Don't Slave Your Life Away: Why America Should Embrace a 4-Day Work Week

[Big Dog]

I can just see all the Obamacare auditors coming in and finding an employee on the clock, even one time, at 30 hrs and one minute and then throwing a huge fine on the company.   It's coming......

That's why I will invest in shock collars for my minions. If they come within 25 feet of the front door prior to 7 minutes before the start of their shift, they will receive a harmless but attention-getting dose of electricity. Same for the end of the day- the switch goes "on" exactly 7 minutes after the posted quitting time.

It will be good for compliance with Obamacare, and is also a real incentive for minions to try to get promoted to henchmen (no collars for henchmen, in addition to other benefits- still 29 hours/week, though).

 

[vesta111]

That is sure to give Vesta a major stroke.

Dear Freeper, when one is 21 years old there is youth and stammer until one works for 30 years with still another 15 years to go. Body's wear out from constant use in 20-30 years, office workers get carpal tunnel from working the computers, backs get out of Aline from sitting in a chair for hours on end.

As the work force ages the can do stand on ones feet for hours on end as a youth begin to make a toll on those that have done so for 30-40 years.

Say your mother worked her adult life as a waitress, raised you and a couple siblings and there was no problem.  Now she is 50 years old, problems in her legs, varicose veins, problems with her shoulder's from carrying heavy trays of food and problems with her wrists.   She had another 15-+ years to go to retirement.

She informs you that she now has to work 10 hours a day and does not know if she can do so.   What to do now ??  She cannot get disability from #SS and is ageing way beyond her age.  There are 10 young workers just waiting to get her job, they have no problem pulling her hours.  

What do you advise Mother to do, suck it up or loose everything she has worked for.  

You could put this in perspective for older workers that bust their Ass to raise family's and now find they have come up a dollar short of retirement.
  

[Freeper]

Dear Freeper, when one is 21 years old there is youth and stammer until one works for 30 years with still another 15 years to go. Body's wear out from constant use in 20-30 years, office workers get carpal tunnel from working the computers, backs get out of Aline from sitting in a chair for hours on end.

As the work force ages the can do stand on ones feet for hours on end as a youth begin to make a toll on those that have done so for 30-40 years.

Say your mother worked her adult life as a waitress, raised you and a couple siblings and there was no problem.  Now she is 50 years old, problems in her legs, varicose veins, problems with her shoulder's from carrying heavy trays of food and problems with her wrists.   She had another 15-+ years to go to retirement.

She informs you that she now has to work 10 hours a day and does not know if she can do so.   What to do now ??  She cannot get disability from #SS and is ageing way beyond her age.  There are 10 young workers just waiting to get her job, they have no problem pulling her hours.  

What do you advise Mother to do, suck it up or loose everything she has worked for.  

You could put this in perspective for older workers that bust their Ass to raise family's and now find they have come up a dollar short of retirement.
  

Okay I get it you are confused, but that is normal for you, I was not saying that we should force people to work 10 hour days. All I said was when I did it I liked it.  Don't worry yourself into a stroke, the new workweek is going to be 30 hours now thanks to 0bamacare anyway.

[ironhorsedriver]

I work six days, like it or not, mostly all night, every other night in a motel, working to from 6 to 12 hours at a time, you don't know how long until you get off. If you work 12, you may be on duty for up to 16, just trying to get into a terminal for rest. Life on the Railroad.

[Evil_Conservative]

Dear Freeper, when one is 21 years old there is youth and stammer until one works for 30 years with still another 15 years to go. Body's wear out from constant use in 20-30 years, office workers get carpal tunnel from working the computers, backs get out of Aline from sitting in a chair for hours on end.

As the work force ages the can do stand on ones feet for hours on end as a youth begin to make a toll on those that have done so for 30-40 years.

Say your mother worked her adult life as a waitress, raised you and a couple siblings and there was no problem.  Now she is 50 years old, problems in her legs, varicose veins, problems with her shoulder's from carrying heavy trays of food and problems with her wrists.   She had another 15-+ years to go to retirement.

She informs you that she now has to work 10 hours a day and does not know if she can do so.   What to do now ??  She cannot get disability from #SS and is ageing way beyond her age.  There are 10 young workers just waiting to get her job, they have no problem pulling her hours. 

What do you advise Mother to do, suck it up or loose everything she has worked for.   

You could put this in perspective for older workers that bust their Ass to raise family's and now find they have come up a dollar short of retirement.
   

Dear Vesta,

I am 29 years old and have an office job.  I use an ergonomical chair and wrist pads at the computer.  I take my two 15 minute breaks I am allowed per shift.  Those are used to stretch my legs and get some fresh air.  The only disease us office workers will get is fat butt disease.

[NHSparky]

I'll take 4 tens over 5 eights anytime.

Amen--saves me 20 percent on gas and tolls getting to/from.

Then again, most blue states say that OT comes not when you hit 40 hours in a week, but when you hit 8 hours in a day, meaning few businesses will allow 4-10's.

Thanks, libtards.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

when I was a restaurant manager I worked 70+ hrs. a week even though I was only obligated to work 50. I had some damn good employees but the slackers made all our lives hell.

When I was working as a frac hand 70 hrs was the minimum going in and it was grueling and sometimes dangerous; but as tired as I was I was happier.

I don't expect liberals to understand.

[thundley4]

I work 3 13hr shifts.  I love it!  Have 4 days off, its great.

I work three 12 hour shifts, but get paid extra to make it equal to 40 hours pay.  The downside is that I work Fri-Sun, but can get called on my days off.

[tanstaafl]

I work six days, like it or not, mostly all night, every other night in a motel, working to from 6 to 12 hours at a time, you don't know how long until you get off. If you work 12, you may be on duty for up to 16, just trying to get into a terminal for rest. Life on the Railroad.

Just think how hard your job would be if you had to push the train!

Personally, I perfer 6 12's. Not because I'm a work-aholic, but when on assignment, I usually only go on home visit every 3 months. Might as well be on the site working. Don't do bars in strange towns and don't run with the local wimminz.

[J. M. Pyne]

I want a 4 day week
I want a 6 hour day
I want more holidays
I want a pony
An a red wagon.....

[Freeper]

I want a 4 day week
I want a 6 hour day
I want more holidays
I want a pony
An a red wagon.....

I want a 3 hour workday, 2 days a week and a paycheck of $20,000 every two weeks, after taxes.
 

[Big Dog]

I want a 3 hour workday, 2 days a week and a paycheck of $20,000 every two weeks, after taxes.
 

What, no pony?

[I_B_Perky]

when I was a restaurant manager I worked 70+ hrs. a week even though I was only obligated to work 50. I had some damn good employees but the slackers made all our lives hell.

When I was working as a frac hand 70 hrs was the minimum going in and it was grueling and sometimes dangerous; but as tired as I was I was happier.

I don't expect liberals to understand.

Seems like we got something in common there, Sarge. When I was store manager, 50 hrs was the minimum we had to work. 8am-6pm...I always would take a couple nite shifts, usually 12 or 1pm-12pm depending on the day of the week, so my assistant didn't get burned out on nites... and on weekly inventory day, if you didn't have an asst manager that could count, which happened a lot, you opened and closed. Every now and again you would get a good one, but they would end up getting their own stores and you was back to square one.

I was damned glad to get out of the store.

As an aside... I can always tell someone that works on their feet at a social gathering. They are the first ones that find somewhere to sit!!!   

[Chris_]

When I worked as a line cook, I volunteered and took every available shift I could.  Before I left to go to college in North Carolina, I was working a month at a stretch with no time off and 60+ hours a week (I topped out at 75).  I showed up when I was asked, did a good job, and didn't bitch and moan.  I showed up at 7am to unload the truck for three hours (our dry storage was on the second floor) and came back at 5pm and worked until close.

I wish I could do that now but I'm limited to 40 hours a week... I'd have to get a second job.

[I_B_Perky]

When I worked as a line cook, I volunteered and took every available shift I could.  Before I left to go to college in North Carolina, I was working a month at a stretch with no time off and 60+ hours a week (I topped out at 75).  I showed up when I was asked, did a good job, and didn't bitch and moan.  I showed up at 7am to unload the truck for three hours (our dry storage was on the second floor) and came back at 5pm and worked until close.

But you gotta admit Chris... those were the good old days!!!   

[Chris_]

Damn straight.  I just wish I was still 190 lbs. and could lift my own weight.

Yeah, those were the good old days.

[RobJohnson]

Amen--saves me 20 percent on gas and tolls getting to/from.

Then again, most blue states say that OT comes not when you hit 40 hours in a week, but when you hit 8 hours in a day, meaning few businesses will allow 4-10's.

Thanks, libtards.

NV changed overtime laws. Due to my wage I must work over 10 hours to get OT in a shift.

Lower wage workers get 1.5% for any hours worked over 8 in a 24 hour period. So if you come in at 9 am one day, and 7 am the next day...the first 2 hours would be OT. It simply forced more people into part time status in the Las Vegas area service industry jobs. It's been like this for about 18 months.

Once in a while I work till 11 PM and come back in at 7 AM as I am exempt from overtime per Nevada law in such situations.

With Nevada being at the top of the list for unemployment I do what ever it takes.

[txradioguy]

Ask the french how well that 4 day 30 hour work week turned out for them.

Oh and DUmmies...before you get behind and champion something like this...remember this will let those eeeeeeeeeeeevil corporations you hate save money (increas profits) because they're paying your lazy ass for one day less during the week.

Enjoy your three day weekend.

 

[catsmtrods]

I work 6 days 10-12 hrs all winter long and I ain't sitting at a desk! I get time and 1/2 on everything over 8 or 40 and double time over 60 or the occasional 7th day. Double time and 1/2 on holidays.  Of course all that overtime makes me a rich republican! In the summer I take a lot of time off. I have 4 weeks 2 days vacation and 12 personal days so I get to spend a lot of time doing what I want. It took me 35 years to get here. I bet DUmmies cant even comprehend that! I see them eying my retirement funds! If they get their hands on them I'm postal!

[Gina]

I am willing to work however long it takes to get my work done.  I would love a 4 day work week.  That would be awesome.  We can't do it because of the union. Seems the outside workers get all the OT they can ask for and we don't. We asked for a 4 day work week and were told no because it wasn't fair to the outside workers since they can't have 4 day work weeks.  I hate unions.

[md11hydmec]

I work three 12 hour shifts, but get paid extra to make it equal to 40 hours pay.  The downside is that I work Fri-Sun, but can get called on my days off.

Yeah, I work Fri - Sun also.  supposed to be 13.3 hour days but t usually winds up being 12.  I get 1.5 the first 8hrs of my first off day then double after that.  I feel so guilty sometimes.   Been at my job for 23 years.  Love it!  Hopefully I retire in 10 more years. 

Oh, and we're non union.

[Celtic Rose]

I'm a fan of 3 12's (13's).  If you arrange your week right, you can end up with some nice mini vacations without having to take vacation time.

I will admit that an issue over vacation time was one of the factors that led to me leaving my last job to return to school.  I had a trip to Ireland planned, and if I left on Thursday I could save several hundred dollars on airfare compared to leaving on Friday.  My company, however, had a strict policy that no more than two weeks of vacation could be taken at a time.  I offered to work extra the weekend before the trip, offered to take the time unpaid, etc., etc., but they said that there was no way they could let me have that extra day.  None of my friends had any problems at all, one worked for a scientific research company, one for a temp agency, and two for a major electronics company, and honestly, those last two friends had much more important jobs than I did.  It just got me thinking, here, I had been at this company for 5 years, had worked overtime every time they needed it, never complained, had never taken more than a few days off at a time before, and I didn’t really like my job.  A month after I got back, I gave notice and went back to school, and now I’ll be graduating in less than two weeks with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

I did leave on really good terms though, and my boss told me that if nursing didn’t work out, I should contact her and she would find a job for me.  I may end up asking her for a temp job in late January if none of my applications have panned out yet.

[JohnnyReb]

DUmmies are a sorry bunch....no ambition, no drive, no desire to better themselves.....just want to lay around high and have the world wait on them hand and foot.

Ambition = evil greedy bastard.

Drive = evil greedy bastard.

Desire to do better = evil greedy bastard.

Work harder = evil greedy bastard.

Work longer = evil greedy bastard.

Side job = evil greedy bastard.

Self employed = evil greedy bastard.

Want to keep what you work for = evil greedy bastard.

If you're not a screwed up, drugged up, sorry progressive liberal.....you're an evil greedy bastard.

[thundley4]

Yeah, I work Fri - Sun also.  supposed to be 13.3 hour days but t usually winds up being 12.  I get 1.5 the first 8hrs of my first off day then double after that.  I feel so guilty sometimes.   Been at my job for 23 years.  Love it!  Hopefully I retire in 10 more years. 

Oh, and we're non union.

Any time I get called on a day off is time and a half and the only double time is outside my shift on Sunday. Still, I've gotten more double time than anyone else in my department. 

I've been on this shift for over 15 years and would hate to work 5 days/40 hours again.

[GOBUCKS]

You don't have to quote vestanumbers's nonsense to reply to her.