Working hours

[geoffbot]

My sister just said that in America most normal people work 8-7 and only get 10 days holiday. Say it ain't so.

[Steppy]

And no such thing as unfair dismissal either

[Raza]

And no such thing as unfair dismissal either

That's not entirely correct. It depends on the type of position, but most courts would require good faith in termination and a bad faith termination could easily result in damages being awarded.

But I don't know if 8-7 is the norm. I mean, where I worked it was pretty close to it for a lot of people, but I also saw 8-5ers and even some 9-5ers.

Standard holidays off is usually 9-12 days a year (usually one or two less than the UK..no Boxing Day, usually only Good Friday or Easter Monday, and no May Day), most people get two weeks (10 business days) vacation, plus some sort of personal days. My package changed as time went on:

15bd Vacation/3bd Personal/6bd Sick
to
15bd Vacation/3bd Personal/Unlimited Sick
to
20bd Vacation/3bd Personal/Unlimited Sick (at 5 years...one more promotion I would have gotten another week)

So I had a good amount of vacation. That was the one area where I couldn't complain about my old job. However, when I worked 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 most of my first year, then 8-7 or later often afterwards, I still had plenty to complain about.

This is, of course, all only my experience in a salaried position, so no guaranteed overtime (companies are allowed to give overtime, but are not required to). Hourly is different. I have no experience with hourly work.

[whatmeworry]

I know holiday entitlements over there are a lot lower. Not sure about general working hours but there is certainly far less regulation around the treatment of workers. Capitalism, innit

[bajachild]

8am-2pm. Teach 2 54 minute periods, 1 & 5. Collaborative teaching periods 3 & 4. One student in library period 2. Prep 6. Can leave. Oh, and 17 weeks of vacation. Sorry...

[Donf]

What is normal?

Avg work week is now 47 hours per the press. For the few who actually work.

[geoffbot]

I work 9-17:30 Monday to Friday with 27 days holiday for the record.

[Rdenney]

I work 9-17:30 Monday to Friday with 27 days holiday for the record.

Part of it is the word "holiday", which for you guys means "vacation". Here, holidays are official paid days off for national remembrances or celebrations of some sort. There are 13 Federal holidays, but most salaried employees get about a dozen. (Hourly employees, not so much).

And then there is paid vacation. Most salaried Americans get two weeks to start with, and more as they rack up years with an employer. Federal employees get 104 hours a year for their first three years, 156 hours per year for their next dozen years, and 208 hours/year after that. That's about the same as salaried professionals, but hourly and sub-professional jobs may do less well.

In the USA, hourly employees are paid standard wages for up to 40 hours a week. They are paid overtime beyond that. That was established in the Wagner Act during the Depression. Salaried employees are exempt from that, but enjoy other flexibilities. Most professionals I have known work 45-50 hours a week. I've had periods when I've done more, but earned the reward for that, too. With a few exceptions (like the Wagner Act), employment regulations are legislated at the state level.

I work 0730-1715 on most days, but leave at 1530 on Tuesdays and get every other Monday off. My standard two-week pay period still includes 80 hours of work, but, of course, I work more.

Rick "who actually enjoys his work" Denney

[Steppy]

Part of it is the word "holiday", which for you guys means "vacation". Here, holidays are official paid days off for national remembrances or celebrations of some sort. There are 13 Federal holidays, but most salaried employees get about a dozen. (Hourly employees, not so much).

And then there is paid vacation. Most salaried Americans get two weeks to start with, and more as they rack up years with an employer. Federal employees get 104 hours a year for their first three years, 156 hours per year for their next dozen years, and 208 hours/year after that. That's about the same as salaried professionals, but hourly and sub-professional jobs may do less well.

In the USA, hourly employees are paid standard wages for up to 40 hours a week. They are paid overtime beyond that. That was established in the Wagner Act during the Depression. Salaried employees are exempt from that, but enjoy other flexibilities. Most professionals I have known work 45-50 hours a week. I've had periods when I've done more, but earned the reward for that, too. With a few exceptions (like the Wagner Act), employment regulations are legislated at the state level.

I work 0730-1715 on most days, but leave at 1530 on Tuesdays and get every other Monday off. My standard two-week pay period still includes 80 hours of work, but, of course, I work more.

Rick "who actually enjoys his work" Denney

Here in Uk we also get 8 additional "federal days" or in our terms Bank Holidays. So essentially we get our paid holidays plus 8 Paid Bank Holidays, in my case its 30 days hols + 8 bank Holidays and in Geoffs it was 27 + 8. All holidays are paid.

[whatmeworry]

I do 7am to 5pm Mon, Tues, Thu, Fri. 30 days holiday.