I ask as an environmental consultant. If you're not familiar with environmental or engineering consulting, we are required to hit what are called utilization goals. These goals are the percent of your 40+ hour work week are “billed” so a Client's project. My, and most of environmental or engineering consultants, have to hit 90% utilization, depending on the Company. I know of others that do not have 90%.
So basically it means that our employers only pay for our salaries 10% of the time. This is usually charged as Admin. If you get sick, have to do some training, have to fill out safety sheets, etc. all of that goes to Admin time. If you go below 90% you get fired.
To me, this is inherent exploitation because our employers don't even really pay us. We have to depend on other companies to give us work, or we are fired. I know some of you on here will begin to explain that this is because we sell our labor and not a product, as if I didn't already know this.
I'm just really curious about others thoughts on this industry.