Do you work overtime? 1

[bradpa77]

So I have heard horror stories about some engineering jobs where you work 60+ hour weeks without overtime pay. I work 40 hours a week. No overtime at all. If I do get overtime it's paid for. If I were asked to do overtime, I would and I have in the past, but typically it isn't required of me .... at all. It's pretty nice. From stories I've heard from other engineers I would think that my situation is pretty rare.

So, basically I was just wondering how many of us engineers do work overtime, how much overtime they work, and if it's paid or unpaid.

If you have a second, everyone please post about your overtime requirements and habits at your job.

Thanks.

 

[HVACctrl]

I have worked up to 60 hours (in past jobs)- all unpaid overtime. Now I put in maybe 45, still unpaid overtime. As I become more experienced in this position, perhaps I'll work more if required.

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[sms]

I work overtime as necessary, all unpaid, I probably average 45 to 50 hours a week, and I work the occassional weekend. Especially when traveling to a site location I may travel on Sunday or come back on a Saturday. I also keep my cell phone on at all times and I take customer calls all hours of the day/night/or weekend.

However my employer allows me very flexible hours, and if I work a weekend it is not unusual for me to take a day off the next week to make up for it, if I spend a couple hours on the phone with a customer one evening, I sleep in and go to work late the next morning. I also work out of my home quite often, and I work a 980 schedule so I get every other Friday off. No one ever expects me to spend X number of hours at my desk in the office, I pretty come and go as necessary and as I please. So overall I can't complain.

-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

 

[ewh]

As a contractor, that was one thing always specified - paid overtime. When I took my current position, I was classified as salaried-exempt, but was not too concerned as there wasn't much need to work over forty hours. After a couple of contractors were hired (when work picked up), I was given the opportunity to be reclassified as salaried-nonexempt. Apparently my boss didn't want me to go back to contracting, and the increase in rates and opportunities were tempting. I took advantage of the offer and am now a happy camper, averaging 10 hrs OT per week.

 

[controlnovice]

No overtime pay.

Usually 45-50 hour weeks except during plant startups where it can be up to 80-98 hour weeks (1-3 times a year for 3 weeks). Often travel on weekends.

But, often given days off during the week without having to take vacation. It's a decent trade-off.

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This is normally the space where people post something insightful.

 

[ScottyUK]

I worked one job where we peaked at 110hrs/week. That lasted for six weeks, seven days a week, double shifting. We were paid at flat rate, no premium time. At the end of the six weeks I and the client's engineer put a stop to it because our six man team were beyond the point where our work was suffering. We were virtually fighting amongst ourselves because everyone was so tired and cranky.

Present position is notionally 0830 - 1700 Monday - Friday, but weekend working, early starts, late finishes, the occasional nightshift are all there too. We get no overtime pay, but have historically had a fairly fast and loose attitude to off-the-books lieu days and so on. It is part of the job, although sometimes it feels like we are doing the work of twice our number. That starts to cause distinctly mutinous feelings among the engineering staff from about halfway through our long turbine outage season.

I periodically toy with the idea of joining the industrial prostitutes contractors , or going over to either Operations with their cushy shift pattern or offshore where the money is good and the time off is better than present. That said, the power generation industry is one which is pretty secure at least for my lifetime - no chance of it being offshored to China - so there are some benefits in staying put. Right now we're halfway through outage season, so the pendulum is swinging toward going rather than staying.

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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[EngJW]

In my earlier years as an engineer I worked some overtime, but I can honestly say that I have never worked a single hour of overtime that was necessary or productive. I will work my A off during the day to avoid it.

In our company we have not had a raise in years. However, the working conditions are excellent, the work is interesting, it is a short commute, and we don't have to work overtime. At my age now, the time is more valuable.

 

[rholder98]

The first job I had paid time-and-a-half for the first three years I was there, then abruptly stopped paying any overtime. At my annual review, I got a raise, and then was told there would be no more overtime pay. So I actually got a pay cut that year.

The next job was straight salary, regardless of hours worked. During one stretch, I was "donating" 20 to 30 hours a week to the company, hoping, I suppose, to get noticed.

I am at another place now. Workload comes and goes. I am in the middle of a crunch that is requiring 50+ hours a week, but anything over 40 hours is paid at straight time. Extra time is neither encouraged nor discouraged, so long as the job gets done. It's actually a pretty sweet deal.

 

[ctopher]

I have not worked OT for several years. I always get my work done during work hours.
My new current job, maybe working OT in the future.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[corus]

Some years ago the company I worked for decided that it was unprofessional to be paid overtime (though not unprofessional for contractors to be paid it) and so stopped paying it and instead gave pay-rises of differing amounts to some people to compensate. Some, who worked overtime, didn't get a rise. Their argument for not paying overtime was that they wanted people to go home and be happy. Fair enough. Unfortunately they couldn't get the work done so they started paying a bonus at 'management's discretion'. The bonus was quickly calculated to be hours paid at single time. After a while they brought over time payment back. Too late, the company went broke.
In the present company, management decided that they'd paid overtime for a long time and it was time for a change, so they stopped paying it. Makes sense to me .Instead they brought in a system of 'time off in lieu' for extra hours worked. Fair enough. Now they don't have enough people to do the work as most are at the beach or are planning on retiring early with their banked hours. It makes you wonder.

corus

 

[ivymike]

In my current job, the "standard" work week is stated to be 45-50hrs. There is no paid overtime. It is not uncommon for people to put in 60hrs+ to get their work done. Management tells us that we are running "lean" to avoid future cutbacks.

 

[Senselessticker]

I generally work 40 hour weeks. Occasionally I work overtime/weekends, but am paid for every hour I work (straight time). There are actually no "salaried" full time employees in the engineering division of my company. Everyone is considered a "flexible" employee and can be sent home at any time. I've never been sent home or denied my 40 hours in two years. We have plenty of "retired" engineers/designers who work on an as-needed basis.

 

[KENAT]

At both my Eng jobs I worked more than the required hours most of the time.

Most of the time unpaid except for the last year or so at my last place when they knew I was leaving and we had loads to do, no one to do it. Some of it was paid by a bonus some of it by time and half.

Also some flexibility in work hours most of the time, how much varied based on who my manager was etc.

 

[Quantum50]

First REAL engineering job paid straight time only and 40 to 70+ / week was the norm depending on product launches, problem equipment, etc. My supervisor was pretty good about looking away when we called in sick or had appointments. But the pay was lousy; in an area of the US where the living wage is just above the minimum wage.

Next job, I was shocked when they said I was being hired at the top job grade that allowed time and a half over 40/wk. Then, the company announced carte blanc OT of 10/wk without approval and the approval for additional OT came with simple justification. That went on for over a year. Then cost cuts, lost OT, lay-offs, more cost cuts, then big bonuses for management for their clever fiscal prowess.

Current job does not pay OT but allows comp. time freely. I'm told the 40/wk I work is unique to my department so I think I'll stay put. ;-)

Frankly, I'd expect 45-55/wk to be the norm and don't mind working it if required to do the job. But to just provide a presence in case needed? Don't much like that.

 

[SWhit]

I very seldom work overtime, but will if all heck breaks loose and I need to. If I work overtime I get paid at the same rate as strait time. There is no flexibility to come and go, so it's be here or on vacation.

 

[ewh]

In the states it is mandated by OSHA that for hourly and non-exempt salaried employees any time worked over 40 hours in one week be compensated at 1.5 x your rate of pay. Many companies try to get around this by claiming their employees as "exempt salaried", which actually only covers certain positions, such as management and IT personel. Microsoft got into trouble over this a few years ago and many other companies have been sued for money owed, but the practice still continues.
If you feel that you are being taken advantage of, I suggest that you read up on the employment laws. If necessary, question your HR department, and have them explain how they feel that they are exempt from paying time and a half. It is important to document all of the hours you have worked over 40/wk.
I worked for one small jet manufacturer for three years as a contractor getting overtime pay. They then gave me a choice of becoming temporary/direct (without OT) or leaving. As I wasn't yet ready to leave town, I accepted the position, but I sure didn't put more than 40 hours into any one week. They let me go a year later.

 

[SomptingGuy]

When I used to work in a testing environment, the most productive times of the week were weekends - access to all the department's kit and no telephone disruption. Plus of course, I was younger, single and had no kids.

These days I'd be burned at the stake if I even suggested weekend working, so it's no great issue that I've been recently been re-banded (this month) into a band that cannot claim ANY overtime (no additional perks mind you).

Just wait 'till I'm asked to work outside normal hours.
Methinks Rome may just have to burn - not my problem!

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Once and awhile I'll come in on the weekened or evening (like SomptingGuy, I like it when I get all the equipment to myself) but I'll always adjust my work week accordingly so that I work 40 hrs. I will work uncompensated overtime temporarily if a project demands it, but I would not be willing to put up with it as the norm. And, actually, I wouldn't be willing to work overtime regularly even if it was compensated.

 

[wes616]

Am averaging 60 / wk right now, but all paid OT at 1.5X which is great... If it wasnt paid, i'd be looking for a new job.

Wes C.
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When they broke open molecules, they found they were only stuffed with atoms. But when they broke open atoms, they found them stuffed with explosions...

 

[GregLocock]

I haven't actualy claimed for OT for a several years, as I flex time off to compensate. I'm supposed to do this by agreement with my manager or something or other. Since 'they' have no sensible way of logging what is happening I just keep a diary, and wander in and out of the building as I see fit.






Cheers

Greg Locock

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