
    I don't think they will sympothise since they are going through the same shit.. they are watching their jobs too.

    I am responsible for the maintenance and repair of three pieces of equipment that manufacture about 1000 orders a day.. We are getting probably 1500 orders a day, and possibly more a day in coming weeks.. One of these machines is so new that its glitchy. The other two machines are on their last legs. They are being run 24/7 by temp employees who are beating the crap out of them. They are failing constantly. One of them is probably fucking up as I type this and the VP is probably telling the temps to wait until 4 am to call me so I can get some sleep. :?


    Any other time of the year, these machines get about 100 to 150 orders a day. 10% of what they are being pushed to now are are being run by a knowledgable supervisor, not temp employees.. this is why I stress.
    Post edited by LikeAnOcean on
  • DS1119DS1119 Posts: 33,497
    Gob wrote:

    I am responsible for the maintenance and repair of three pieces of equipment that manufacture about 1000 orders a day.. we are getting probably 1500 orders a day, and possibly more a day in coming weeks.. One of these machines is so new that its glitchy. The other two machines are on their last legs. They are being run 24/7 by temp employees who are beating the crap out of them. They are failing constantly. One of them is probably fucking up as I type this and the VP is probably telling the temps to wait until 4 am to call me so I can get some sleep. :?


    Any other time of the year, these machines get about 100 to 150 orders a day. 10% of what they are being pushed to now, so this is why I stress.

    In all honesty...I guess maybe just ride it out for the Holidays and moving forward realize this is what's going to happen come this time of year. I'm in sales so I know what it's about to be pushed and I know what it's about to push people I manage. Sometimes a job requires you to go up and above the "job description" to complete the task.
  • LikeAnOceanLikeAnOcean Posts: 7,718
    DS1119 wrote:
    Gob wrote:

    I am responsible for the maintenance and repair of three pieces of equipment that manufacture about 1000 orders a day.. we are getting probably 1500 orders a day, and possibly more a day in coming weeks.. One of these machines is so new that its glitchy. The other two machines are on their last legs. They are being run 24/7 by temp employees who are beating the crap out of them. They are failing constantly. One of them is probably fucking up as I type this and the VP is probably telling the temps to wait until 4 am to call me so I can get some sleep. :?


    Any other time of the year, these machines get about 100 to 150 orders a day. 10% of what they are being pushed to now, so this is why I stress.

    In all honesty...I guess maybe just ride it out for the Holidays and moving forward realize this is what's going to happen come this time of year. I'm in sales so I know what it's about to be pushed and I know what it's about to push people I manage. Sometimes a job requires you to go up and above the "job description" to complete the task.
    This is my 4th "peak season" with the company. It was bad last year, but the new machine was supposed to "more than make up for how far back we fell".. but now the company knows it can double the sales, so they are going to push the equipment we have to it's limits. If it fails, all will come back to bite us. There is no slack or insurance or back-up if things go wrong. There should be. It's a gamble.
  • chicagobasbachicagobasba Posts: 76
    Depending on what state you work in and if you signed a contract to be salaried. If you didn't sign a contract and depending on the state you are considered as an employee at will so they have the right to hire and fire anyone at their will. Compensation for ot is not even considered for salaried ees. Sorry not my rules :( goverment laws
  • DS1119DS1119 Posts: 33,497
    Gob wrote:
    This is my 4th "peak season" with the company. It was bad last year, but the new machine was supposed to "more than make up for how far back we fell".. but now the company knows it can double the sales, so they are going to push the equipment we have to it's limits. If it fails, all will come back to bite us. There is no slack or insurance or back-up if things go wrong. There should be. It's a gamble.


    It sounds like you're an important person for this company to be successful. At the same time if it's burning you out, I think you need to talk to a superior about it. I don't know the whole situation obviously but if the VP leans heavily on you, you may have more leverage than you think to have some changes made in your favor.
  • chicagobasbachicagobasba Posts: 76
    Here is the Il. link to overtime & who qualifies as exempt from overtime pay. http://www.state.il.us/agency/idol/faq/qamwot.htm
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