Time Is Money – Except When In Lue

I’ve worked an excessive amount of overtime on my current contract. Usually I don’t mind too much, as I get paid by the hour. So the more I work, the more I make.

On my current contract I don’t get overtime pay. I did my usual objection to this when I first signed, but they assured me there wouldn’t be any need to worry – there isn’t that much overtime required.

Yeah right. The cheap bastards ripped me off.

When I get paid hourly, the more I work, the more I make – but also the more the client pays. It works to my advantage not just in more cash in my pocket, but as an incentive not to overwork me – because it’ll cost the client more.

Instead of overtime pay, I get time in lue. Time in lue is supposed to allow for every hour I work overtime, I get another hour paid off.

I’ve taken a few days in lue so far, because of the excessive overtime due to mis-management, or in most cases no management whatsoever.

Problem with lue time, is it is hard to take with this client, as nothing is managed, so everything is always rushed. As everything is always rushed, I find it hard to take time out from the busy day to take the time I am owed back by the company.

Also, without any form of incentive to keep their costs down, they just keep piling on the work.

Bad management and time in lue make a deadly combination. It makes for overworked, undervalued employees, that have excessive stress due to excessive overtime, and not enough time off.

I’ve done the occasional contract with time in lue – usually it works out okay. Although I don’t get paid for overtime, the amount of time spent above and beyond my normal working day is minimal.

But all it takes is one bad apple to sour the batch. Thanks to my current client, I will never do a time in lue arrangement ever again. If anyone is unwilling to properly compensate me for my time – which is anytime above and beyond a normal working day – than I will simply refuse to work for that company.

As it is now, I will no longer put in overtime on my current contract – regardless of what comes down the pipe. I’ve worked long and hard and have learned the hard way that this client has taken advantage of my diligence and strong work ethic.

They have imposed themselves on my personal time, and I don’t believe I will ever fully make up the time I’ve spent working overtime. I am even debating shortening my hours at the office, to make up for the excessive overtime.

Either that or send them a bill for my time. My time is valuable to me. My time is when I get to be with friends and family, do my housework, or simply rest and relax. When I don’t get my time, I get very annoyed, and the less time I have to myself, the more burnt out I become.

A burnt out employee is not a good employee, as you make more mistakes when you are tired. Also, the more time you are expected to work, the less time you want to spend doing a good job, so you quickly lose interest in your employer and the tasks at hand.

Lue time is not the wave of the future – at least not for me.