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Re: Pressure For Free Overtime

Subject: Re: Pressure For Free Overtime
From: Al Geist <al -dot- geist -at- geistassociates -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:25:39 -0400

Gene Kim-Eng wrote:

If there is a relatively strong level of confidence, either on your part or the agency's, that
the client will eventually sign off on the extra hours then I would go
ahead and do the work in the tight deadline situation. Howver, it is
always best to define ahead of time under what circumstances additional
hours are to be worked and to ensure that there are alternate approvers
defined if the primaries are unavailable.



If you are working for an agency, it's the agency's problem to get paid by the contracting company for the extra work, but to make sure you get paid regardless. If you were a regular employee, you would get paid, or somehow compensated for your extra effort. If you are a contract worker hired through an agency, when the work is done, you're done. You won't get comp time, additional vacation days, or paid for the extra work you did. You won't even get a reserved space at the unemployment line. It's up to the agency employing you to determine their level of flexibility. If they have the resources to pay you for the extra work...then take the money. If they do not have the resources, then you have to make a decision whether you want to subsidize them or not. If you have money and time to burn, then by all means, work for free. To be honest, I have never had an agency ask me to work for free and I've worked as a contract writer off and on for many years. I have been asked to work extra hours to meet a tight deadline, but in each case I was compensated for my work and in many cases our extra effort resulted in the agency getting their contract either extended or renewed. BUT. I always got paid.

However, if you are working your own contract, then I agree with Geoff and Gene that you need to be flexible if you want to extend or get another contract with that company. In this case, being flexible often pays big dividends in the long run. The difference is in the former you are an employee and it's called work; in the latter your are a small business person and it's called marketing.

Al

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References:
Re: Pressure For Free Overtime: From: Richard Lewis
Re: Pressure For Free Overtime: From: Gene Kim-Eng

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