Off For 2 Weeks *rant*

[trailerparkmedic]

My company doesn't pay me if I don't work. This includes holidays and days that I am cancelled because the company is closed.

Our vacation time is a bit weird--we get X hours to use each year, but we don't get paid as we use them, we get paid in one lump sum on our anniversary.

So, my coworker and I were just told that not only are we losing two days this week (Thanksgiving and the day after) but we're also not going to be working the two weeks around Christmas-New Year's. Since I don't get paid for vacation time, I can't use that to help offset the 2 weeks without pay. We're stuck losing an ENTIRE paycheck.

The really awesome thing is that I'll be on call during the 2 week shutdown. I anticipate spending at least 10 hours (if I'm lucky) during the 2 weeks getting phone calls, checking email, etc. None of that will be paid. Because of "the economy" we're under a strict no overtime policy. When we spend time on after hours issues, we make up the time later in the week. I know that I'm not going to be able to submit a timesheet for the December shutdown hours I work.

Oh, sure, I should stick up for myself and submit a timesheet with all of my hours for Christmas and demand to be paid. However, both my coworker and myself have seen a lot of signs pointing to downsizing. I'm not ready to lose my job yet.

Bah. If manufacturing is working during the shutdown, I can probably pick up a 12 hour shift or 2 to get a little cash, but I really hate having to dig into my savings like this.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The really awesome thing is that I'll be on call during the 2 week shutdown. I anticipate spending at least 10 hours (if I'm lucky) during the 2 weeks getting phone calls, checking email, etc. None of that will be paid. Because of "the economy" we're under a strict no overtime policy. When we spend time on after hours issues, we make up the time later in the week. I know that I'm not going to be able to submit a timesheet for the December shutdown hours I work.

Oh, sure, I should stick up for myself and submit a timesheet with all of my hours for Christmas and demand to be paid. However, both my coworker and myself have seen a lot of signs pointing to downsizing. I'm not ready to lose my job yet.

So...they're going to expect you to work, but they're not going to pay you.

That's very illegal, and if your employer is going to treat you like that, you're better off not working for them. I'd submit the timesheet anyway, consider being downsized a blessing, and then have the local labor board take a shit on their heads.

[Broomjockey]

So...they're going to expect you to work, but they're not going to pay you.

That's very illegal,

More than. And from what I understand, many states have a provision for on-call employees, requiring some compensation for the time on call, even if you don't do anything.

[trailerparkmedic]

Ahh, but it's not as simple as just being downsized.

I'll be knocked back down to being a regular security guard (several dollars less than I'm making now) and put in the pool with no assigned hours. I'll have to call each week to pick up whatever is available. When I apply for unemployment on the basis of reduced hours, the company will appeal and stall (they did this before when they pulled regular hours from assigned people and put them in the pool).

This is assuming they don't just fire me for some stupid reason--I live in an at-will state. This is also why I don't want to complain to the labor board. Sure, there's rules about retaliation against whistleblowers, but that doesn't mean they can't find some little thing to trump up to fire me.

I have some savings but with the job situation as bad as it is, I wouldn't count on my savings lasting as long as they would need to. I'm hoping to hang on until next June or August, since I will be starting nursing school one of those months. My job is annoying but it's good money for what I have to put up with and a regular M-F schedule.

My state doesn't require compensation for being on call unless I'm stuck at work (or some simliar situation). My company pays for my cell phone and internet when I'm on call, so I can hang out at home while on call. Theoretically I'm not supposed to go more than x hours away from work, but my coworker and I cover each other in case of extreme emergency that would require us to go in (hasn't ever happened yet).