By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady
A few weeks ago, BLR’s CEO wrote an e-pinion in this space called “BlackBerry® at the Beach,” a reference to expectations that workers be available 24/7/365. He expressed his e-pinion that lower level exempts, ineligible for overtime, are the new “wage slaves.” Guess what? Readers agreed! Here’s Bob’s reaction to your reactions.
Well, it seems I hit another nerve with my “wage slaves” comments. A number of readers see themselves just that way. Here’s a sampling of your comments. As you’ll see, most of you see yourselves as “wage slaves.”
“Yes, I agree that the low-level ‘exempt’ employees are the new ‘wage slaves,’ expected to work through lunch, be available weekends and nights, and be on call while on vacation. They are even afraid to call in sick and they are very unhappy and could be dangerously close to burnout. I know … I am one of those employees.”
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“I do take issue with being an exempt employee who is only making half of the industry average and is usually expected to work an average of 55-60 hours per week with no overtime and no comp time. Do I feel like a wage slave with no right to fair compensation? Yes.”
“My last boss demanded I sleep with my BlackBerry and that I be available 24/7 and [he] would demand you to go in at anytime. He was a tyrant that kept me at work sometimes until midnight! I also remember communicating via BlackBerry with him on Christmas Eve at 11:45 pm (he does not celebrate).”
“I am one of the on-call employees you are writing about. I do not consider this a right to brag. I do believe the laws should be clearer about the droves of us that are carrying the cell phone, keeping it on our nightstand just in case we are needed. I need to keep my job. Do I have a choice?”
“Once home after putting in at least 9.5 hours, I was expected to be on call for any issues, including weekends. I could not go anywhere outside the 25 mile radius of the beeper, unless I cleared it with another manager who could take my call for me. I remember being paged 4 times in a row because a printer ran out of paper. This went on for 2 years before I decided to complain to HR. Two weeks later I was asked to leave.”
“Yes, low-level exempt workers are absolutely wage slaves—they should be nonexempt salaried workers and get OT.”
“There is nothing ‘new’ about this group of wage slaves. It was built on the ‘pay for 40, work ’em 80’ standard. It will be interesting to see how many ‘millennials’ put up with it over time (pun intended.)”
One reader, however, proposes that contingent employees are the real, real wage slaves:
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“I understand what you are saying about low-level exempt employees, but at least they get full perks and a proper career path. I think the real wage slaves are contingent work forces. You are hourly, and your employer is some third-party agency. However, you are given a BlackBerry and are expected to work to the same level as any regular employee. The dream you are constantly taunted with is ‘Don’t you want to be converted?’ Being a contingent worker was the worst experience of my life; I felt like a slave.”
And, finally, one reader had an important legal tip:
“The situation also raises FLSA issues with respect to exempt employees. For example, let’s assume the employer wants to close down one week a year for maintenance. It tells exempt employees that they can use vacation or holiday or take the week off without pay. Invariably, one or more of the excused exempt employees will continue working remotely, even if only an hour a day to check e-mail. The employee will likely copy his manager on an e-mail or two to let him/her know how loyal and responsible he is, thereby putting the company on notice that the employee is now entitled to be paid for the week.”
Thanks again for reading and taking the time to respond. You can still add your thoughts by using the Share Your Comments button below.
I’m new to the HR world. Our company has a few exempt employees. One of them gets deducted if she calls in sick or leaves early to attend to sick children or emergency. She also stays late a lot, sometime doesn’t take lunch. Is it ok for the employer to deduct her hours when this occurs? I thought exempt employees don’t have a way to accumulate sick hours only vacation? Is this against the law? We are in Arizona. This topic confuses me.