Windshield Time

[MasterBlaster]

I've worked for companies where your pay started when you showed up at the shop and it stopped when you got back to the shop. Likewise, I've also worked where your time started when you arrived at the shop, but stopped at a pre-determined time OTJ and the ride home was off the clock, whether you were driving their company truck or just being a passenger. I've always thought the latter caused people to haul ass home, which can never be a good thing.

Thoughts?

This is all based on being paid by the hour.

 

[rangerdanger]

Our time always starts when we leave the shop until we return, travel time included. Never found the logic in not including travel time, it's still time on the company clock that the employee should be getting payed for, they're still operating company equipment(the vehicle).

 

[bonner1040]

I think thats illegal. In my opinion as soon as you ate not being paid you are on your own time.

I'm not a big drinker, but the way I look at, it if I am off the clock I can be drunk. I f you want me drinking and driving in a company truck, then don't pay me.

 

[rskybiz]

I pay windshield time if under hr to job to and fro, over a hr no

 

[jefflovstrom@sb]

I can see if you are driving to the job in your own vehicle, but if a company vehicle, driver or not you are on the clock.

 

[woodworkingboy]

A time clock kept at the place where the business is operated from, will give a good result for employees, I think. It may not be the most practical if people use their own car, heading directly home from the job could be preferred.

 

[squisher]

I pay shop to shop. It's a included in the price.

 

[thattreeguy]

legally it splits b tween driver vs passenger so I paid like this
in town..paid both ways, out of town in the sticks, paid 1 way...
drivers always paid shop to shop

 

[squisher]

I would insist on driving then if I worked for you. Seems unfair to me.

 

[bonner1040]

If you arent paying me the only place I am driving is home.

If an employer expects you to care for their vehicle, drive responsibly, be drug and alcohol free, etc, then as an employee I would expect to be compensated. Otherwise, as already stated, I will be doing my own thing.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Doesn't paying by the day and not the hour, generally eliminate potential conflicts? Longer days and shorter days seem to kind of balance out, unless someone is keeping close note down to the micro minute. That isn't practical?

 

[bonner1040]

Thats another story. If you agree to a day rate, then thats what it is, a day rate.

 

[squisher]

I pay gate to gate plus ot. If we're back early there's always something to do to get to eight.

 

[Porkbrick]

shop to shop here. im with bonner, if i am in a company vehicle going anyplace but my home im on the clock. we do a lot of driving in the 1 hr plus range, one way. that really adds up to a lot of hours.

 

[squisher]

It is what it is. I pay according to how I'd expect to be paid. For my time. If I'm at work I expect to be paid.

 

[NickfromWI]

I would never expect someone to drive MY truck back go MY shop for free.

I offer our guys the chance to meet at the jobsite, but they get pd when they get to the job site. They actually make less on the day, but they can sleep 30 minutes faster and be home 30 minutes faster....which honestly, most would prefer.

But if they are driving our truck, they are getting paid for every minute.

Even if they are riding shotgun, they still get pd for that time.

At my previous job we researched the state laws and we learned in CA you HAVE to pay someone the moment they arrive to where you told them to report.

And you shouldn't me determining their pay based on whether or not they finished the job in time. That's seems immoral, illegal, and dangerous. Last thing I want is people hustling and taking shortcuts to finish so they don't get penalized because I underbid a job by $75.


love
nick

 

[squisher]

How does meeting at the job site go over with your customers?

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm all confused...

 

[stig]

We always meet at the job site and I simply pay a full day, whether we are finished early or not.
Then if we go a bit over time, I expect no grumbling either.
As for driving a company vehicle, we just told our apprentice, who will stay on after finishing his apprenticeship, that we'll buy him a Toyta hilux which we'll pay the extra tax on, that allows him to use it privately, too, with everything paid for by us, including fuel.
Since owning/maintaining vehicles is extremely expensive here, being able to sell his own car should add about 5 grand to his disposable yearly income.

So basically, he'll always be driving a company vehicle.

Nick, with your attitude I think you'd last about 10 minutes working for me, tops

 

[Shanexv]

I think once you show up at the shop, you're "on the job", being on the jobsite isn't all that it's about. In order to do something you must do something else first..i.e getting trucks and gear ready, being sure lights & trailers all connected properly, systems checks on machines, with so many unexpected situations thrown at us it's a different routine for every day. It's all work and someone's got to do it, can't expect the help to do it for free, that should all be factored into the job price. If I'm not getting paid for travel time or prep time..I'm with the rest, only place I'm going is home

 

[Peter]

Same deal here Stig, except I won't be buying anyone a truck.

Most days we work 07.30-16.00 starting and finishing at my shop, sometimes I'll let the guys start from site if its closer for them. If we're travelling further than normal we will start early, 06.30 or 07.00, but usually finish early too. I pay a day rate and its give and take on the hours, sometimes we are done for 15.00, occasionally we work till 18.00, but it all averages out over the year IMO.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Some of you guys give the impression that a little extra effort for the benefit of the company, without being paid for it, is an unthinkable thing. Must be an American concept?

 

[bonner1040]

Nick, with your attitude I think you'd last about 10 minutes working for me, tops

You are probly wrong. I am a company man through and through. My employer and I agreed on an hourly rate, your employee and you agreed on a day rate. I have no issue fulfilling my commitment but expect the same from my employer. The example I gave was extreme but not indicative of how I live. I have worked every single hour that Big Green ever asked me to, given up vacation time, family time, and so on. I have also been screwed at every turn and had almost every promise made to me by management broken. I provide my own, high end equipment and tools that I use to be as productive as humanly possible.

I dont believe that asking to be accurately paid for your time, as agreed on originally, is inordinate or inappropriate. I show up early every day, sober, prepared, and ready to do whats asked of me. I may not be the best at what I do, but I believe most employers would be lucky to find a guy like me.

 

[Shanexv]

If the company is so bad off that employees have to go parts of their workday unpaid to benefit the company than there is bigger problems than "how many hours are we gonna call it today?"

If ya can't afford to pay the help their travel & prep time (the ones showing up a bit early to get things ready and riding in company vehicles) with the price you put on the job, you need to be refiguring your books. There is so much to this work that goes beyond being on the job site and it should be accounted into the price.
If upon employment the worker & boss make an hourly deal, it should be honored as accurately as possible.
Can't expect people to work for free because you can't price accordingly or just don't want to pay for their "sitting time", it's ALL work.

 

[1BUS]

I have also been screwed at every turn and had almost every promise made to me by management broken.

If that's how it is I would be looking for another job, life's too short to be miserable at work, think of all the time we spend at our jobs. No reason to go in everyday and be taken advantage of. Good jobs may be hard to come by, but so are good employees