I'm the bad guy for not working off the clock

TriciaJ, RN · Sep 18, 2019

I've worked with people like that, too. Spend way too much work time chit-chatting, then stay over to do the actual work. If the work place allows, they will bill for overtime which is bogus. Otherwise, they just work off the clock. I suspect a lot of people aren't really happy with their personal lives and do their socializing at work.

I might not have had much of a life at times, but I always had a home I wanted to go to.

Sour Lemon · Sep 18, 2019

If you're bad, then so am I. Maybe your good sense will inspire others to stick up for themselves instead of getting you fired. I hope so!

Oldmahubbard · Sep 18, 2019

I bet they are getting OT. Yeah, it's bogus.

Could be you'll be told you are not a "good fit."

The fine art of chatting at work. Yes it builds work friendships and team cohesion. But long conversations can't be the norm, unless you work in state government, haha

Closed Account 12345 · Sep 18, 2019

Good for you for putting your family first and refusing to work without pay in an hourly position. Federal law requires hourly employees to be paid for time spent working. If this new employer wants free labor, that's not your problem.

If you were being paid for overtime worked, then staying over for 30 minutes to an hour on a rare occasion would be more understandable. Even then, it shouldn't be an all the time expectation.

Many employers have a policy of no overtime for orientees since they're not counted towards staffing, so that could be in your favor.

cwilliams032 · Sep 18, 2019

*Socialize

NewOncNurseRN, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2019

If it’s salary, you are expected to complete your tasks regarded of time. Most places I have worked in that pay a salary expect that you work late in order to accomplish all that is expected to be accomplished that day. Salary is very different from hourly in that way- you can easily work more hours without incentives like overtime.

klone, MSN, RN · Sep 19, 2019

12 hours ago, cwilliams032 said:
*Socialize

Really? You're going to be that person?

And actually, if you're in Canada or Europe, it's spelled "socialise"

ETA: Sorry, OP. I didn't realize you were the one who corrected "socialise/socialize" - I thought it was someone else coming in simply to correct your spelling, which I find incredibly rude. Feel free to correct yourself, though! (but really, it is spelled with an S everywhere else :))

OP, never ever work off the clock. If you're working, you should be getting paid. If they decide you're "not a good fit" because of that, then so be it. It's a crappy job.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Sep 19, 2019

17 hours ago, FacultyRN said:
Good for you for putting your family first and refusing to work without pay in an hourly position. Federal law requires hourly employees to be paid for time spent working. If this new employer wants free labor, that's not your problem.

And if you start making it a habit to work off the clock, they might come to expect it from you. Unofficially, of course.

And as you said, OP: if refusing to work unpaid gets you fired, then perhaps it's not that bad of a thing. Because it sounds like free labor may be the norm there.

Feral.Cat.Herder, RN · Sep 19, 2019

I don't think you are the bad guy, especially if your district is like mine and has a no overtime policy. If on rare chance we do work OT d/t a serious matter after the dismissal bell, we're told we can "comp" it out, but usually that doesn't happen b/c there's never a good time for a nurse to leave her clinic early.

Some nurses will take work home, but I refuse to do that also. When I am at home I am with my family, it's not fair to them for me to be away 8 hrs a day and then come home and still can't give them attention.

I learned a long time ago, family first, b/c believe me if you leave your job tomorrow, they'll have it filled in no time.

Sounds like your preceptor isn't using wise time management. Don't get me wrong, I chit-chat briefly and am the first to give a compliment or try to make office staff feel appreciated. I am well-liked in my school and it's not b/c I spend hours chit-chatting.

My advice (as a 26 yr nurse), don't sell out to the company, your self-care and family is most important. The work can get done with proper time management and if it doesn't on a continual basis (not b/c of lack of time mgmt) then it's time for them to look at hiring extra help for the clinic.

Best of luck with this and like someone else said, perhaps when other are seeing you are getting your work done within office hours, it will become obvious the other nurse wasn't managing her time wisely... this could be a positive thing in your favor.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 19, 2019

I do not work off the clock. It's not smart and could get one in trouble. Where I work any number of hazards exist that may lead to injury and put one out for a long time. I don't want to be off the clock if that happens, only to have the employer say I was not working when it happened and refuse to cover me. I socialize, too. But not to the detriment of getting the job done and getting out of there. I don't milk the clock and don't want to hang around when I am done.

There are "martyrs" who spend more time whining than getting work done efficiently. Like working off the clock is a badge of honor or something. Ridiculous. I am honest and put in a good day's work and get off the clock when done. And I leave the building. Being salary, well that's a whole 'nother conversation.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Sep 19, 2019

The Fair Labor Standards Act may help you determine or advocate for a position on "overtime."

But in the nursing world...working off the clock is roundly discouraged. I flinch when I see my co-workers take charting home to "finish" on their non-district computer....but that's their practice. Not mine.

Best of luck!