40-hour weeks (was Re: FWD: Lack...)

[Lauren]

The 40-hour work week is a legal limitation so that workers are not treated
as slaves, essentially.  It was established in 1938 to protect factory
workers.  Employees today have the right to work more than 8 hours a day, 5
days a week, but an employer cannot mandate this for hourly employees and
employers are required to provide overtime compensation.  Salaried and
certain public employees are usually exempt from the legal requirements.
Employees earning more than a certain amount per hour are also exempt in
certain cases.  There are discussions and proposals to change the law, but I
think that it is healthier for people to learn how to not make work their
biggest priority.  Personal and family health suffers when people work long
hours.

Dept. of Labor overtime law,
http://www.dol.gov/dolfaq/go-dol-faq.asp?faqid=320&faqsub=Work+Hours&faqtop=
Wages+%26+Work+Hours&topicid=1

Returning to the 40-hour work week,
http://www.homepages.indiana.edu/040904/text/workweekreturning.shtml

Lauren
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com 
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus.edu at lists.techwr-l.com] On 
> Behalf Of Connie Giordano
> Sent: Monday, July 02, 2007 1:51 PM
> To: techwr-l at lists.techwr-l.com
> Subject: RE: 40-hour weeks (was Re: FWD: Lack...)
> 
> This whole debate rests on the assumption that a 40-hour work 
> week is somehow the golden measure.  It's actually a 
> relatively recent phenomenom and not a particularly helpful 
> predictor of efficiency OR effective organizational 
> managment.  I've worked in places where 35 hours was 
> standard, places where 37.5 was the wage base, places where 
> it was 40 or 45.  No matter where you are, some are going to 
> focus on the hours worked, some will focus on the quality and 
> some on the quantity of the work produced. The ability of the 
> organization to balance the bottom line with worker and 
> customer satisfaction should be the goal, but often is 
> not.... that is how the working life goes... don't believe 
> me, just ask Dilbert ;-)
> 
> 
> Connie P. Giordano
> The Right Words
> Communications & Information Design
> (704) 957-8450 (cell)
> 
> www.therightwords.com
> "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."   - Walt Disney