work help: For many corporate jobs, why are employees forced to work for more than 12 hours. - Help.com

Yes, they uually can afford to employ more people but they try and have the largest bottom line they can achieve over the lives and comfort of their employees. People work 12 hours because the corporation has them on salary and it does not cost the corporation any overtime.

Simply works out cheaper…

Does this happen on a consistent basis or is it sporadic? I go through phases at work. Sometimes if there is a high profile project going on that is time sensitive and ‘big,’ I’ll work 6 or 7 days a week, 12 to 14 hours a day! Last month I was involved with a project where I worked probably 12 hours a day for 18 days in a row. We met the deadline and I took some time off to just relax.

If they are working you like this consistently, I’d speak to your boss and find out if ther are alternate solutions. If this comes in phases, maybe evaluate how productive you feel you are during ‘crunch time’ to see if this type of challenge is your cup of tea.

Best of luck!

Corporations often pay less than smaller businesses, and you work longer hours.

Corporations tend to play on the “image” part of the job. If you work for a corporation you have more “Opportunities”, and you can impress people with your job.

Also working with a corporation sounds secure, and impresses a Bank Manager if you want a loan.

Actually its all a big lie, but some people get fooled into working long hours for less pay, and by the security side of Corporate life.

Lifetime Corporate members of Worldcom, would tell you they were lied to and wasted most of theír lives believing the Corporate “myth.”

There is nothing wrong with doing a job you like, but remember you are always expendable, even if you are told otherwise.

It is an economy of scale, by this I mean:
Most benefits are based on a 40 hour work week. So when they employee works longer then 8 hours a day, it is like having to only pay 4 hours, plus half again pay after 8 hours (remember benefits are based on 8 hours). Even if a Corporation pays time and a half (1 and half again of hourly pay rate (1 1/2 hourly rate over 8 hours)). Corporations are still money a head by having an employee work 12 hours a day.

Benefits, use this figure. Benefits are considered part of the hourly pay. To use this as an example. An employee gets a wage of $8.00 an hour. Benefits will cost another $2.00 per hour, which will bring up the hourly rate to $10.00 per hour per employee.

Again if you figure out the eight hour rate, you are money ahead to keep the same employ working another 4 hours hours. This is overly simplified, but I think I am talking to a teenager and I have to keep it simple. Even if I am they are good questions, you do not learn by not asking good questions or questions at all.

techtype is on the ball there…myself would assume they are being cheap. 8 hours + 4 extra hours because they like you…lol and what you know is they give you time increase pay rates…which is good. 40 + 2, that 2 times 10 is 20 hours over time with in the 40 hour work week so add that to your check of 60 hours according to their rates take your taxes off of about 150.00 bucks and then decide if that is ok to except…I am going on sorry about that, but I tend to dwell on subjects alot. 8 * 40 = 320 + that 20 hours added…8 * 60 = 480.00 that is by 8 an hour, but if it where 10 an hour it would be 10 * 60 = 600.00 so tax that to 580.00 which is 1600.00 every month…NOT GOOD!! How many employees? 1600.00 times 10 employees…figure out all that then compare training cost to that and pull your % out and you will see they save by having you work over time. Training is costly. This is my opinion and that is all it is.

jamiefranco wrote:
techtype is on the ball there…myself would assume they are being cheap. 8 hours + 4 extra hours because they like you…lol and what you know is they give you time increase pay rates…which is good. 40 + 2, that 2 times 10 is 20 hours over time with in the 40 hour work week so add that to your check of 60 hours according to their rates take your taxes off of about 150.00 bucks and then decide if that is ok to except…I am going on sorry about that, but I tend to dwell on subjects alot. 8 * 40 = 320 + that 20 hours added…8 * 60 = 480.00 that is by 8 an hour, but if it where 10 an hour it would be 10 * 60 = 600.00 so tax that to 580.00 which is 1600.00 every month…NOT GOOD!! How many employees? 1600.00 times 10 employees…figure out all that then compare training cost to that and pull your % out and you will see they save by having you work over time. Training is costly. This is my opinion and that is all it is.

I have worked as a Die Maker Helper, trained. So my employer is paying for training me? No, I already have a skill set, why would I have to be trained? Not everybody has to be trained, how long do you think that training label lasts? Forever? Employers would like to think so, but it doesn’t. Actually if you want to figure it more accurately, Take your TOTAL PAYCHECK (NET), figure GROSS, divide your GROSS from your NET. This would give you your deductions out your gross. Here in Michigan, the Feds always think taxpayers from Michigan ought to be a donor state, like wise by the state, plus I have Union Dues and other deductions. My TOTAL DEDUCTIONS are 0.77 times the GROSS gives me DEDUCTIONS. Subtract DEDUCTIONS from GROSS and you end up with NET. Training thing is what an employer will use as an excuse for as long as they can. It is still cheaper to keep to keep someone working for 12 hours then after an 8 hour shift get a new crew in there you forget they need a bookkeeper in there now for the next 4 hour shift. So it is cheaper to have an overtime shift.

Employing more people would increase the financial responsibilities of paying more insurance for Employees. Also you can couple that with the fact that I would prosper more from someone who knows more about my business and would stay longer at work, using their expertise to help my corporation to increase revenue instead of paying someone to watch the clock which is what people do these days when they work a 8 hour a day job, their potential work output is diminished because half of the productive part of their day is spent taking a break or figuring out what they are going to do on their break. Companies don’t mind spending a couple of extra dollars on minimal employees because their bonuses are based on meeting their budgets.

Sorry…I will pass on this subject.

The reason for that is because it is ard to employ someone new, they would rather stick with the person they first employed. Also thanks for your reply, I will check it out.