Random aside: we (the company I work for) used to have a licensing agreement where we made collegiate labelled cookware (all that LSU stuff I acquired, if you've seen that on FB, for example) and someone down the aisle from me got a USC(I think?) stockpot that says SPARTANS and every time I walk passed it I am reminded of Faith saying "It's Spahtan" and that continues to tickle me

Congrats on the new dog, Gud!

I know I don’t post much, but I am feeling very disheartened. I just got a notice that I am being transferred from salaried to hourly and will need to punch a time clock starting December 18. I am 1,000 dollars below the threshold to be salaried. I have been working for 20 years with almost complete flexibility as to when I complete my work, as long as it is completed. I know I should want overtime, but I like to wake up at 2 am, get some stuff done, and then maybe not get into work until 10. We literally have to swipe a time clock now. And I often just work on the bus ride in, answering emails, and now I can’t unless I am punched in. And I also feel bad- because the intention of these laws is so good, but the execution is flawed. I have had an excellent system for 20 years of working 2 or so hours in the middle of the night when I have insomnia, 2 hours on the bus, and probably 7 hours at actual work and it made me happy. I am not sure how to translate that into 8 hours clocked in.

Aw, Sophia, that sucks. Any chance they could bump your salary up that thousand dollars? Even if it means somehow taking it away somewhere else?

Oh no, Sophia! That doesn’t make sense to me, as a decision your employer has made.

Ugh, Sophia that completely and totally sucks. I'm sorry!

Yikes Sophia, I don't think I've ever heard of someone's job going from salaried to hourly like that, it's usually the reverse. What a pain. Here's hoping it works out so the amount of overtime you collect makes them regret the decision.

Thanks all. It actually comes with the bonus that we can’t work any (even one minute) overtime unless it is pre-approved. Hourly folks at my work have to sit on the time clock on Friday to make sure they clock out qt precisely 40 hours- not 40 hours 1 minute. That is really what I think I am going to have trouble with- doing that math. My boss is flexible and is OK if I flex my hours, but I will get reprimanded by HR if I don’t work exactly 40 hours without prior approval so I will now need to spend time monitoring my time to the minute.

My boss is also trying to see if we can just raise my pay by $1,000 to avoid this. She is good and was a little blindsided as well. But I guess I can try to rearrange my brain to separate work from life. Normally I would be answering work emails right now (so my work day could progress- I get over 200 emails a day and just managing that is what I do in the early morning, late evening, on the bus ride where I don’t think they would appreciate me clocking in!)

Jeez Sophia, that sucks. And they can’t have a virtual time clock so you could punch in on your work computer from wherever you are?? You’d think they could.

It is too early but I woke up at 5 and wasn’t falling back asleep so I guess I’m up?? Gross. But I have today off so I guess I’ll take a nap later. Made it to Palm Springs yesterday where I’m staying for December. Place is nice and I’ve missed this friend. Hoping this’ll be fun!