Emailing this morning with my current boss about my group of facilities folks who are being transitioned* to a huge multinational corporation. We salaried people currently work 35 hour work weeks. Please note; it's literally never been only 35 hours. We're so short staffed that my managers and I are all working 45+. The new company refuses to tell us the working hours for the salaried employees after the transition. I asked them to put it in our offer letters.
Boss: “MULTINATIONAL CONGOLOMORATE does not mention anything about hours in their offer letters. That is their policy since they do not track hours for salaried employees. That is my personal policy too. As we discussed, my wording intentionally avoids reference to 35 or 40 hours or anyone's policy. It is worded in the way it is since my view is everyone (especially leadership) already works whatever time is necessary to get the job done and therefore it is not based on 35 or 40 hours.
Me: “Understood. Like I said, I'm okay with that. Some people might read that and say something along the lines of: Since you don't track those hours, we probably shouldn't have to bother tracking vacation, personal, or sick leave either.”
Boss: *crickets*
Why is it a one-way street? Why do companies get to say that your time is all ours, and we'll let you know if we think it's okay for you to have a life. They specify in the offer letters the exact vacation/pto policy days, but they won't specify work hours? It is 60 hour weeks? WHAT IS THE POLICY? If it's 40, doesn't it make sense that you give us a 12% increase to cover the additional expected hours over 35 after the transition? They say no.
I've been in the corporate world 25 years, and maybe this is my priveldge talking, but I'm done bending over for these dictators. Power to the people!
*transitioned means “sold to the lowest bidder.” Also comes with a side of “you can apply for your own job or enjoy being unemployed.”