I began my new job on Wednesday, but I was surprised to learn that the hours are different from my previous hourly office jobs. I was accustomed to working 40 hours per week, but this job only requires me to work 36 hours, Monday to Thursday from 8:45 am to 5:15 pm (with an hour lunch) and Fridays from 8:45 am to 4 pm (also with an hour lunch). Although I'm working as a temp to perm employee, I am concerned that I'll miss out on holiday pay and other benefits if I stay on after my three-month contract ends. Although I managed to negotiate my hourly wage to $25, I have very little work to do, and I spend much of my day pretending to be busy.
While the boss is relaxed and easy-going, and provides constructive feedback, I'm concerned about the lack of work, which has resulted in too much downtime. Despite the potential for growth in the future, given that the person I work with is 65 years old, I'm considering another job offer that pays the same hourly rate but requires a full 40-hour workweek. The other job, however, has no benefits, except for Christmas holiday and no 401k plan until after one year of service. In comparison, my current job offers a 3 percent match, as well as 10 days of PTO, 13 paid holidays, and three personal days, although the workweek is only 36 hours.