The Free-Time Paradox in America

Re:The Free-Time Paradox in America by johnward on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @08:45AM (#12539045)

I'm a consultant and, like most, bill by the hour. So it makes sense to track hours in that aspect but I don't know anyone who always hits or exceeds 100% of their target utilization. Which means if you don't have billable work you still need to find some BS to do until you hit 40 hours. I do go over 100% of my target utilization often, which in most exempt positions would open up some opportunity to leave a little bit early on a slow week.

I've mentioned that I'm exempt and still have to track time and most people just respond "you're not exempt, you don't know what it means".

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Re:The Free-Time Paradox in America by freehunter on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @04:11PM (#12542921)

When I read your first post I was going to respond "I'm a consultant and while I have to log 40 hours in the time tracker, I don't always bill 40 hours to clients". Much like yourself, if my clients don't have 40 hours of work for me, not much I can do about that. But next week they might have 60, so it balances out.

I've never worked a job where I didn't have to track my time, though. Four different companies, employed as full time staff, I've always had to justify where my time went each week.

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Re:The Free-Time Paradox in America by johnward on Wednesday September 21, 2016 @02:56PM (#12551164)

Yeah. Even if you are a staff software engineer there is usually someway for the company to track what you actually are putting your time towards. Then I hear from tons of salaried workers who don't have to track time at all.

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