What makes a good employee?

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electricmanscott said:
In some states (maybe federal) it is mandated by law what breaks you must be given.
What may work for you may not work for others.
I get hungry, I NEED to eat and nobody is going to stop me.

Eating while working may be your choice but if you expect this of people that are working with or for you maybe it is time for a "What makes a lousy boss" thread.
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I didn't say it was a must. My point is just to the fact that it will get you farther. I take all my guys out to eat once a week, we discuss work and how things are going, I pay for lunch breaks and other breaks. I get hungry too thats why I bring snacks and cokes plus my lunch (my wife makes my lunch) You get a lot more done though if you eat throughout the day and don't get hungry. I would rather stop for a few minutes and eat a sandwich and drink something a few times than stop for 1/2 hr and fill my stomach. And many would be surprized that there are very few laws concerning breaks they have just become common place, there are for sure no federal laws concerning them. After all the thread here is what makes a good employee I am telling you what I think.
 
electricmanscott said:
I get hungry, I NEED to eat and nobody is going to stop me.
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Good old electricmanscott the voice of the working man. I to believe that workers should be given a lunch break. Who knows they probably even gave slaves a lunch break. I know they gave the guys working on a chain gang a lunch break ( saw Cool Hand Luke about a million times ).

I don't think the employeer should have to pay for the lunch break. I never worked for anyone that did.
 
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30 Minutes lunch is required here in MA.

PART I. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT


TITLE XXI. LABOR AND INDUSTRIES


CHAPTER 149. LABOR AND INDUSTRIES


FAIR COMPETITION FOR BIDDERS ON CONSTRUCTION, ETC., OF PUBLIC WORKS


WORK BY WOMEN AND CHILDREN


Chapter 149: Section 100. Hours of work without interval for meal; duration; violation of statute


Section 100. No person shall be required to work for more than six hours during a calendar day without an interval of at least thirty minutes for a meal. Any employer, superintendent, overseer or agent who violates this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than three hundred nor more than six hundred dollars.
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I'd like to add that I permit longer breaks than required. My guys can do 15 minute coffee and 30 minute lunch and 15 in the afternoon. Actually my employee handbook mandates 30 minute break from 12-12:30. But since I'm flexible and have few employees (6 now) my guys have some leeway.

With that said, I've know that you must offer an employee at least a 30 minute break as Bob posted. Again which I do. But I've heard that the employee can deny it, much like others have posted. Personally I prefer to take several short breaks when I'm working in the field. I don't want to stop for a half hour.
 
electricmanscott said:
if you expect this of people that are working with or for you maybe it is time for a "What makes a lousy boss" thread.
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I'm sure we could hit 1000 posts with that one.:grin:

And another 1000 if we have a "What makes a lousy employee thread":wink:

But let's not be negative. That was not what I intended with the OP.

And nice to see you back Scott.
 
bikeindy said:
And many would be surprized that there are very few laws concerning breaks they have just become common place, there are for sure no federal laws concerning them. After all the thread here is what makes a good employee I am telling you what I think.
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Wow, come here to New Jersey, we not only have the federal laws we have state laws, concerning working hours, take it from someone that has paid the fines, and penalties, don't fool with labor laws, there is no limit on how far back they can go, they can go back years, and charge additional intrest, and penalties, especially now, this state would dig up the dead, and put them to work if they could.
 
"Its the Law!" Well at least here in CA - 1/2 hour meal break unpaid, and two paid ten minute breaks, after 2 hours of the first four, and after 2 hours of the last four. The 2 tens are an OHSA requirement here I think???

Anyway, a good employer is required to have a good employee. It's a relationship like being married... I have seen a lot of potentially good employees turn out bad because they haven't been provided the right environment to grow - get better - or for that matter even be recognized for the good work they do. There is nothing worse than an employee that gives a 110% and see him be treated as though he was only giving 50% - it's not long until they are only giving 49%!
 
j_erickson said:
I'd like to add that I permit longer breaks than required. My guys can do 15 minute coffee and 30 minute lunch and 15 in the afternoon. Actually my employee handbook mandates 30 minute break from 12-12:30. But since I'm flexible and have few employees (6 now) my guys have some leeway.

With that said, I've know that you must offer an employee at least a 30 minute break as Bob posted. Again which I do. But I've heard that the employee can deny it, much like others have posted. Personally I prefer to take several short breaks when I'm working in the field. I don't want to stop for a half hour.
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I think I have been misunderstood. The question was what makes a good employee. So I stated my opinion. I am not a slave driver My guys can take breaks and they are offered that but I think we agree that it is more productive and in my opinion better for you to take several short breaks to eat. any athlete will tell you that when it comes to endurance sports, and Electrical work can be an endurance sport. At least the way I work.

here is a link to the federal (non)requirement for breaks http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/008.htm
 
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Personally, I would rather stop and start once rather than several times, but I guess thats a personal thing. For me, 1/2 hour gets me rarin' to go again
 
JohnJ0906 said:
Personally, I would rather stop and start once rather than several times, but I guess thats a personal thing. For me, 1/2 hour gets me rarin' to go again
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It was 9 degrees when I left for work, maybe 20 degrees at lunch time, I dont exactly sit long... :grin:
 
bikeindy said:
I think we agree that it is more productive and in my opinion better for you to take several short breaks to eat. any athlete will tell you that when it comes to endurance sports, and Electrical work can be an endurance sport. At least the way I work.
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I think we may all agree with your opinion, but the laws are strict, and if you bend them, they are sure to come back and bite, there is no such thing as it's up to you if you don't want to take the break, that same employee will be filing a complaint as soon as he realizes there is a pot of gold waiting.

Sticking to regular breaks, and lunches, will help make a good employee. Employees are not going to work the same way the owner would.
 
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Bikeindy,

"(my wife makes my lunch)"
You are a lucky man.

Electricmanscott,

Good to see you are still active in the Forum.

John Erickson,

It is an honor that you held me in such high regard.

Justin J. Walecka
 
satcom said:
I think we may all agree with your opinion, but the laws are strict, and if you bend them, they are sure to come back and bite, there is no such thing as it's up to you if you don't want to take the break, that same employee will be filing a complaint as soon as he realizes there is a pot of gold waiting.
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Again not true. Some states may be this way but not most. you only need to check with your state and most alow the employee to not take those breaks due to the fact that most of the time meal breaks are not paid. Most employers require the time to be taken to reduce over time by the employee and tell them it is a law. quess what they are telling you a lie. if an employer is going to give me two paid 15 min breaks and 1/2 hr unpaid lunch I am taking my lunch in those two paid 15 min breaks and not taking the unpaid 1/2 hr meal break. I would then leave early and beat traffic or take the over time thank you very much. what it comes down to is what you and your employer work out together the states try to limit their exposure to these type laws.

At Willett Electric it doesn't matter if you are on a job eating or working you are being paid, we just prefer you work more than you eat. And we always enjoy work.
 
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bikeindy said:
Not True. see here http://www.dol.gov/elaws/faq/esa/flsa/008.htm
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I am talking about California law.... It's true - see here... ;)
1.Q.What are the basic requirements for rest periods under California law?

A.California employees covered by the rest period provisions of the Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders must be provided with a net 10-minute paid rest period for every four hours worked or major fraction thereof. Insofar as is practicable, the rest period should be in the middle of the work period. If an employer fails to provide an employee a rest period, the employer shall pay the employee one hour of pay at the employee?s regular rate of pay for each workday that the rest period is not provided.
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Ref: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/FAQ_RestPeriods.htm
 
Again every state has different laws, I did say in my state, and most of the states around me, also have the break rules, and they do inforce them, if your in a state that does not have those laws, you can operate as you please, but as it is now and has been for many years, we have the break laws. Bob has brought up the issue of different states having different laws, many times, we tend to forget that an issue may only concern those is states that have the same laws.
 
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