Stupid Work Rules...Rant & Question

[Cougar]

I only have to wear shoes when I face the customers

No shirt, no shoes, no software !

wish i could do this, no shoes and shirt.

one of our supervisors who sists next to me apparently gets cold very easily, so for our little section; she leaves the ac of; its gets to 78 and even 80 routinely. i've actually had other workers tell me they can feel it getting warmer when the walk up to me and i can feel the ac hit when i walk away. i was moved over a few months ago and thought it was just me as i used to be directly under the ac vent; but saw the section ac turned off a couple of weeks ago. of course theres 3 guys that have been sitting there for years and just put up with it, so i cant say anything or i'd be the bad guy and we cant work from home; but screw it; i'm working from home 2 or 3 afternoons; sitting in my own sweat is not acceptable.

[Sailor Sam]

When I arrived in a QA testing company, our staff manual had a section on grooming, which stated that employées were recommended to change clothes when they're dirty, take showers at least every other day, and brush their teeth at least once per day.
The following year, they added that when you change clothes, the new clothes should be clean.
I kid you not.

ZOMG, hygeine standards, how I love thee!

About a year ago my Executive Officer had a endlessly spiraling family disaster, and I ended up as Acting XO for about 6 months. During this time I had to council no less than 3 people about personal hygiene. Their roommates complained when they couldn't endure the stink any longer.

One thought applying corn-huskers oil was as good as showering. I quoted the standing orders that said you must shower at least every other day. Problem solved.

One didn't shower, or believe in clothes washers, and regularly left his skidmarked undies on the floor of his 6-man stateroom. I quoted the same shower standards, and I personally inspected and then gigged him daily until he gave up and started washing his uniforms. Problem solved!

And one was bug-fuck crazy with anxiety issues. She stopped caring for herself and started crying herself to sleep at night as the anxiety consumed her life. I tried to foist her off on my (female) CO, but she just laughed at me. Eventually I got crazy chick declared unfit for sea. Problem somewhat solved.

[nobodyspecial]

Acting XO for about 6 months. .... I quoted the standing orders that said you must shower at least every other day. Problem solved.

XO is navy right?
Can't you just use them for man-overboard practice every day?

[cautiouspessimist]

Acting XO for about 6 months. .... I quoted the standing orders that said you must shower at least every other day. Problem solved.

XO is navy right?
Can't you just use them for man-overboard practice every day?

XO is a military term. I suspect the username 'Sailor Sam' is probably a bigger clue to the service branch...

Fortunately, I've never had to counsel anyone about hygiene. Other issues, but at least we were all mostly clean.

[riverffashion]

I must keep my VERY long hair long, or I will look unprofessional supposedly. No smoking at all ( I'm not talking about in or around the establishment ) for those who work here. We're also expected to look very attractive ( done up- stylish oufit, hair /skin/makeup/nails done ) & sexy almost - high heels & the like.
This is a beauty salon. Every time the salon owner ( female & not considered anyone's "boss" as we're supposed to be independent contractors ) warns me to not cut my hair, I feel like she's like the controlling mother I never had. Ridiculous.

[riverffashion]

I must keep my VERY long hair long, or I will look unprofessional supposedly. No smoking at all ( I'm not talking about in or around the establishment ) for those who work here. We're also expected to look very attractive ( done up- stylish oufit, hair /skin/makeup/nails done ) & sexy almost - high heels & the like.
This is a beauty salon. Every time the salon owner ( female & not considered anyone's "boss" as we're supposed to be independent contractors ) warns me to not cut my hair, I feel like she's like the controlling mother I never had. Ridiculous.

I don't get this. You can be very stylish with shorter hair. I can understand why a salon owner wants her employees to look stylish but long hair?? I have very long hair also but would rebel against someone who told me I HAD to keep it long and probably cut it off.
[/quote

She has an odd character- don't know how else to explain it. I love my long hair though, so I don't plan to cut it off... But her nature is repellent and makes me not want to work there. I've been there 10 years and hav built a very large customer base though so I'm staying put for now. But will likely move up north a bit too far to commute after I get married and will gladly giv it up.

[cautiouspessimist]

Acting XO for about 6 months. .... I quoted the standing orders that said you must shower at least every other day. Problem solved.

XO is navy right?
Can't you just use them for man-overboard practice every day?

XO is a military term. I suspect the username 'Sailor Sam' is probably a bigger clue to the service branch...

Fortunately, I've never had to counsel anyone about hygiene. Other issues, but at least we were all mostly clean.

Ah yes, stinky shipmates, how well I remember that! Of course I was one of the ship's engineers so probably the stinky one :-)! Cleared out the galley fast went the eng. room crew came up for meals.  Although I did shower everyday but on some of the smaller ships I was on we only had holding tanks for water and not plants to make our own so it was sea showers (or no showers) fairly often. But then everyone was pretty gross (even the officers) after awhile. That's when we went into the ocean - unless we were in the Arctic...in winter.

Oh, I didn't even think about the smaller boats. Yeah, I imagine it's hard to shower consistently on some of them.

[eyePod]

This stuff is golden. Clothing is relaxed where I work (I generally wear a polo and jeans but will wear a nicer shirt and khaki's on buisness trips or when meeting more "important people"). The one I hate is that we have hourly timesheets even though we are all salaried. And they're weekly time sheets but we get paid bi-weekly. They start on Monday.

Oh, you came in on Saturday? Good thing you already put in your 40 hours and can't do comp time!

We made stuff for the government way back when at a different site so we still need to comply with this or it's literally a federal offense. Such a PITA.

[Le Poisson]

This stuff is golden. Clothing is relaxed where I work (I generally wear a polo and jeans but will wear a nicer shirt and khaki's on buisness trips or when meeting more "important people"). The one I hate is that we have hourly timesheets even though we are all salaried. And they're weekly time sheets but we get paid bi-weekly. They start on Monday.

Oh, you came in on Saturday? Good thing you already put in your 40 hours and can't do comp time!

We made stuff for the government way back when at a different site so we still need to comply with this or it's literally a federal offense. Such a PITA.

Salaried plus overtime here. Paid biweekly.

* Timesheet 1 is to be completed on the weeks we aren't paid, it spans 2 weeks and includes everything except Stat holidays. Mileage claims go on this sheet. Saturday to Saturday.
* Timesheet 2 is to be completed weekly. It spans 1 week and includes everything except normal time. This sheet is for OT, Sick time, Vacation, and Stat Holidays. No mileage to be shown. Sunday to Sunday
* Mileage Worksheet 1 Accompanies Timesheet 1 and is a crosscheck of mileage claims, but is not to include expenses. Completed every 2 weeks.
* Mileage Program Worksheet is for high mileage employees to complete if their annual mileage falls outside their annual allotment. eg. I am paid a default mileage allowance, however if I drive more or less than the 3-5000 km annually that my allotment is to cover, I have to complete a worksheet to get the extra or so the mileage allowance can be clawed back. This is verified against the above mileage form, which is then verified against my timesheet. Completed Monthly.
* Expense Worksheet 1 is to include mileage, perdiem and expenses while on business trips, but not those incurred under the normal course of business. As incurred or monthly.

Its so much fun... I'm behind by about 1500 km on my mileage, so my plan is to drive all over for the next month so I don't face the clawback. Yay.

[nobodyspecial]

Its so much fun... I'm behind by about 1500 km on my mileage, so my plan is to drive all over for the next month so I don't face the clawback. Yay.

They introduced a tax change once which meant that you paid tax on mileage if you did less than something like 20,000mi/year
The idea was to stop a free car being an untaxed job perk, but allow real sales/service staff to claim.

It resulted in a bunch of back street garages offering to clock the odometer FORWARD for a small fee !

[Sailor Sam]

XO is navy right?
Can't you just use them for man-overboard practice every day?

Bite your tongue sir, I am most definitely not in the Navy! :)

Sadly we use a stuffed gumby suit for MOB drills. I can only imagine the paperwork involved in chucking a live body overboard.

Ah yes, stinky shipmates, how well I remember that! Of course I was one of the ship's engineers so probably the stinky one :-)! Cleared out the galley fast went the eng. room crew came up for meals.  Although I did shower everyday but on some of the smaller ships I was on we only had holding tanks for water and not plants to make our own so it was sea showers (or no showers) fairly often. But then everyone was pretty gross (even the officers) after awhile. That's when we went into the ocean - unless we were in the Arctic...in winter.

Were you on an Point or Protector class? Not having an RO sucks balls. The stink incidences didn't happen in AK, but I've personally jumped off the bridgewing outside Kotzubue, and again off the Diomede's in the Bearing Sea. I just couldn't stand to be sticky and un-showered any longer.

[eyePod]

This stuff is golden. Clothing is relaxed where I work (I generally wear a polo and jeans but will wear a nicer shirt and khaki's on buisness trips or when meeting more "important people"). The one I hate is that we have hourly timesheets even though we are all salaried. And they're weekly time sheets but we get paid bi-weekly. They start on Monday.

Oh, you came in on Saturday? Good thing you already put in your 40 hours and can't do comp time!

We made stuff for the government way back when at a different site so we still need to comply with this or it's literally a federal offense. Such a PITA.

Salaried plus overtime here. Paid biweekly.

* Timesheet 1 is to be completed on the weeks we aren't paid, it spans 2 weeks and includes everything except Stat holidays. Mileage claims go on this sheet. Saturday to Saturday.
* Timesheet 2 is to be completed weekly. It spans 1 week and includes everything except normal time. This sheet is for OT, Sick time, Vacation, and Stat Holidays. No mileage to be shown. Sunday to Sunday
* Mileage Worksheet 1 Accompanies Timesheet 1 and is a crosscheck of mileage claims, but is not to include expenses. Completed every 2 weeks.
* Mileage Program Worksheet is for high mileage employees to complete if their annual mileage falls outside their annual allotment. eg. I am paid a default mileage allowance, however if I drive more or less than the 3-5000 km annually that my allotment is to cover, I have to complete a worksheet to get the extra or so the mileage allowance can be clawed back. This is verified against the above mileage form, which is then verified against my timesheet. Completed Monthly.
* Expense Worksheet 1 is to include mileage, perdiem and expenses while on business trips, but not those incurred under the normal course of business. As incurred or monthly.

Its so much fun... I'm behind by about 1500 km on my mileage, so my plan is to drive all over for the next month so I don't face the clawback. Yay.

Oof. That is ridiculous. I guess some are for tax purposes but talk about an opportunity for simplification. Godaddy bookkeeping lets you enternmileage and expenses. Done and done!

[cripzychiken]

This stuff is golden. Clothing is relaxed where I work (I generally wear a polo and jeans but will wear a nicer shirt and khaki's on buisness trips or when meeting more "important people"). The one I hate is that we have hourly timesheets even though we are all salaried. And they're weekly time sheets but we get paid bi-weekly. They start on Monday.

Oh, you came in on Saturday? Good thing you already put in your 40 hours and can't do comp time!

We made stuff for the government way back when at a different site so we still need to comply with this or it's literally a federal offense. Such a PITA.

Salaried plus overtime here. Paid biweekly.

* Timesheet 1 is to be completed on the weeks we aren't paid, it spans 2 weeks and includes everything except Stat holidays. Mileage claims go on this sheet. Saturday to Saturday.
* Timesheet 2 is to be completed weekly. It spans 1 week and includes everything except normal time. This sheet is for OT, Sick time, Vacation, and Stat Holidays. No mileage to be shown. Sunday to Sunday
* Mileage Worksheet 1 Accompanies Timesheet 1 and is a crosscheck of mileage claims, but is not to include expenses. Completed every 2 weeks.
* Mileage Program Worksheet is for high mileage employees to complete if their annual mileage falls outside their annual allotment. eg. I am paid a default mileage allowance, however if I drive more or less than the 3-5000 km annually that my allotment is to cover, I have to complete a worksheet to get the extra or so the mileage allowance can be clawed back. This is verified against the above mileage form, which is then verified against my timesheet. Completed Monthly.
* Expense Worksheet 1 is to include mileage, perdiem and expenses while on business trips, but not those incurred under the normal course of business. As incurred or monthly.

Its so much fun... I'm behind by about 1500 km on my mileage, so my plan is to drive all over for the next month so I don't face the clawback. Yay.

I work for Consulting Firm who hires me out to Staffing Group who hires me out to Engineering Company.  I have a timecard for each.

Consulting - Sun-Sun, Due Monday
Staffing - Sat-Sat, due Wednesdays (no idea why it is Wednesday)
Engineering - Fri@Noon - Fri@Noon, due the previous Thursday at 2pm (so you have to ACCURATELY tell your time from Thurs 2pm - Fri Noon or risk hellfire/more paperwork).

To make stuff more fun, Engineering Company works a 9/80 schedule (9 hours a day, every other Friday off, that explains the week timing of the weeks).  Due to no other place matching the timing of the engineering week, I can never work 2-40hr weeks back to back. 

Staffing Group does not like this.  They want to pay weekly.  It took 6 weeks to explain to Staffing Group that my 45/35 weeks are normal and to not refuse my time card due to un-approved OT worked (or pay me for 40/35 which they did once and took a certified letter from a lawyer friend to fix).  They told me to just write down I work 40 a week, not the 45/35 I actually do.  I have told everyone that I refuse to write up false timecards, and the issue is in their systems not in my record keeping - I'm working the schedule I agreed to and they hired me for, it's not my responsibility to lie to fit their system.  I've had calls from multiple people in Staffing Group to 'fix my timecard'.  It took me citing legal precedents  before they backed off/just dealt with it.

Consulting group just didn't care.  I got one call, they asked if they could move me to biweekly pay to make it easier on them.  I liked how they dealt with things.

[cautiouspessimist]

Some of you people are making me glad my company uses deltek. Geez.