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uncompensated overtime

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by writing irish, Aug 14, 2006.

  1. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Well yeah, but "The Law," as enforced by the current powers-that-be, is astonishingly unconcerned with ever enforcing these laws -- they just see it as unwarranted government interference with good sensible bidnessmen trying to turn a profit for their stockholders.
     
  2. writing irish

    writing irish Active Member

    True enough. And given the spineless attitude of many workers, some of whom are so brainwashed they actually seem to take pride in getting fucked over, that's not likely to change.
     
  3. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    Reviving a dead topic because I'm pissed that I work seven days per week (the extra two days are 2 hours of work on those days), and I'm still expected to work late during the week covering crap because other reporters have child care issues.
     
  4. Oggiedoggie

    Oggiedoggie Well-Known Member

    "We can't afford to give you a raise, but we can give you a promotion: to management!"
     
  5. Mystery Meat II

    Mystery Meat II Well-Known Member

    Adopt a child.

    Problem solved.
     
  6. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    I have kids, but my wife is a stay-at-home mom. So I can't use the child care excuse, and "I'm pretty close to divorce court" doesn't work.
     
  7. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Bottom line: If you are an hourly employee (non-exempt), you are have to be paid for the hours you work. If not, your workplace is violating FEDERAL wage and hour laws.

    Now, how persnickety you want to get on that is up to you.

    If you routinely are in the office working 60-70 hours, I think you need to stop being taken advantage of.

    If you want to call the feds because you worked 9 hours one day but spent three hours of that on SportsJournalists.com, you might want to let it slide.
     
  8. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    Is this a regular thing, or is it a once in a while thing?

    If it's regular, then you either take it up the ass, or take it up with upper management. Or, better yet, if you're "pretty close to divorce court" because of your job, then start leaving at 5. Family is more important than any job. If stuff doesn't get covered, it doesn't get covered.

    If it's once in a while because someone's kid is sick or the babysitter decided to bail, that's another thing.
     
  9. housejd

    housejd Member

    What about papers that have pre-approved overtime, in that you're only supposed to get OT if management says it's cool?

    What are the laws if you end up getting stuck late because of a late breaker and nobody's around to approve it? If they would be unwilling to approve it the next day, would you have any rights? Just curious on that one.
     
  10. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    If it's explicit (i.e. written) company policy that all OT must be approved, call your supervisor and get his OK in the case of emergency breaking news.

    If the supervisor cannot (or will not) be contacted, send the paper to bed without the late breaking story and clock out at the end of your shift.

    Knock off a quick memo like this:

    "I, housejd, was willing and able to devote the time necessary to get the story on the Hooker Alley murders, which broke at 12:17 a.m., into the Daily Grunt, but was unable to do so since such actions would have entailed violation of the DG policy against non-approved overtime. Absent authorization from my departmental superior, I elected to abide by company policy."

    Make sure you can document your attempt to contact superiors (when you call the ME, EE or publisher, tell the person at the next desk, 'I am calling Mr. Publisher').
     
  11. kingcreole

    kingcreole Active Member

    Overtime ... allow me to guffaw at that term.

    I'm hourly along with our other full-time writer. We're shorthanded right now, and with state football recently, our basketball tab and the local college that I cover playing football (not to mention basketball going strong) through last weekend, it's been hell. We were told we could ask for overtime for the upcoming pay period. Great! I've never even tried before because I knew it would be a waste of time. I tracked my hours carefully last week. Made it to 50, which for a busy week is probably normal for me. Just something I've never tracked before.

    So I had planned on asking for 10 overtime hours. I was given less than half that for overtime pay. I want to tell them just to keep it.
     
  12. JayFarrar

    JayFarrar Well-Known Member

    My solution is not to work more than 40 hours.
    Do I miss stories? Yep. Does it bother me? Yep. Does it bother me more that I work for a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate and is so cheap, they won't spring for the occasional time and a half? Yep and that's why I won't work over.
     
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