Replies

1. 
   bobl_ | Jan 31, 2001 12:51am | #1

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   Nothing your doing sounds out-of-wack to me.

   Regarding the breaks and lunch check on that if someone here doesn't give you some advice. Lunch I expect would be unpaid, the breaks?????

   This http://www.dol.gov/elaws/flsa.htm takes you to federal info, as you go through it you can find NY info, but don't know if it answers your questions.

1. 
   Daniel_Foth | Jan 31, 2001 01:17am | #2

   *George, From the message you posted it sounds as if you don't really seem to even want to work for this guy.Out of all the contractors I've worked for we rarely started at 8:00 every day. Usualy 6:00 a.m. during the summer, and we were paid for every second. Though I was never in a lead carpenter position, the ones that I worked for were almost father figures. Picking us up if we needed rides, trips to the emergency room, rides home, free help on our own homes on the weekends. I don't know what they were paid, but i hope it was enough for all the crap they had to do. Don't allow this guy to take advantage of the position. If you're on the job you damn well better be getting paid for it.My 2 cents

1. 
   doug_hubbard | Jan 31, 2001 01:28am | #3

   *George - I think you lay out your terms- conditions you will work under- and if you are good and the contractor recognizes that you have no problems.Nothing wrong with making the people you work for play by your rules. If you have what they want- you are the driver on the bus...

1. 
   GACC_DAllas | Jan 31, 2001 06:21am | #4

   *George,Rolling out tools and rolling up tools is part of the job and should be done during normal work hours. that's the law, and the right thing. Lunch is not paid for, but breaks are opitional I guess. If he has a problem with paying for a 10 minute break twice a day, I'd look elsewhere.Sounds to me like you got it right. Right down to your truck.Good luck,Ed. Williams

1. 
   jim_at_great_white | Feb 01, 2001 07:15am | #5

   *Here's what I do,and my guys (2) don't seem to have a problem with it. Start every day M-F at seven am. Roll out tools work till ten, take fifteen to thirty minute break depending on conditions (hot cold pushing to get something done) Back to work till one pm thirty to fifty minutes for lunch DOC. Work till four roll up tools and scrapout hit he road at four fifteen. Fridays break at nine thirty hit the road at noon. They get paid for a forty hour week and have Friday afternoon to get personal errands and the like done. Saves them the expense of missing a half day of work. Now if we could get the dentists to work Friday afternoon we'd be all set.jim

2. 
   Jim_Walters | Feb 01, 2001 12:42pm | #6

   *Jim,Sounds good. Back when I had employees, we gave an early leave on fridays and the guys got paid from the moment they started. A few extra bucks here and there didn't seem to hurt me any.

3. 
   HouseDoctor_ | Feb 02, 2001 12:01am | #7

   *George,I think the problem is that you've been self-employed and you know the true cost of all these little extras to you..I know some good contractors around our area who likewise expect their employees to contribute to the company by their time or vehicle usage. One guy required the men to get to the shop at 7:30 but pay started at 8:00. They've never been challenged on it and/or are reluctant to establish a precendent for one guy.You are certainly right in your expectations but whether the boss will recognize your value is another matter. Sometimes you have to figure out your true cost of employment (43 hours + mileage + whatever else you know of) and divide that by your stated wage to find out if your true hourly wage will be be worth it.....

4. 
   jamesbond | Feb 02, 2001 08:14am | #8

   *George-Employer has to furnish the two paid 15 min. breaks and the O.T. after 40. Get reimbursed for your mileage too. A boss is crazy to skin guys like that. I pay guys for all time, gas, vehicle use....As far as breaks go, what a lot of people don't know is that breaks benefit bosses and employees. They came from time-management studies decades ago. Found employees are more productive with the two 15 min. breaks. Studies were done under all types of working conditions, 15 minutes twice proved to be the best. Think about it, what do you talk about during thetimeout, almost always something about the job. Its a chance to relax a bit, plan & talk about the worksite.

2. 
   George_Abramshe | Feb 02, 2001 08:14am | #9

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   I am a subcontractor who has been offered a full time job as a lead carpenter. The buider expects everyone belted up and all the tools out by 10 minutes to 8AM even though he starts paying at 8. When added up this is roughly two free hours a week. I was under the assumption that it is a mandatory 15 min unpaid break in the morning and afternoon for a 8 hr. day with an unpaid 30 min lunch. I thought this was the law in NY for employees 'on the books'. I told him that if he has a mandatory starting time then he should also have a mandatory finish time, people should know what time they are going home, it's only fair. I also informed him that all time over 40 hrs. was time and a half. I told him that using my truck to haul materials or pickup employees is at my discretion and on his time with gas and mileage included. He acted as if I was crazy. I understand that he is trying to run his business as cheaply as possible but I feel it is right to inform him upfront without possibly being taken advantage of or giving away my time,effort and abilities for free. The way I see it I am being hired and paid to be a carpenter - period. Not a truck service,free hours for his benefit, or anything else. I'll give him an extremely effeicient and productive day for the time I'm paid for. Any thoughts???