I started my new job today, but I was not informed of the working hours. As it turns out, my work hours are from 8:45 am to 5:15 pm with an hour-long unpaid lunch break. The pay is decent, at $25 per hour, and they have already mentioned that they plan to offer me a permanent position after my three-month contract is over. It's a small company, and they observe every holiday, providing 12-14 and birthday off, paid holidays, 10 vacation days, and 5 personal/sick days, as the boss explained to me during the benefits discussion.
I had always assumed that the workweek would be 40 hours, but it turns out that I'll be working 8.5 hours per day and only working for 7.5 hours. I would prefer to take a shorter lunch break and leave work early, which would feel more productive. However, even with the 2.5 hours lost, I may be making the same amount as I did in my previous job. I am unsure if it's something I should raise as a big issue or just deal with it for now.
Although the other job offer I received was for a $25 per hour salary and a 40-hour workweek, it had no benefits or PTO until after a year of employment, no holidays except for Christmas, and a 9 am to 5:30 pm work schedule, which had a shorter commute.
So, is losing out on 2.5 hours per week a significant problem? Or, since staffing agencies are expensive, will the company have me work the full 40 hours once they hire me permanently?