Forget furloughs ... how about working for free..?

[PSUWx]

British Airways is asking for it... (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article6510479.ece)

Are there any loopholes in US Labor laws that permit TV employers to try this as well? I wonder if TV Broadcast entities will try the whole 'fight for survival' tactic that requests employees work for free, lest management remember their reply come contract renewal time...

[SureFireWeather]

"Working for free" over 1-3 weeks -- with that financial loss distributed over a couple of months -- is essentially the same as a pay cut.

Pay cuts are already happening at some / many stations....

These cost-cutting measures can be packaged & presented to employees in a variety of ways -- but in some cases, they are the same thing.

----

... now at MOST stations in financial trouble the friendlier 'furlough' is SLIGHTLY more appealing... since the employee gets at least something out of the deal - in terms of more time off.

... but if you're taking a pay cut with no additional time off, it's essentially a 'work for free' situation, at least for X hours per week..... or X weeks per year.

You can do the math with your own salary.... (if you have 2 weeks of vacation, .... take 50 workweeks in a year .... so a 2% pay decrease would be like 1 week of unpaid labor, down from your initial contract, if that salary reduction was effective over 12 months.)

4% pay decrease would be like 2 weeks of unpaid labor
6% pay decrease would be like 3 weeks of unpaid labor

.... and so on, if the reduction held for a 12 month period, and no additional time off was given in exchange for the pay cut.

[Mighty Dyckerson]

Pay cuts are already happening at some / many stations....

Yep. To compensate, I steal extra office supplies.

[Roy Hobbs]

Interesting how in days of corporate culture past anyone who asked for extra vacation time off sans pay was:

1) either resented by the other staff for being granted a big favor by management or,

2) resented by management for trying to shirk responsibilities

Guess it depends who is holding the furlough bag!

[wx or not]

Guess it depends who is holding the furlough bag!
Why did you do that? You left yourself wide open for interpretation on that...

[Calvin]

Yes, it does depend on where the "furlough" request originates.

An employee making a request for unpaid leave is acknowledging that he/she is actively seeking time off in exchange for what amounts to a voluntary pay cut. An employer-"requested" furlough is an involuntary pay cut.

And as a boss I understand that granting someone's request for leave without pay can put a burden on those who cannot afford to do the same thing and who would be left to cover, so it can seem like the already-advantaged are being further advantaged. It's not a decision to be made lightly in any case.

[Clever Login Name]

Yep. To compensate, I steal extra office supplies.

Uh, the janitor's closet hardly qualifies as an "office", and at some point, someone's going to notice all that missing toilet paper.

[JoinUsForCake]

We are allowed to volunteer for week-long furloughs, but it's up to management's discretion WHEN. Kinda defeats the purpose, planning-wise, but oh well.

[Mighty Dyckerson]

Uh, the janitor's closet hardly qualifies as an "office", and at some point, someone's going to notice all that missing toilet paper.

Was that a poop joke, Poop Joke??

[Cumulo-nimbus]

When I get asked to work for free, that's a clue that I need to find something else to do. Not to mention making less than a local starting teacher does after 5 years in the business.

[News Is Broken]

When I get asked to work for free, that's a clue that I need to find something else to do. Not to mention making less than a local starting teacher does after 5 years in the business.

I make up for this by doing a really half assed job and surfing the web for half of the day.

[Spike]

I make up for this by doing a really half assed job and surfing the web for half of the day.

But you would do that anyway.

[adam & doctor drew]

"Working for free" over 1-3 weeks -- with that financial loss distributed over a couple of months -- is essentially the same as a pay cut.


not really.
a pay cut is if you're making say $500 a week and management reduces that to $400.
in a 1-3 week work for free situation, theoretically your salary would remain the same $500 once they resumed paying you.

[SureFireWeather]

not really.
a pay cut is if you're making say $500 a week and management reduces that to $400.
in a 1-3 week work for free situation, theoretically your salary would remain the same $500 once they resumed paying you.

I'm just saying the net impact on your wallet is the same, if you step away from the "paycheck to paycheck" and look at the income over, say, a 5 week period including the "work for free week."

Scenario 1 -- Pay cut
"$100 Pay cut, but no 'work for free' week" -- You're paid $400 a week for five weeks (down from $500) ... after the 5th week, you have earned $2000.

Scenario 2 -- Work for Free
"One week of work for free" (with your regular $500 / week salary otherwise unchanged) -- You're paid $500 a week for four weeks and not paid at all for the 5th week..... after the 5th week, you have earned $2000.

I'm just saying that it all comes out in the wash, in the long run. The two approaches can be "marketed" to employees differently, but the way I see it, the long-term cash flow is the same.

(If you're living paycheck to paycheck, it would be more difficult to budget the second scenario, but the numbers end up the same.)

[adam & doctor drew]

right, except a pay cut is permanent and the "work for free" thing (hopefully) isn't.
so if I had to pick one, I'd take the latter.

[SureFireWeather]

right, except a pay cut is permanent and the "work for free" thing (hopefully) isn't.
so if I had to pick one, I'd take the latter.

I hear you.

Some pay cuts are temporary -- I know of a station where there is a pay cut effective through the summer until early October -- then salaries are returning to normal.

A permanent pay cut, though -- that is a losing proposition. If that were the case, I'm on board with you -- the latter would be the better option.

[adam & doctor drew]

here's a better one:
would you take a pay cut if it would spare someone else's job?
or would you (hypothetically) say, "screw them, I want mine."

[Roy Hobbs]

the latter would be the better option.

Latter? C'mon, I just met her!

[Diplomat]

We are allowed to volunteer for week-long furloughs, but it's up to management's discretion WHEN. Kinda defeats the purpose, planning-wise, but oh well.

Uh, Cake--"management" and "planning" aren't often used in the same breath. ;)

Seriously, though, you're absolutely right.

[The news photographer]

what if you get hurt on one of those work for free days

[s'news]

Latter? C'mon, I just met her!

Actually, even if just meeting her or just getting to know her, even if just on a first date or outing, I'd probably be willing to latter. If she was wanting me to latter, of course, I'd be all into it, because I'm nothing but a gentleman when it comes to that sort of thing. If she were to decline --"No, no, please no latter," I'd respect that," -- but if she were wanting me to latter, well then I'd probably latter.

And if I could and if it were acceptable, I'd be glad to latter again.

[News Is Broken]

But you would do that anyway.

Details.

[Cumulo-nimbus]

I make up for this by doing a really half assed job and surfing the web for half of the day.

Yes, I'd be lying if I said I have been working "intensely" lately after all the lies from management about "putting more resources and money into your show" etc etc etc.

[adam & doctor drew]

why don't you leave?

[wx or not]

what if you get hurt on one of those work for free days
Since you are not "on the clock," any injury you may suffer would be at your own risk. Sure, you are still employed by the company, but coverage (unless specified in some rider) will not indemnify you from harm outside of the workplace.

[News Is Broken]

why don't you leave?

Uhhh... because I get paid to surf the web half the day? Duh.....

[adam & doctor drew]

Uhhh... because I get paid to surf the web half the day? Duh.....

and you're proud of that?