Do You Work Overtime (Full Time) ?

HYX on 30/09/2015 - 15:14
Last edited 01/10/2015 - 09:48

Hello everyone, I'm actually quite curious about working overtime.
I thought it was not at all common in Australia since most people I know do not do overtime, maybe unless it's paid. But I get the impression from my employer that Aussies work really hard and tend to do overtime (unpaid I assume) as they were trying to subtly hint to me.

Is it common to do unpaid overtime just so you can secure your job?
If so, how long and how often does it occur?

If you're comfortable, let us know what field you are in :)
I'm in the creative field.

Edit:
Seems like quite a number of people work unpaid overtime, are you guys in the last 2 tax brackets? :O

Poll Options

  • 115
    I work overtime (Paid)
  • 229
    I work overtime (Unpaid)
  • 73
    I work overtime only when there are deadlines (Unpaid)
  • 35
    What is overtime even
Education & Work

Comments

  • Clear on 30/09/2015 - 15:29

    Nearly every week or 2 I do overtime. It doesn't really bother me as I get paid for it and when I do 8 hours the pay is really good.

    • tyler.durden on 03/10/2015 - 18:53
      +3

      Wouldn't work it you are paid a salary.

      • Clear on 03/10/2015 - 18:55

        I am paid a salary….. and have to be paid overtime by law.

        • tyler.durden on 03/10/2015 - 18:56
          +1

          What is your job?

          how do they pay you overtime?

          Since salary says you make X a year.

          How much do they paid for overtime?

        • Clear on 03/10/2015 - 19:07

          @tyler.durden: Looks like I'm mistaken. It's not a salary as that doesn't have overtime apparently.

        • tyler.durden on 03/10/2015 - 19:08
          +1

          @Clear:

          I thought so..

          What is your job?

        • Clear on 03/10/2015 - 19:10

          @tyler.durden: You've asked before :P

          Engineer.

        • tyler.durden on 03/10/2015 - 19:16

          @Clear:

          didn't know if u answered…

          which field of engineer are you in?

        • Clear on 03/10/2015 - 19:19
          +2

          @tyler.durden: Network and Computer Systems. Some wouldn't even consider that to be a real one, but I've got the degree to back it up.

        • Tnetennba on 04/10/2015 - 23:57
          +3

          @Clear: Ah yes, I have to pull the old "I'm a (whisper)software engineer" sometimes.

        • Clear on 05/10/2015 - 15:51
          +3

          @brezzo: Not sure who neg'd but I have a Bachelor of Engineering, so I guess I'm a real and fake engineer.

        • Tnetennba on 05/10/2015 - 16:37
          +1

          @Clear: nice, don't worry about the neg, I +'d so it is cancelled out, fellow cough engineer.

        • the4thzodiac on 06/10/2015 - 10:22

          @Clear: So you are on a contract/casual employee, paid for actual hours worked, without Annual Leave etc?

        • Clear on 06/10/2015 - 10:47

          @the4thzodiac: Full time paid by the hour with overtime, sick leave, annual leave etc.

  • scrimshaw on 30/09/2015 - 15:39
    +1

    When I did casual sales work I also did a lot of unpaid hours. Each week I clock up perhaps 4 hours of unpaid work.

    In my previous full time job (hospitality) there was no clear distinction of when I was supposed to finish, usually I close the cafe on time but have to stay behind 45 minutes to clean up.

    • tyler.durden on 03/10/2015 - 18:54

      what was your job in hospitality?

    • mrmarkau67 on 03/10/2015 - 20:47

      In my previous full time job (hospitality) there was no clear distinction of when I was supposed to finish, usually I close the cafe on time but have to stay behind 45 minutes to clean up.

      That's wage theft.

      • scrimshaw on 04/10/2015 - 09:47
        +1

        All too common unfortunately. I was also underpaid as well.

  • ykwon10 on 30/09/2015 - 15:39
    +2

    I work overtime and not getting paid extra for it as it is part of my "packaged pay".

  • applec on 30/09/2015 - 15:45

    My hours are 9 to 5, 4 days a week but at the moment, I'm here from 9 to 9, 5 days a week. Whilst I do not get paid for the extra 4 hours I do each day, I do get paid for working the extra 1 day. Unfortunately all part of management position!

    • Schezwon on 05/10/2015 - 23:06

      Your getting robbed big time on your own time. 4 hours a day times 5, that's 20 bloody hours, times that by 52 weeks, 1040 hours, so your spending extra 130 days of your life working for free.

      That's just stupid, Australia don't need you working for free, people like you are slowly destroying the great Aussie working ethics and culture. We don't need to be like Asia, i know all too well.

      Work never ends, there's always tomorrow.

      • applec on 05/10/2015 - 23:54

        But I'm not doing it forever & it's not everyday. Most importantly I enjoy what I do & it gives me great satisfaction when I do it well. I certainly didn't get to my current position by working my normal 9 to 5 over the years. Something the younger generation don't seem to grasp.

        At the end of the day it is up to the particular individual whether if they wish to invest their time by working longer hours. I choose to & luckily I have a supporting husband whom I share parental duties with.

  • stargalaxy on 30/09/2015 - 15:47
    +9

    Work overtime when need to, employer quite flexible, get time off to do personal things if need to for couple of hours. It is give and take mostly.

  • cypher67 on 30/09/2015 - 16:02
    +24

    Lets not confuse overtime with working more than the hours you are paid for.
    I'm paid for 7.6 hours a day on salary in the banking field but I work closer to 9-10 hours. I could come in at 9 and leave at 5 every day, but then I'd just be doing the bare minimum of my job and no one ever gets ahead doing that.
    I use the extra time to plan, working on extra initiatives and in general go that extra mile for the recognition & hopefully promotion. My work doesn't expect me to do it thus I dont get paid for it, but it is expected if you want to stand out and progress.
    Some people are extremely efficient at their jobs and can do everything I do from 9-5, however bulk meetings and adhoc work throws off the best of us and sometimes after hours is the only time you can get some work done.
    If you are paid by the hour and not on salary, then yes this should be paid overtime, but you better make sure that work is required and not just because you were lazy during your standard hours and need to do overtime to get it done.

    • Blugok on 30/09/2015 - 20:17

      This plus get close to (read: suck up) the right person if you need promotion badly.

    • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2015 - 07:27
      +19

      Its a reasonable theory but its rare to see anyone get ahead on merit.
      You're just as likely to be stuck in your current position because you'll be too hard to replace.

    • conan2000 on 01/10/2015 - 22:20
      +5

      I disagree, you can most definitely get ahead working a hard 9-5. I have done this most of my career and have done well. I do occasionally work a bit extra, but nothing excessive. I decided (while working in banking), that it definitely wasn't worth the extra "benefits" to be working extra hours all the time. Not worth all the extra hours for a 10% bonus instead of a 7%. And then I discovered I got the same bonuses anyway.

      Just prioritising the important work and learning what was really just noise/could be done later is critical. Having a good boss is important as well, as long as they understand you're busy, and ensuring you negotiate deadlines, don't just say yes to everything.

      If you don't have a good boss, then leave! Referring back to the OP, if my boss suggested that extra hours were expected, I'd be out of there.

      • tik tok on 02/10/2015 - 22:25
        +3

        I agree. I think everyone simply wants to believe that they can work their best at an average job, put in extra hours, do 'smart work', take extra initiative and become irreplaceable. Fact of the matter, is no one is indispensable. If not at work, in life. This is famously called the 'bus factor' in the software industry (what will you do if your 'irreplaceable' employee got hit by a bus ?) Most average human beings like me will forever work a job. I have come to terms with it. I deliver the best of skills at where I am employed as a software engineer. Nothing more nothing less. With so many immigrants flooding the job market, it is common place to see people willing to work longer hours for free. I read a news article recently where law graduates were paying law firms one year worth their salary just to get to work in the field.

        While I am still able, I simply put in my 9 to 5 and the rest of the time is prioritized to cater to family and hobbies. No pay, no work.

      • driew on 04/10/2015 - 12:23
        +2

        I work in the same industry and absolutely agree that having a good manager makes all the difference. I try to minimise the amount of overtime I work by priorisiting the important things and pushing back on extra work if you're overloaded.

        My company uses a bell curve to determine pay rises and bonuses so it really isn't worth it to work 20% more for a 4% pay rise instead of 2. Once you have a family, you'd rather spend what precious free time you have with them instead of at work in hopes of maybe getting a bigger bonus or pay rise. My goal is to earn more by increasing my hourly rate.

  • mskeggs on 30/09/2015 - 16:16
    +1

    All the white collar jobs I have had or had involvement with had an expectation of working more hours than you were paid for if there was important deadlines approaching.
    Most repaid this with turning a blind eye to a long lunch on Friday or occasional leaving early.
    I prefer to do some work at home or on my long train commute than stay late these days, and my job doesn't prevent that.

    • dealman on 04/10/2015 - 13:15
      -1

      When I joined my last job an Old man told me this that defined to me atleast, everything that was wrong with a certain Union type of mentality. His words were

      Today's Mistakes are tomorrow's overtime

      Glad to report he's no longer here, got retrenched.

      • dazweeja on 04/10/2015 - 13:51
        +3

        I interpret that to mean, 'Do your job right the first time so you don't have to stay back and fix your screw-ups'. It certainly applies to my work where people don't plan correctly and it makes a lot more work for everyone in the long run. I'm not sure what your interpretation was that you think it's a 'union' idea and you're glad the dude got retrenched?

        • Dunny on 04/10/2015 - 19:38
          +2

          I think Dealman's interpretation is 'Don't worry about your mistakes, you'll get paid overtime to fix them'.

        • dealman on 07/10/2015 - 09:08

          @Dunny:

          Yes that was the interpretation from this guy anyway,

          'Don't worry about your mistakes, you'll get paid overtime to fix them'.

          I wish it was that positive, as a new employee to the company this was a culture shock.

  • Evil-Elmo on 30/09/2015 - 16:47
    +3

    I voted "I work overtime (Unpaid)" but clicked it before I saw "I work overtime only when there are deadlines (Unpaid)" which is much closer to the truth.

  • Hellfire on 30/09/2015 - 17:07

    I don't work overtime unless there are deadlines. A few times a year.

    This is a large corporate. Employees are encouraged not to work longer than required although it does vary by manager. Just past 5 and half my floor is gone.

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 10:35

      Feels a bit like waiting for the school bell to ring and dash.

  • spackbace on 30/09/2015 - 18:30

    I work 60hrs/week, but it's part of my industry. Do get 1 RDO/month though lol
    Paid @ 38hrs/week, rest is unpaid overtime

    • [Deactivated] on 30/09/2015 - 18:38
      +1

      But you do get paid commission, right?

  • mad__llama on 30/09/2015 - 19:10
    +4

    10-14 hours overtime (unpaid) during the working week, plus I usually come in at least once over the weekend for anywhere from 30 min to 4 hours (unpaid, of course)
    :/

    Field: scientific research
    Why?: 12 month fixed contracts, no reason required for non-renewal of contract :)

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 10:37

      You've got to be paid a good salary to do that right? I'm on an average salary and just not keen to stay back unless I have to :\

      • mad__llama on 03/10/2015 - 21:21

        (Sigh) you'd think so, right?

        Nope, well below Australian average wage - although I shouldn't complain too much, wages here in my industry are so much better than other western countries (USA, UK etc)

        • BargainBob999 on 04/10/2015 - 17:20

          That's the problem. You look at that and make peace with your mind. Do you take into account that cost of living here is more than these western countries.

        • mad__llama on 04/10/2015 - 21:21

          @BargainBob999:

          Even taking cost of living into account, I think I'm doing slightly better than my US/UK compatriots. Slightly :)

        • paaj on 05/10/2015 - 13:34

          I'd say give it time. I work in a uni (finance area) and our researchers and research associates get paid good money. Admittedly I get emails from them at 2 AM sometimes so maybe they do work crazy hours which "waters down" the annual wage given the hours they put in.

  • carlitos on 30/09/2015 - 19:19
    +1

    I'm in the IT industry in project delivery. I have worked in 8 offices at the minimum and for private companies, almost all of them the staff worked from 9AM - 6:30/7PM, some days later and on the worst projects weekend work also. This is all unpaid and just to get the job done, during the week days 6:30PM is minimum and for weekend work this was expected when needed to 'help the project', its common to get some request at 5PM that is needed by 9AM or that night.

    On top of this the key issue is your responsibilities would always pigeon you into requiring extra work, so if your a developer and some critical bug is raised at 5PM that only you can fix your likely going to be pressured to work on it. The projects are too tight with deadlines these days to allow for any 5PM hard cut off of activities.

  • Google Chrome on 30/09/2015 - 19:20

    I do unpaid overtime all the time (almost 40% of my hrs are unpaid). I pretty much get a fixed salary (pay calculated yearly @5 days~36hrs) - I try to keep work at 3 days a week, however, sometimes especially during times where I have to monitor specific parts of my experiment(even though it's video recorded), I would expect to see myself in the lab every day of the week(probably up to 70hrs), regardless of public holidays, rosters etc. That's the sacrifice that I make, but the pay and my lifestyle is very good.

  • boonanza on 30/09/2015 - 19:52
    +4

    I work around 60 hours a week so the extra 20 hours are overtime & paid at time & a half Ching Ching $$$

  • Shadowsfury on 30/09/2015 - 20:56

    Work in professional services.

    Around 5 months of the year I can work anywhere between 50-100 hour weeks (financial period end for our clients, twice a year). The rest of the time is pretty bludge overall, barely go past 40 hours a week. Also flexible with doing errands during work hours and the like.

    No overtime pay but get some time in lieu (probably equivalent to about 20% of the overtime I work)

  • Hotpotcorn on 30/09/2015 - 21:19
    +1

    my dad does overtime every saturday because he says he gets 3 times the normal pay and he also does overtime every public holidays as its 3.5* the normal rate

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 10:41

      I would love to get those rates on public holidays! There's usually nothing to do anyway unless you get out of town haha

  • onetwothreefour on 30/09/2015 - 21:36
    +2

    I arrive at work about an hour early each day, I like having no distractions like the phone ringing for that time so that I can get some work done. I don't have to arrive early but I believe it gets noticed by management and you get seen to be a hard worker which is never a bad reputation to have.

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 10:44
      -1

      Has it proven to be noticed by management though? I get the feeling that other people doing the standard hours are getting paid the same, but whether you get ahead and promoted for committing to the extra hours is really quite dependent on whether that extra effort is noticed by management.

      • onetwothreefour on 02/10/2015 - 11:34

        It has for me but it can only get you so far, got work also has to be of a high standard too.

  • Charity on 30/09/2015 - 21:47

    Build your own business.

    Then you don't have to worry about these sorts of problems…

    Start by being a Broden and work your way up

    • scotty on 30/09/2015 - 22:12
      +15

      Build your own business

      That would be "I work massively overtime (unpaid)". Or "What is overtime even", as you couldn't figure out when you are actually not working.

      • carlitos on 01/10/2015 - 13:16

        …but difference is its enjoyable as your working on your own product, and its adding value and revenue to you in the long run with a return. Also your not tied to specific hours and working with specific people.

  • DeafMutePretender on 30/09/2015 - 22:23
    +2

    Then you don't have to worry about these sorts of problems…

    True, but you'll get other sorts of new problems.

    Like working 120 hours a week so that you can make sure your small business is viable and stave off the threat of bankruptcy (and we know what % of SBs succeed).

  • [Deactivated] on 01/10/2015 - 05:01

    The Australia Institute back in 2009 said we are working about 33 8-hour days a year on average in unpaid overtime. Six and a half working weeks! Not sure if things have improved since then or not, but I don't recall any major campaign to reverse this trend. - http://www.tai.org.au/node/1584

    This is a terrible culture we have for ourselves, we are giving up $110 billion to our employers a year! - http://www.businessinsider.com.au/australians-give-up-110-bi…

    Seems to be a factor in workplace stress too, which costs something like $10 billion per year to the economy (http://www.medibank.com.au/client/documents/pdfs/the-cost-of…). I can't imagine people overworking then having to take days off because of stress, leading to other already stressed workers having to pick up the remaining work putting more pressure on them, is going to be a healthy or stable cycle.

  • ttc72 on 01/10/2015 - 05:56

    I work overtime and I get paid for it, my flatmate who is in sales, works a lot of overtime, and doesn't get paid for it.

  • lost69 on 01/10/2015 - 07:34
    +1

    Never. I don't work full time in the first place (life is for living not working to the grave and 38hrs in 2015? Is this the 18th century and the start of the industrial revolution?) but if you try something shifty I have Fair Work on speed dial. Every single minute I'm there you pay me. There is no such thing as unpaid work or volunteering or something extra. Base rate has to be correct, penalties have to be correct, loading(s) have to be correct. No exceptions.

    • scrimshaw on 01/10/2015 - 12:46
      +2

      Wait, what industry do you work in?

      Most people are shown the door and won't even pass the interview if they aren't willing to work a little over time and more than the standard 38 hour week.

      • lost69 on 01/10/2015 - 15:06

        What industry doesn't require 38hr slavery?

        • Ughhh on 02/10/2015 - 11:11
          +3

          Dole bludgers, street worker? Toilet cleaner? House keeper? I can't imagine you ever getting a promotion or being well respected at your work or by your team.

        • rgr on 02/10/2015 - 13:22
          +4

          @Ughhh: The rat race never ends, lost69 found a way out.

        • thetownfool on 03/10/2015 - 15:36

          @Ughhh:

          Isn't that sad though? Shouldn't that be accepted - correct base rate and penalties, paid for the time you're at work without any unpaid overtime. Since when was it a requirement to sacrifice that to get a promotion or respect?

        • Ughhh on 03/10/2015 - 16:11

          @thetownfool:

          It's not a requirement, its not a law nor a policy, but rather courtesy? If one of your team members is behind, would you stay back a little bit (maybe 20min-ish at most) to help finish it? Ignore managers, other team members will see and will return the favour (assuming you're with a good team). You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. If you're petty, not willing to even stay back even 1 min to help, I wouldn't be surprised if others just watch you suffer when you're down.

        • thetownfool on 03/10/2015 - 22:37

          @Ughhh: Oh I think perhaps I wasn't clear. I've got nothing against staying back to help a colleague, I work in healthcare where staying back until the work is done is assumed and occurs on a daily basis (if you include starting early, then twice daily). The issue I have is that this work should not be unpaid. If the workload requires that I or anyone else stays late, particularly on a regular basis, we should be paid. The way I see it is they'll never correctly staff the place if they know you'll work for free, if they have to pay constant overtime, it will be beneficial for them to employ someone else, and that is generally a win for everyone. It's probably different in a smaller business.

          So what I was saying is - it should be accepted that you get paid for your work. That's how I interpreted Lost69's comment. Not that you shouldn't ever stay back. At my work the administration makes it such a task to claim overtime that unless it's for a few hours it's just not worth the hassle. Perhaps that's why I'm a bit jaded with the whole not getting paid for the hours you work thing.

  • loodle on 01/10/2015 - 08:46
    +1

    I work full-time and any extra time I do is called 'flexi-time' so if I have to travel into Melbourne for a meeting or training and have to leave home at 7am, the extra time is entered into a spreadsheet and then I leave early on Friday's or have a 2 hour lunch one day etc.

    If I have to work on a public holiday - like this Friday then I will get paid at double time rather than take an extra day off - but I could choose to take an extra day off if I wanted to, but I prefer the extra cash.

    • arcticmonkey on 04/10/2015 - 12:17

      What industry are you in?

  • bokka on 01/10/2015 - 09:23

    I work on average an extra hour and a half each day beyond the expected hours, unpaid. This is week in week out. When there are deadlines it rises to 2-3 he's extra. That's white dollar work for you.

    Last pay rise was below inflation.

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 10:49

      Last pay rise below inflation? Do you work all the extra hours just to keep your job? Unless you are already getting paid really good money, otherwise it doesn't seem worthy :\

  • rbrb on 01/10/2015 - 09:36
    +1

    If I have to do overtime I get time back in lieu.

  • blackorange on 02/10/2015 - 07:05
    +3

    most hospital doctors don't get paid unrostered overtime and the work is unpredictable enough that you always end up doing a bit here and a bit there so that patient care doesn't suffer. most will stay back to help in emergency situations. nurses also pay no attention to what time it is and think nothing of asking you to sort out major problems 5 minutes before your shift is over!

  • DarkOz on 02/10/2015 - 08:04

    I work overtime everyday as part of my salary but I haven't had a pay rise for quite a few years. So my answer is both I work overtime paid and unpaid.

    Aussies are now working longer hours for the same pay. Many workers work overtime as time in lieu just to keep their employers happy to stay in the job. I am meant to get a pay rise according to the CPI yearly but you know how the story goes…

  • sparkanum on 02/10/2015 - 09:14

    I'm in actuarial/insurance, salaried, but definitely work more than my paid hours regularly. I occasionally get time in lieu but it's maybe for 20% of the overtime I've actually done.

    That said, I do get paid pretty well either way and it's usually my own fault that I work overtime (e.g interested in a piece of work, being perfectionist about something, trying to build something to save me time later, helping other people with study or work, etc).

  • cyrax83 on 02/10/2015 - 09:20

    Overtime as required. Generally 40 hours per week standard but it can get up to 50-60 during crazy times. Unpaid.
    IT sector
    If you are in the private sector, it's generally required.

  • Alfonso on 02/10/2015 - 09:28

    I do 60 hour weeks paid 38 hrs. Private consulting firm life! No overtime for me!!

  • color on 02/10/2015 - 09:48
    +2

    My reaction whenever a manager asks me to do overtime at the end of my shift.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5SkY4cBQCw
    I don't like doing overtime feels like all of my overtime pays goes to my tax when I do overtime. I work in a warehouse

  • taser on 02/10/2015 - 11:21

    I do 60 hours a week (12 hr shift) 40 normal 20 paid overtime

  • scotty on 02/10/2015 - 11:31
    +1

    I think it might be a good idea for the poll options to break down to working in Government organisations vs. Private sector. Previously I worked at

    • Non-government organisation (public company)
    • White collar office job (R&D in software development)
    • On fixed salary

    Doing around 45-47 hours a week, more if there's deadline. However those in consultant & managerial roles are doing probably more, especially when you have late night conference calls with people on the other side of planet. My wife used to work in a business analysis position in one of the big 4 banks — about same amount of overtime.

    However friends working in government or education sectors who are on award pays, usually (1) don't work overtime, or (2) are paid for the overtime.

    • saine on 05/10/2015 - 01:44

      I work in education. Frequently work beyond official work hours, including after school classes, events, reports and just prep. Official hours at my school are defined in the contract as 8-4:30, not student hours. It's just expected and part of the job, so most wouldn't call it overtime.

  • paperkut on 02/10/2015 - 12:31

    I work in creative/technical field in private sector.
    When I worked for a larger company (100+ employee) I used to work 50-60 hours a week, but only get paid extra if overtime has been approved for that particular project, which accounts for say 20% for all the overtime hours. Everyone always stay back for at least an hour even if there's nothing urgent to do. Working the extra hours is not really recognised as an extra mile, and more to do with not being the first person who is let go when time is tough.

    Now working for a small company, no allowance for overtime pay, but I only work ~40 hours a week. Overtime for no particular reason is discouraged. Occasionally the boss would ask me to work on the weekend in exchange for a day in lieu, much better.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/10/2015 - 12:51
    +1

    12 hour shifts and sometimes 15 hour shifts. Working at a hospital sucks.

    • scrimshaw on 02/10/2015 - 18:37

      Far out. That should be illegal. And dangerous. How do they expect nurses or doctors to not make any mistakes when working a 15 hour shift?

      • Gnostikos on 02/10/2015 - 22:22
        +1

        Laying the blame on the hospital management or industry regulation/laws is a cop out, akin to blaming road networks for car accidents.

        The government is squarely at fault for the sorry state of our hospitals both for patients and staff both, primarily as a consequence of underfunding and overprivatising. There's no conceivable way every patient could be attended to with a quality standard of care with the typical staff pool without working strenuous shifts. I have a couple of family members in various medical positions and they work themselves into a stupor on a regular basis and it's certainly not their supervisors and bosses forcing them out of sheer negligence, it's purely because there are times when there no other bodies actually available to fill a shift due to so many conflicting schedules and incredibly unpredictable work loads.

        • thetownfool on 03/10/2015 - 15:32

          Absolutely can lay the blame at hospital management (as well as government). >15 hour shifts are planned, rostered shifts for interns/residents (ie 7am -4pm normal day combined with 4pm - 11pm ward cover, follow it up by starting at 7am the next morning again). Happens in every hospital, to multiple doctors, everyday. As a registrar it actually gets worse (overnight on call with phone calls every 2 hours). Hospital admin/executive have no idea. The only time they pay attention is when you try to claim your overtime, and they tell you not to claim as much, or that you simply can't claim it.

    • firedragon on 04/10/2015 - 10:48

      Are you a nurse? I know some nurses love the 12 hour shifts, they work 3 days a week or so.

  • ThadtheChad on 02/10/2015 - 13:12

    My work is mostly outcomes based, so I could work <8 hrs or more. I work overtime on occasion and it is unpaid. I'm within the last 2 tax brackets.

    • hahaboy on 03/10/2015 - 11:27

      last 2 tax brackets as in you're loaded or broke?

      • ThadtheChad on 04/10/2015 - 04:52

        I'm in the penultimate tax bracket (but may be within the last one due to discretionary bonuses).

  • ankor on 02/10/2015 - 13:12

    Worked for a large insurer that would kick me out after 37.5hrs per week. Was awesome. No ot unless it was paid.
    Previously worked for a coffee shop that'd rostet me on right as they opened, so id turn up just in time and have to put away 6 crates of milk, season a coffee machine and prepare for service. They did the same shit for closing, but i just made sure my station was clean by knock off and i was out.

  • rgr on 02/10/2015 - 13:20
    +2

    It's so (profanity) that so many people are made to stay and do longer hours without any pay just to be a'team player' or a 'committed professional'. If you're a parent of a young family then I would definitely say you have a limited window of time to spend with your kids before they hit 16 and are no longer interested in you, so it'd be in your interest to avoid overtime. Conversely, this type of culture needs to be eradicated because the 'hard work; long hours' is such a disease in this day and age.

    Australia is pretty much on parallel with America in terms of this 'work long hours' approach, but at least America has a growing tech industry that is beginning to see the light.

    • HYX on 02/10/2015 - 15:27
      +1

      That's what I thought too. I don't believe in working unpaid overtime, it just decreases the hourly that you're supposed to be paid for. Unless stated when you apply for the job that your salary includes working unpaid overtime, I don't think it's a fair thing to ask or assume.

      • Schezwon on 06/10/2015 - 15:54

        Right on.

  • MATTDAMON on 02/10/2015 - 13:46

    I average 12 hour shifts (though they occasionally blow up to 15 hours) truck driver, and everything past 7 hours is OT (3hrs @ 1.5x pay, everything after that is 2x pay) with paid meal breaks (allowance + normal pay)

    No real option to decline OT, bit hard to only do 7 hours going out to Coonamble etc

  • VehemenceThePhoenix on 02/10/2015 - 14:34
    +2

    unpaid overtime - it sucks. Engineering

  • Alfonso on 02/10/2015 - 14:49

    i'm a professional both in an occupation and ozbargain capacity.

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