What would you give for more time?

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Bay Pelican

Interesting US labor statistic, all employees:

"For example in the U.S in the late 19th century it was estimated that the average work week was over 60 hours per week.[21] Today the average hours worked in the U.S is around 33,[22] with the average man employed full-time for 8.4 hours per work day, and the average woman employed full-time for 7.7 hours per work day.[23]" (Bureau Labor Statistics).

While this includes all employees it is unclear how they measure this. (From Wikipedia)

There are other stats more reflective. The problem with those stats is you're mixing part time and full time. It includes students as well. And there are questions about how it reflects people with multiple jobs. It appears to simply be total hours by total of employees. And it even combines different things in one paragraph. The 33 hours clearly includes part time and then right behind that it says average full time 8.4 hours. Now that's more consistent with other numbers I've seen that show average full time non-exempt worker (hourly) 42 hours a week. Then how do you capture salaried employees where no time records are kept. And one thing we see is that while companies control overtime for hourly employees they would have to pay extra, they encourage it on salaried employees.

The one thing though that is fairly certain is that full time salaried employees work more hours per week in the US than Europe and work more weeks per year.

Meanwhile more hourly, or non-exempt, employees are finding themselves working part time jobs and sometimes more than one. Mass merchandisers and groceries are the leaders in that move. Depending on the state, just looking at wages, it's been considerably less costly to have two 20 hour workers than one 40 hour worker. A typical scenario is two 20 at $9 per hour and 10% fringe benefit cost is $396 per week. One 40 hour worker at $11 per hour and 25% fringe benefit cost is $550 per week.

[kulas44]

I worked my way up in the electric utility industry from a groundman thru lineman/wireman and into mid management as assistant manager. At the ripe old age of 35 I was passed up for the manager position. I was devastated. Then I watched as the new manager got eaten alive by his position and decided I really didnt want that. Then I realized I really didnt like this carreer choice anymore. Then my best friend and mentor died (the old manager) after having worked his entire life looking forward to retiring and travelling with his wife. He had just bought a nice motorhome. It never left, he never went, his wife sold it. I decided then to do what I loved, BirdHunt. I started a upland hunting operation and operated it for 15 years. We hunted from North Dakota to South Texas, mostly on horseback and I loved ever minute of it. If you make money doing what you love you never work a day in your life. We had lots of tough times and more good times. After 5 years I sold it to a group of east coast attornies and worked for them awhile (still do occasionally). The best thing was I had summers to spend with my boys and we fished a lot. Boats have always been a part of my life. Basically I retired at 42 and just kept having fun and got paid well for it. I still spend my summers on the water and fall in the field. I dabble in charter fishing a bit as long as its fun. I guess to answer the originall question, I never thought about working more or getting more time off. I thought about doing what made me happy and in so doing provided a better life for my family (and especially myself).

[Boydster]

I left a twenty-five year union gig a few years back to start ny own business at fifty-three years old. Over the course of the past few years I've gained nothing but respect for anybody that has the balls to set out on their own. In my previous life I would normally get six to eight weeks vacation time throughout the year; now I'm lucky if I can find six consecutive days free. My new situation has seriously impacted my boating time; gone for now are the three week cruise holidays up the BC coast. All that being said self-employment has been rewarding beyond measure, though not necessarily always in a financial sense. I recall being stuck at the shop at 2am pushing for a very tight delivery the next day and feeling really quite exalted in the fact that I had done it; I was busy enough that I had to work all night. This was a good thing.
Obviously at this stage of the game I can't throttle back on my hours, I do look forward though to the point where we're steady enough with the workflow that I can bring somebody in to spell me off for the occasional week or so and get back on the water for more extended periods.
Until that time I'll be relegated to daytrips and the odd long weekend; and at this time I wouldn't have it any other way. - Boyd

[55chev]

many times at my fabrication shop customers have said" ill pay extra to have it done over the weekend" and i reply i ll do it for free if you can give me the "time" back

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by BandB

…….Depending on the state, just looking at wages, it's been considerably less costly to have two 20 hour workers than one 40 hour worker. A typical scenario is two 20 at $9 per hour and 10% fringe benefit cost is $396 per week. One 40 hour worker at $11 per hour and 25% fringe benefit cost is $550 per week.

Crikey…what kind of worker in the US would work for those rates..? Even school cleaners would be paid more than that as an hourly rate here in Oz. Most Aussies wouldn't cross the road for those rates. No wonder many don't take holidays…

Coming back to my previous post, however, and picking up on what you raised earlier, and also by dannc, when we are finally boatless, is probably when we will do the sensible thing and charter. To visit those places where it was just too far and too time-consuming to take our own boat. Thinking of the Whitsundays here in North Queensland, but also down in the Sydney area, maybe NZ, and when over in Europe visiting family. Perhaps a canalboat in France...maybe even the US on the way over.

Actually we did have a week in a narrowboat in the UK in 2011, and it was fantastic. So although I will miss puddling around doing stuff on my boat, (I've done the major stuff), those options while travelling will compensate - I hope..!

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Crikey…what kind of worker in the US would work for those rates..? Even school cleaners would be paid more than that as an hourly rate here in Oz. Most Aussies wouldn't cross the road for those rates. No wonder many don't take holidays…
!

The mean rate in the US for a retail sales associate is $12.20 and the median is $10.16. The mean for food preparation including fast food is $9.08 and the median is $8.81.

[Bay Pelican]

Originally Posted by BandB

The 33 hours clearly includes part time and then right behind that it says average full time 8.4 hours. .

The average full time working 8.4 hours is consistent with the 1500 hours per year. The key is how many days does he work. The discussion started with the difference in vacation policy in the United States and Europe. My comment was that it was important to compare actual hours worked, not formal vacations given.


My clients' hourly employees were making full use of holidays, vacations, sick days, personal days and FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) which permits up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of leave for covered reasons. When they worked they worked the average 8 hours as cited by the Bureau.

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by BandB

The mean rate in the US for a retail sales associate is $12.20 and the median is $10.16. The mean for food preparation including fast food is $9.08 and the median is $8.81.

That's slave labour rates. No wonder they have to depend on tips...

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Peter B

That's slave labour rates. No wonder they have to depend on tips...

Retail and fast food don't get tips though. And, yes, it's bad.