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

[Damien Braniff]

A non-US perspective - I was going to say UK but maybe it's just me :-)

OT happens, it's a fact of life in most TW jobs, especially as deadlines
loom. It's an occupational hazard and part of the documentation cycle -
I know I've never worked anywhere that, despite best intentions, froze
the product a week before release so the docs could be finished. I have
worked a few where the release date has moved to fit the doc schedule
but not very often!

Here in the UK here are a few different scenarios I've come across over
the years:

1.	OT needed (usually deadline looming) - you get paid for it.

2.	OT needed (deadline looming) - you don't get paid for it but
company's flexible, time off in lieu etc.

3.	OT needed (deadline looming) - you don't get paid, company's not
flexible. Weigh up the pros and cons (benefits etc) and stay or go.

4.	OT fairly constant. If it's a regular occurrence then, to me:
	a.	It's a start-up, money's tight and you weigh the pros
and cons - pay-off later?
	b.	It's badly managed or they're screwing staff - time to
move on. If you're doing +10 hrs per week and work 45 weeks/year (more
in the US I know) that's 450 hrs. If you're getting $10/hr that's $4500
you're giving the company each year. If you're on $25/hr, that's
$11250/year you're giving the company. More per hour, you do the maths!

I agree with John that there are times when you'll do OT when you don't
really need to - you're learning something new (make things easier for
you here and now or later and elsewhere), you just want to get something
finished etc. But, to me, regular OT shouldn't be needed if the company
is well run.  Everyone's different though and each to their own.

Damien Braniff
Sr. Technical Writer
damienb at asg.com

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