Yup, still working overtime at the job. They want me to use up the hours budgeted for fiscal year 2016 (which ends July 1st) because any unspent dollars go POOF! (And then some unidentified programmer’s PC turns into a pumpkin. Or his shoes turn into glass slippers. Don’t remember exactly, but something bad happens.)
I couldn’t possibly put in enough hours this week to soak up the entire balance, but I’m doing my best. So it’s long days of coding for me … for a few more days.
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Mercy, it’s just like working for a state government. Our agency used to go into a spending frenzy as the end of each biennium neared, because if we didn’t use up all the money the legislature had allotted to us at the last session, they’d cut our “allowance” next time around. Maddeningly, we weren’t allowed to save money from one biennium to add to money granted for the next biennium to cover something big like an office expansion or a new and desperately-needed computer system; we had to write up why we needed whatever it was, then persuade the legislature to approve the whole huge chunk at the new session. And we were never allowed to save anything we hadn’t spent as safety net against future needs — surpluses were not allowed.
If I managed my personal finances the way that state government managed its finances, I’d be broke and up to my eyeballs in debt by now. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what’s happened to a lot of state governments, not to mention the federal government.
I’m happy to be living in a state that’s been running a surplus for several years — especially after 11 years in California, where the budget crisis was never-ending.
You getting some OT for it??
I’m an hourly contractor, so yes.
Mercy, it’s just like working for a state government. Our agency used to go into a spending frenzy as the end of each biennium neared, because if we didn’t use up all the money the legislature had allotted to us at the last session, they’d cut our “allowance” next time around. Maddeningly, we weren’t allowed to save money from one biennium to add to money granted for the next biennium to cover something big like an office expansion or a new and desperately-needed computer system; we had to write up why we needed whatever it was, then persuade the legislature to approve the whole huge chunk at the new session. And we were never allowed to save anything we hadn’t spent as safety net against future needs — surpluses were not allowed.
If I managed my personal finances the way that state government managed its finances, I’d be broke and up to my eyeballs in debt by now. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what’s happened to a lot of state governments, not to mention the federal government.
I’m happy to be living in a state that’s been running a surplus for several years — especially after 11 years in California, where the budget crisis was never-ending.
You getting some OT for it??
I’m an hourly contractor, so yes.
Don’t feel bad. With 95 million Americans unemployed – out of a 220 million workforce which excludes retirees – and a third of employed working part time, you have been blessed.
No complaints here. They didn’t demand I work overtime. They asked if I could put in longer days and some weekends before the fiscal year ends. Since I’m an hourly contractor, I don’t mind logging the hours and collecting the check.
I didn’t mention it in the post, but the new CIO wants to shift away from having so many contractors at the company. I expected to be offered a salary that would translate to a reduced hourly rate, but the offer turned out to be quite good, especially when vacation, personal days and paid federal holidays are figured in. So once the new fiscal year begins, I’ll be on salary.
Remember Taleb says: “The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.”
So be careful. And as an employee, your employer picks up (half?) of your Social Security tax and you probably get other benefits.
I have myself fallen victim to carbohydrate and salary addictions. Actually heroin is not that deadly except to the legal ramification IF you can get a clean supply without dealing with sleazy people.
Congratulations! Now if they’ll just throw in health benefits and a retirement plan . . .
All this overtime is probably eating into your Farmer Naughton time, but I’m hoping for an updated farm report soon. Also hoping to hear your take on Dr. Jason Fung’s “The Obesity Code,” though with all the overtime you may not have had time to read it.
Just finished the book and will write a review soon.
I’m electing to keep my current insurance plan and pay for it through my s-corp, which will still have income because of Fat Head and a software product I sell to law firms. The reason is that if the company decides to let me go at some point or I decide to leave, I don’t want to be back in the market for a plan. That would mean being stuck with an ObamaCare plan. I’ve crunched the numbers on those compared to what I have now, and the conclusion is that ObamaCare sucks.
I’ve worked at dozens of jobs and being a permanent employee was always a better deal.
Congratulations, Tom.
Another benefit will be stability and certainty in your life.
And maybe,a little more home time.
Just curious, why do they want fewer contractors? I would think the payroll tax deduction and health care mandate situations would make contractors more appealing than salaried employees.
Don’t feel bad. With 95 million Americans unemployed – out of a 220 million workforce which excludes retirees – and a third of employed working part time, you have been blessed.
No complaints here. They didn’t demand I work overtime. They asked if I could put in longer days and some weekends before the fiscal year ends. Since I’m an hourly contractor, I don’t mind logging the hours and collecting the check.
I didn’t mention it in the post, but the new CIO wants to shift away from having so many contractors at the company. I expected to be offered a salary that would translate to a reduced hourly rate, but the offer turned out to be quite good, especially when vacation, personal days and paid federal holidays are figured in. So once the new fiscal year begins, I’ll be on salary.
Remember Taleb says: “The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.”
So be careful. And as an employee, your employer picks up (half?) of your Social Security tax and you probably get other benefits.
I have myself fallen victim to carbohydrate and salary addictions. Actually heroin is not that deadly except to the legal ramification IF you can get a clean supply without dealing with sleazy people.
I understand about the addiction to a salary, but I’ve been a contractor there for five years now. I don’t think it’ll be much different. Of course, if the book sells a million copies, that will change things considerably.
Congratulations! Now if they’ll just throw in health benefits and a retirement plan . . .
All this overtime is probably eating into your Farmer Naughton time, but I’m hoping for an updated farm report soon. Also hoping to hear your take on Dr. Jason Fung’s “The Obesity Code,” though with all the overtime you may not have had time to read it.
Just finished the book and will write a review soon.
I’m electing to keep my current insurance plan and pay for it through my s-corp, which will still have income because of Fat Head and a software product I sell to law firms. The reason is that if the company decides to let me go at some point or I decide to leave, I don’t want to be back in the market for a plan. That would mean being stuck with an ObamaCare plan. I’ve crunched the numbers on those compared to what I have now, and the conclusion is that ObamaCare sucks.
I’ve worked at dozens of jobs and being a permanent employee was always a better deal.
After crunching the numbers and figuring in the 401K matching, I concluded this is a better deal. Bit of an adjustment, though, thinking of myself as an employee. I’ve been independent for decades.
Congratulations, Tom.
Another benefit will be stability and certainty in your life.
And maybe,a little more home time.
More time was one of the convincing factors. The official workweek at the company is 37.5 hours.
Just curious, why do they want fewer contractors? I would think the payroll tax deduction and health care mandate situations would make contractors more appealing than salaried employees.
All I’ve heard is that it’s new CIO’s preference.
re: Just curious, why do they want fewer contractors?
The personal experiences of management play a huge role, plus or minus industry trends and management fads.
The last full time job I had was with a company that was all but allergic to contractors, because they’d had a bad experience with one person, two decades earlier.
A factor bigger than taxes and benefits can be common law employees (or just class action lawyers making that claim).
A company I once contracted for had strict rules about a block of X months off for Y years on, and you had to show evidence of at least Z other recent clients up front. They ended up having extended-term temps simply be actual employees of outside temp firms like Manpower and Volt. That cost them a lot more than a direct contract, but was perceived as lower risk, and the recent Uber drama suggests that the contractor risk factors are indeed some distance from being fully manageable yet.
Congrats Tom. You won’t be self-unemployed anymore!
This consultant comes to the Pearly Gates…
Upon meeting with the boss, a guy called Peter, he asks him “Why me?”
Peter looks at his register and says “Well, it’s written here Old Age”
The consultant vehemently objects “But I’m only thirty five!!”
“Not according to your billed hours ” replies Peter….
😉
I heard one like that, only it was a lawyer at the Pearly Gates.
I’ve talked to several people who worked in financial services in NYC. The top jobs you can retire from rich at 30-35 and you need too, because of the long hours. If you don’t make it you are left poor and worn out. You need a Manhattan apartment to get a shower and a couple of hours sleep between days.
Congrats Tom. You won’t be self-unemployed anymore!
This consultant comes to the Pearly Gates…
Upon meeting with the boss, a guy called Peter, he asks him “Why me?”
Peter looks at his register and says “Well, it’s written here Old Age”
The consultant vehemently objects “But I’m only thirty five!!”
“Not according to your billed hours ” replies Peter….
😉
I heard one like that, only it was a lawyer at the Pearly Gates.
I’ve talked to several people who worked in financial services in NYC. The top jobs you can retire from rich at 30-35 and you need too, because of the long hours. If you don’t make it you are left poor and worn out. You need a Manhattan apartment to get a shower and a couple of hours sleep between days.
You still work? I thought Fat Head made you independently wealthy! 😉
That would have been nice. Having two distributors rip us off didn’t help any.
You still work? I thought Fat Head made you independently wealthy! 😉
That would have been nice. Having two distributors rip us off didn’t help any.