I'm an hourly employee about to travel on business....*updated*

[Ns1]

11/19 update for future hourly employees:

Confirmed with my bosses, portal to portal. Double time will kick in at some point. I'll have ~80-100 hours on this time sheet. They were expecting a large bill from me. LOL Merry Xmas to me!!

originalpost:

I'm an hourly employee, usually 9-6 M-F.

I'm about to head out on a business trip (~10 days including weekends)

My flight is SATURDAY 4pm. It's about 19 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from my house -> airport + airport -> hotel.

I get to my hotel at 3am Monday morning (aka I go to work 5 hours after I land).

I work 8-5 or whatever M-F

I repeat the process on the way home, 20.5 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from hotel -> airport + airport -> home.



Based on my googling and conversations with others, I'm entitled to some 90+ hours on my paycheck for this timeframe (40 hour workweek + traveltime). True/False?

 

[SunnyD]

Basically, from the moment you start doing anything business related (ie: wake up and start packing) to the moment you get home, minus sleep time, you're on the clock. At least that's how I billed it when I had to travel.

 

[NutBucket]

Depends on company policy but generally speaking all travel time is on the clock; from the time you leave your house to head to the airport to the time you get to your hotel.

 

[kranky]

Company policy determines.

We have people who travel frequently and we do not pay people for every hour they are traveling, not by a long shot. If you travel on a weekend and are hourly, you get paid an 8 hour day (which is probably going to be at an overtime rate).

To avoid any unpleasantness, simply ask your manager before you leave. ("Hey, boss, I need to know how to fill out my timesheet for my trip. How many work hours do I put down for the travel days?")

 

[spidey07]

Basically, from the moment you start doing anything business related (ie: wake up and start packing) to the moment you get home, minus sleep time, you're on the clock. At least that's how I billed it when I had to travel.

Same. You're not doing whatever the hell you want to do, so that's "work" and should be paid.

 

[Buttzilla]

Company policy determines.

We have people who travel frequently and we do not pay people for every hour they are traveling, not by a long shot. If you travel on a weekend and are hourly, you get paid an 8 hour day (which is probably going to be at an overtime rate).

To avoid any unpleasantness, simply ask your manager before you leave. ("Hey, boss, I need to know how to fill out my timesheet for my trip. How many work hours do I put down for the travel days?")

this,

I used to travel for work. We're on the clock the minute we leave the house until we get to hotel, and vice versa. When I was traveling 5-6 days a week, i'd clock 80+ hours.

 

[Insomniator]

Hourly pay does have its benefits!

Clock out your ass, any time you aren't sitting in your hotel doing nothing is company hours. My GF travels a lot and gets paid time and a half after 35 hours.... thats a lot of money when she logs a 70 hour week.

 

[PenguinPower]

Basically, from the moment you start doing anything business related (ie: wake up and start packing) to the moment you get home, minus sleep time, you're on the clock. At least that's how I billed it when I had to travel.

Nope. Even though OP is in California (which is one of the only places where what you stated applies), he doesn't have to be paid for meals/breaks exceeding 20 minutes, sleep time or any time that he is free to pursue personal activities (e.g. he gets done with work at 5pm and is free to eat dinner, sight see, or simply return to the hotel...as long as he doesn't have further work obligations). He can also be paid a "travel wage" reduced to no less than minimum wage for actual travel time.

 

[PenguinPower]

I'm an hourly employee, usually 9-6 M-F.

I'm about to head out on a business trip (~10 days including weekends)

My flight is SATURDAY 4pm. It's about 19 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from my house -> airport + airport -> hotel.

I get to my hotel at 3am Monday morning (aka I go to work 5 hours after I land).

I work 8-5 or whatever M-F

I repeat the process on the way home, 20.5 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from hotel -> airport + airport -> home.



Based on my googling and conversations with others, I'm entitled to some 90+ hours on my paycheck for this timeframe (40 hour workweek + traveltime). True/False?

You would be due more, and some major OT depending on how your company defines your workweek.

 

[Ns1]

So I guess it's a good thing to be an hourly employee for this trip. If they say anything, I'll respond "that's a good reason to bump me up to Salary next year".

 

[spidey07]

So I guess it's a good thing to be an hourly employee for this trip. If they say anything, I'll respond "that's a good reason to bump me up to Salary next year".

You don't EVER want salary. Your overtime is free then. Your time is money, make them pay for your time.

 

[PenguinPower]

You don't EVER want salary. Your overtime is free then. Your time is money, make them pay for your time.

There are some positives to being exempt (salaried is only one part of determining exempt status). I can come into work for 2 hours and leave for the rest of the day for a doctor's appointment or other personal reason and be paid for the whole day without having to use benefit time. Exempt employees are usually paid at a higher rate to compensate for the lack of OT as well.

 

[PowerYoga]

clock travel time. Like others have said, minute you leave the house to when you put down your bags in the hotel should be clocked.

 

[Buttzilla]

Nope. Even though OP is in California (which is one of the only places where what you stated applies), he doesn't have to be paid for meals/breaks exceeding 20 minutes, sleep time or any time that he is free to pursue personal activities (e.g. he gets done with work at 5pm and is free to eat dinner, sight see, or simply return to the hotel...as long as he doesn't have further work obligations). He can also be paid a "travel wage" reduced to no less than minimum wage for actual travel time.

this too, i'd double check if there's a travel wage. we recently reduced the pay for our field techs significantly when they're on travel time. essentially, flying and driving they get travel pay. when they're onsite, they get regular pay up to 8 hours.

what's your food allowance? is it by meal, day, or trip? that's very important to know. our food allowance is by trip. our techs can horde all their money and blow it at the end of their trip if they'd like.

 

[Ns1]

this too, i'd double check if there's a travel wage. we recently reduced the pay for our field techs significantly when they're on travel time. essentially, flying and driving they get travel pay. when they're onsite, they get regular pay up to 8 hours.

what's your food allowance? is it by meal, day, or trip? that's very important to know. our food allowance is by trip. our techs can horde all their money and blow it at the end of their trip if they'd like.

unfortunately we do not get per diem, only "guidelines" for maximum expenditure by day - a solid $90/day which is eating like a king where I'm going, but unfortunately means no extra cash.

 

[RockinZ28]

I would check with the appropriate persons first.

My company tried to screw me last month, first time I'd flown for business. Our contract states we get paid something like 10/hr up to 4 hours, or $75 total for traveling over 4 hours. Completely laughable. On top of that I was leaving and coming back on week days, so that meant I lost two 8 hour days, with $150 as compensation for spending 10+ hours in the air alone.

Just flat out said I wasn't going for that. I could work just over half a day, and take the remainder and next day off unpaid and make more money.

So they agreed to pay me an 8 hour day for travel. Still kinda bs since it took ~12 hours each way from house to hotel. It was last minute though so the flights were shit, going to be a monthly thing now and I'll have a company credit card to book my flights in advance. Should only take 5-6 hours now, and I'll gladly take 8 hours for that.

 

[BornStar]

My old company paid for time that you were actually travelling so if you were sitting in the airport waiting for a flight you weren't getting paid but if you were sitting on a plane, you were. My new company only pays travel time if it's during normal business hours. Long story short, it depends on the company.

 

[Viper GTS]

Traveling as an hourly employee is a beautiful thing. I love little more than being paid overtime to sleep on a plane.

In 2011 I did about 1300 hours of that (well, a lot was spent sitting in TV stations too...). It was a very good year. I would have had zero willingness to do it if I wasn't being paid door to door.

Viper GTS

 

[Ns1]

Traveling as an hourly employee is a beautiful thing. I love little more than being paid overtime to sleep on a plane.

In 2011 I did about 1300 hours of that (well, a lot was spent sitting in TV stations too...). It was a very good year. I would have had zero willingness to do it if I wasn't being paid door to door.

O_O

clearly I need to change my occupation.

 

[Viper GTS]

O_O

clearly I need to change my occupation.

Don't get me wrong it is fun. Always having a new project or disaster to fix keeps things interesting. I liked living in hotels so that was a nice bonus. And it could be very lucrative if you're willing to put in those hours.

It also means zero ability to plan your life, perpetually having no idea where you might be in 24 hours (or less even) and it's not so great for maintaining relationships.

I gave it up for a position at one of those tv stations. I work maybe 45 hours a week now, I essentially don't travel, and I am actually using vacation time for the first time in 6 years.

I certainly don't regret doing it but I don't really miss it either.

Viper GTS

 

[Anubis]

I'm an hourly employee, usually 9-6 M-F.

I'm about to head out on a business trip (~10 days including weekends)

My flight is SATURDAY 4pm. It's about 19 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from my house -> airport + airport -> hotel.

I get to my hotel at 3am Monday morning (aka I go to work 5 hours after I land).

I work 8-5 or whatever M-F

I repeat the process on the way home, 20.5 hours of flight time + 3 hour layover + travel time from hotel -> airport + airport -> home.



Based on my googling and conversations with others, I'm entitled to some 90+ hours on my paycheck for this timeframe (40 hour workweek + traveltime). True/False?

it depends on policy, the way i get paid it would be 90+ hours, so 50+ hours of overtime.
for me travel pay is the same rate and starts the moment the trip starts and end the moment i get to where i am going, so a 8 hour drive is 8 hours of normal pay. a 20 hour flight would be 20 hours of normal pay. OT starts once i hit 40 hours, if i travled for 40 hours and then worked for 40 hours its a 80 hour week with 40 of it being OT

and yes its great for the paycheck, and as Viper said it kinda kills your personal life if you do it a lot. i generally have a 3 day notice on travel but its been as small as hours, as i was told to go home at lunch and pack and be back at 5 ready to go on more than one occasion.

found out today that we are traveling next week, on monday

 

[Ns1]

^^ yes that is my understanding of the company policy based on my discussions with a fellow employee who has travelled domestically.

 

[SSSnail]

When I was doing this and on salary, I make sure that my boss compensated me in other ways, besides the usual bonus.

I used to leave myself a few days after business is done, so that I can have a mini vacation; that, and a very loose expense policy.

 

[Viper GTS]

^^ yes that is my understanding of the company policy based on my discussions with a fellow employee who has travelled domestically.

Enjoy it then. I never did any international travel while hourly.

My best pay period was 103 hours of OT (183 hours in 14 days). Did 403 hours on that pay period plus one next to it (crossed a couple company holidays so got some extra hours from that).

I do miss that part.

Viper GTS

 

[Brovane]

I would be paid my normal wage for travel time. For flights it was basically the moment I hit the airport to I arrived at the hotel at my destination I was on the clock. I usually don't do much travel for work so it doesn't come into play very often.