Career turning point

[Greenergrass]

So I left a job of 6 years due to lack of respect, leadership, belittlement by the manager, etc. I went to another company and its been a little over 6 months. I keep my head low, I don't gossip, I do my work which is basically what I did for the old company (service, maintenance and repair) and head home. Sounds lovely right? I can't seem to find anything good actually. I can't get answers from my coworkers on certain jobs, no one wants to cover/trade on call for me, when I ask ahead of time for certain weeks off of on call due to prior engagements it gets brushed aside, the drives are incredibly long and draining and result in 10-12 hours away with a small travel stipend along with truck and gas card. I just feel deflated and when I bring it up to my wife or best friend they have no answer for me. Honestly I don't have an answer for myself. I am thinking of switching companies, I'm a fairly good tech. Honesty is my game alomg with kindness repsect and valuable knowledge. Ive voiced concern to my superiors with no concrete answer and was basically told to move elsewhere if I wanted more personal time (ie it would be closer to our accounts) I just feel like compared to my last job I'm pissing away my time and I'm at work more times than I'm home and also only getting paid for 8 hours a day when 10-14 hour days are not uncommon.

Sorry for the sob story, END RANT.

I'm seeking the answer to the day old question, do I stick it out or try to find something else? Relocation is not an option and the area I work in is few and far between major service companies. Any help would be great!

[BBeerme]

You pretty much answered your own question right here.

Getting paid 8 hours and putting in 10-14 is just wrong. There needs to be a travel charge. The place I spent most of my time, we had a standard 1/2 hour travel fee on every invoice. And where I am in the Bay Area, those accounts were fairly close together. Commute traffic can change those dynamics though.

So I left a job of 6 years due to lack of respect, leadership, belittlement by the manager, etc. I went to another company and its been a little over 6 months. I keep my head low, I don't gossip, I do my work which is basically what I did for the old company (service, maintenance and repair) and head home. Sounds lovely right? I can't seem to find anything good actually. I can't get answers from my coworkers on certain jobs, no one wants to cover/trade on call for me, when I ask ahead of time for certain weeks off of on call due to prior engagements it gets brushed aside, the drives are incredibly long and draining and result in 10-12 hours away with a small travel stipend along with truck and gas card. I just feel deflated and when I bring it up to my wife or best friend they have no answer for me. Honestly I don't have an answer for myself. I am thinking of switching companies, I'm a fairly good tech. Honesty is my game alomg with kindness repsect and valuable knowledge. Ive voiced concern to my superiors with no concrete answer and was basically told to move elsewhere if I wanted more personal time (ie it would be closer to our accounts) I just feel like compared to my last job I'm pissing away my time and I'm at work more times than I'm home and also only getting paid for 8 hours a day when 10-14 hour days are not uncommon.

Sorry for the sob story, END RANT.

I'm seeking the answer to the day old question, do I stick it out or try to find something else? Relocation is not an option and the area I work in is few and far between major service companies. Any help would be great!

[Greenergrass]

Bbeerme,

My thoughts exactly! They give a small stipend for drive but you are expected to be at your first job at start time on your own time. So if its 2.5 you're away from your house thats 2.5 hours on your dime and that stipend doesn't justify it imo...

[BBeerme]

It's probably legal, but (especially) in this economy, I wouldn't put up with it.

[Greenergrass]

Oh yeah its legal. But I'm a person of family/personal time. Not working my life away. And just up most respect when you ask for a different week for your on call rotation because of a prior commitment way in adavanced tends to make me upset. I appriciate the response. I hate to have multiple companies on my resume but I also want to be happy. Life is just too short

[crazzycajun]

You pretty much answered your own question right here.

Getting paid 8 hours and putting in 10-14 is just wrong. There needs to be a travel charge. The place I spent most of my time, we had a standard 1/2 hour travel fee on every invoice. And where I am in the Bay Area, those accounts were fairly close together. Commute traffic can change those dynamics though.

As bbeerme pointed out your employer knows his employees,and his market. If there was a shortage of techs he would change his practices, but he feels like he has you by the nads. If the other techs are treated different then I would say the good Oldboy club is a factor as well. Either way it doesn’t sound like you have much of a choice ,but to look and see if the other contractors act the same way. If so maybe look in house somewhere good luck

[Greenergrass]

As bbeerme pointed out your employer knows his employees,and his market. If there was a shortage of techs he would change his practices, but he feels like he has you by the nads. If the other techs are treated different then I would say the good Oldboy club is a factor as well. Either way it doesn’t sound like you have much of a choice ,but to look and see if the other contractors act the same way. If so maybe look in house somewhere good luck

Sometimes I feel its the good old boy club but as previously stated, I don't gossip with the guys to find out. I do have eyes and ears though

[stat]

It is not legal. I place where I used to work, someone complained to the Dept of Labor about that same thing. Employer was fined and we all received a settlement.

[pageyjim]

Travel time can be at a different rate but it has to be at least min wage of course. It also has to be counted as regular work time and count towards over time I believe. I bet you are paid on incentives on a regular basis. That also has to be counted towards your pay when calculating overtime. Keep good records and they may have to pay you going back two years or up to three if they are a repeat offender.

As far as the oncall schedule it is best to make plans around your schedule. Your wife and family should understand that by now imo. I saw a lot of resentment between employees who would switch in many cases. If you are they guy always wanting to switch it won't look good.

I bet there is a better company out there especially if you are a decent tech. Your identity can be kept confidential if you wish by the labor board I believe.

[btuhack]

Giving drive time, within reason, at the start and end of day is normal. Everything in between is billable to the customer. If your employer doesn't agree, let him employ someone else to drive around for free.

[NarutoRUN]

How about getting a job at a university or local school? Pay will be less but also less stress. Plus you can do your own little gig on the side.

[Greenergrass]

Travel time can be at a different rate but it has to be at least min wage of course. It also has to be counted as regular work time and count towards over time I believe. I bet you are paid on incentives on a regular basis. That also has to be counted towards your pay when calculating overtime. Keep good records and they may have to pay you going back two years or up to three if they are a repeat offender.

As far as the oncall schedule it is best to make plans around your schedule. Your wife and family should understand that by now imo. I saw a lot of resentment between employees who would switch in many cases. If you are they guy always wanting to switch it won't look good.

I bet there is a better company out there especially if you are a decent tech. Your identity can be kept confidential if you wish by the labor board I believe.

Our travel incentive doesnt count toward our billable hours.

I try to schedule around my on call but its tough when it comes out every 3 or 4 months. And I also don't switch often. I learned in the field not to but its frustrating when you have a comittment made in advanced and have to cancel.

That may be my only option but due to location status companies are few and fsr between with the exception of an 1 1/2 hour drive to their shop.

[Greenergrass]

Giving drive time, within reason, at the start and end of day is normal. Everything in between is billable to the customer. If your employer doesn't agree, let him employ someone else to drive around for free.

Absolutely agree within reason! I sometimes drive 3-5 hours on my own time to and from work. Makes for a l.a.d.!

[Greenergrass]

How about getting a job at a university or local school? Pay will be less but also less stress. Plus you can do your own little gig on the side.

Thought about it and actually nailed some interviews with said places but their mouths were salivating to hire someone with my experience for a little bit above min wage...yeah I tried negotiating but it was concrete offers.

[pageyjim]

Our travel incentive doesnt count toward our billable hours.

I try to schedule around my on call but its tough when it comes out every 3 or 4 months. And I also don't switch often. I learned in the field not to but its frustrating when you have a comittment made in advanced and have to cancel.

That may be my only option but due to location status companies are few and fsr between with the exception of an 1 1/2 hour drive to their shop.

You are probably using their terms such as "travel incentive" and "billable hours." Is your travel pay at least min wage? Does it count towards OT? I always took "billable hours" to mean what I charged the customer or got credit for in an incentive program. Are you using it as how many hours you are paid for? I would check with the Dept of Labor to see if they aren't screwing you. I would bet anything this company uses incentive programs as part of your pay, as I said before that probably has to be counted towards calculating your OT rate.

[pageyjim]

Our travel incentive doesnt count toward our billable hours.

I try to schedule around my on call but its tough when it comes out every 3 or 4 months. And I also don't switch often. I learned in the field not to but its frustrating when you have a comittment made in advanced and have to cancel.

That may be my only option but due to location status companies are few and fsr between with the exception of an 1 1/2 hour drive to their shop.

"Travel That is All in the Day's Work: Time spent by an employee in travel as part of his/her principal activity, such as travel from job site to job site during the workday, is work time and must be counted as hours worked."

https://www.lexology.com/library/det...c-b80c8d02b253

I don't have the FSLA link handy but sure it is there. I assume you are talking about time between calls during the day and not necessarily your first and last. I believe there may be some limits on your first and last calls also.

Remember federal laws are a base and state laws cannot be less than that but can be stricter on the employer.

[Bombboy90]

[Greenergrass]

"Travel That is All in the Day's Work: Time spent by an employee in travel as part of his/her principal activity, such as travel from job site to job site during the workday, is work time and must be counted as hours worked."


I don't have the FSLA link handy but sure it is there. I assume you are talking about time between calls during the day and not necessarily your first and last. I believe there may be some limits on your first and last calls also.

Remember federal laws are a base and state laws cannot be less than that but can be stricter on the employer.

Its the first call last call. I'm okay with giving time up like 30-45 mins each way, but from what ive been told its not going to change. So if it won't change maybe ill just change!

[pageyjim]

Its the first call last call. I'm okay with giving time up like 30-45 mins each way, but from what ive been told its not going to change. So if it won't change maybe ill just change!

Are you Bombboy?

[Greenergrass]

Are you Bombboy?

Nope