Originally Posted by
Timber_8
I don't believe that is what I said. I don't have people on call and I don't call people 24/7, I was being rather vague. You have no idea the kind of work I do or the demands of my employees. I do however need to reach them constantly while they are on the clock. Since most of my employees spend there day out on the road it is vital that we have communication. If you think that there is a better way I would be very interested to entertain your suggestions. Your assumption of my attitude to the rights of my employees and the expectations I have of them is not very accurate.
Just out of curiosity when you do call somebody in their off hours do they get paid for that time?
Not saying you do this at all just saying that this happens more often then not...you are more the exception in this day and age if you don't abuse salary employees in their off hours without compensation.
Technology has made the line between work and personal time a bit blurred especially for salary employees and that is what is significant about the lawsuit I posted where AT&T is being sued by people who were not being compensated for being wired to the company 24/7 via a black berry or laptop and expected to work "on demand 24/7" without compensation.
I see this as problem and why I am content staying at my level and being an hourly employee because my personal time to me is very valuable to me. As an employee I expect to be compensated when my life is interrupted outside traditiona business hours. A salary employee is often abused since they are unable to claim overtime and in today's world it has gotten way out of hand.
Now I do agree some employees knew this going into the job and the hope is their pay would be such as to reflect their marriage to their company. Many did not know they were expected to be available 24/7 when handed that blackberry.
Example:
I am the close person to my office. If the alarm goes off or somebody has an emergency need I am the guy that gets called first. I get a 3 hour call out even if it only takes me 30 minutes to take care of problem to compensate me but I am not required to be in the area and we do not have a "on call need". If I don't answer the boss starts calling people (and they get the call out if hourly) or goes in himself (and he doesn't get call out and 40+ minutes away).
When you do the math My staying as an hourly employee I may well make as much money as my boss since they have to pay me for anything over 40 hours and he just has to suck it up when they have to get on an emergency conference call on a Saturday afternoon when they are out with their family. They also think twice before making me work OT when they are having to pay me $30+ an hour, Something that doesn't happen to a Salary person.
Like I said "you are the exception" that your employees are very fortunate to work for if you are as considerate of their personal time as you say.