Overtime pay

Should have put your bylines on those six call-ins. After all, if a news reporter can get a byline for a story done by phone, sports reporters should too.

 

The sad part is, I honestly didn't care if I got a byline for the call-ins or not. Ethically, you shouldn't put it on a live gamer if you weren't there. It just befuddles me that the higher-ups didn't realize or didn't care that those were being written by a human being in their employ, and not magical sports writer elves.

 

The thing people who want to work hard and put out an awesome product no matter how long it takes (gosh darn it!) always forget that in doing so they are violating federal law.

The government made the 40 hour work week. You disagree with it, want all that extra time at work with no pay, take it up with them. But going over that 40 and not recording it is not legal. Never mind whatever mind games you play to justify it as moral or immoral or what. It's against the law.

 

See, that's where I disagree on ethics. If a news reporter spent their day making phone calls at their desk, and wrote a story, they'd get a byline, even if they never left the office.

The same, to me, if it's a live gamer. Coach calls in, get the info, get a quote or two. If you wish, call the opposing coach, get more detail, a quote or two. Call the star player, get a quote or two. 12-inch story. Byline.

 

I didn't say anything about not getting paid for it.

I'm simply talking about work ethic of those who think it's okay to clock off at 40 hours and leave with a half-completed paper published in the morning. You're not going to teach the boss a lesson by doing that, you're going to be fired.

 

If you communicate with your boss in advance, and tell him that by putting out a full paper, you're going over in your hours, it's his responsibility either to compensate you for that time, or find someone else to finish the work for you.

If he doesn't and fires you for it, that's a violation of labor law. A nice fat lawsuit takes care of that.

 

My last boss in the newspaper biz was adamant and damn-near militant about this topic. He wanted you to have a home life, didn't want you to be constantly consumed by work and insisted on everyone being paid for every minute they worked. His reaction to hearing that you would have overtime was always, "What can I do to help you?" and "What do we need to take off your plate to keep you from having to work extra?"

He'd rather you do 3 things great than have you kill yourself to do 6 things less-than-great.

Wanna bet how hard people busted their asses to do a good job for that guy?

 

Certainly this is an issue that's been around a long time, If for nothing else, this thread has been a chance for some to vent and to shine a light on the many hours we've spent working that haven't been compensated for, or have, under duress or pressure.

 

A perspective from someone who has worked 25 years in TV news:

It has always amazed me how much shit some of you guys are willing to eat. Seriously.

I don't work for free and I never have. I work for terrific managers in a good company... but even when I was just starting out working for penny-pinching shitweasels, I still made damn sure I was paid for any OT I put in. If you let the company know your time has no value you will be treated accordingly.

 

I didn't suggest you do anything.

 

Just casting my vote for "don't work for free."

It's an individual thing. A youngster may see it as building a career and investing in himself. Fine, go for it, doesn't bother me if you short yourself money. Not my problem.

But I'm 34, and the career ship has sailed for me. I'm stuck in my locale, partly disabled, and doing the same shit I was doing 11 years ago, for the same money. It's a mixture of my circumstances, and the fact that there are fewer places to go even if I were able to relocate and not so physically beat up. I don't see options to move back to a news beat. Like in sports, I see those jobs going to high-energy, able-bodied 20-somethings. I don't see a promotion. My boss has been at the paper for seven years and it took him six to be section editor. He's showing no signs of leaving. Physically, my body may not hold up long enough to wait for him to leave. I've maybe got another five years left because of my spinal problems. I'm not working toward anything. So why should I work for free?

 

See. It's more common than you think. This is how our shop thinks and the shops of everybody I know.

Good for you. We have to work 60-70 and get paid for 40 or we go look for work. It's the wink-wink yeah I worked 40 hours rehearsed line if anybody asks.