s/o on work/life balance thread-what full time jobs are just 40 hours a week?

Anonymous
I work for a government contractor in the higher ed sector, and we are not allowed to bill staff for more than 40 hours per week. It's rare that I work over 40 hours per week, and if I do, I take comp time.

The immediate working environment of my office is very family-friendly; about half my coworkers are women with kids (although I am the only one with a preschool child), and if I provide enough notice, my supervisor is happy to let me take leave to take care of things like kids doctors visits. I've never gotten any blowback for taking sick leave on short notice if my kid is sick.

OTOH, the larger organization in which we work is not particularly family-friendly. Any maternity leave is unpaid, and although they carry a short term disability that can be used for maternity leave, it's pretty dismal (2 weeks at 60% pay).
Anonymous
Federal employee here. I can tell that the anti-government employee posters have never worked for the government. I have worked for 2 agencies and and have never worked in an office where 40 hours/week was the norm--we all worked more. We can't put more than 40 hours on our timesheet but the reality is our jobs call for more than 40 hours. I get no paid maternity leave beyond sick/vacation I save up. So drop the idiotic comments, please. Our support staff probably works 40 hours but they're the only ones in my sphere who do.
Anonymous
I work in publishing and only work 40 hours a week.
Anonymous
Agree with 09:45. This whole "Gobment" lazy workers is a common meme but has little basis in reality. I work in IT security for a large .gov agency, and my average day is 10-11 hours. Add in emergencies, weekend / after hours upgrades, hair on fire audits, etc. and you are no where near 40 hours.

I guess people don't understand that .gov, especially in the DC area, is not typically hourly wage type of work, where you clock in and out (to wit, we are not the DMV or auto-workers, etc.). Rather, it tends to be highly specialized, skilled, and high stress / responsibility. Contractors doing the exact same job with the same amount of hours typically make 1.5-2 times as much in salary.
Anonymous
OP here. Thanks so much to all who responded. I have been thinking of trying to find part time work after baby two arrives but I know it will be tough to find a professional part time position and seeing the thread about the people who worked part time but it not really being part time has me a little concerned. It is a bit depressing that there seem to be so few options out there that truly offer the work life balance I am looking for. And unfortunately, I cannot stay with my current company where they know me and know my work because they recently spun off from another company and seem to have gone nuts. Thanks again.
Anonymous
RN. I work 36 hours a week, am well paid and love my job. Not really physically difficult: we help each other. Stressful? But good stress. I hold peoples lives in my hands. I'd best be at the top of my game.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:RN. I work 36 hours a week, am well paid and love my job. Not really physically difficult: we help each other. Stressful? But good stress. I hold peoples lives in my hands. I'd best be at the top of my game.


well paid? how much do you make as an RN? I've been a nurse for 12 years and have done the gamut (from hospital ICU nursing (staff and agency) to working for a pharmaceutical company to being a nurse practitioner) and I'd never say I was "well paid". The only time I ever broke 6 figures was when I was working two jobs at once and barely slept.
Anonymous
I work for a nonprofit. The pay sucks but the hours are usually just about decent enough to make up for it. Almost. I've worked 3 12-hour days in the last 3 days and I'm pretty crabby about working the same hours that caused me to leave the private sector. (and a much bigger salary.) Most of the time, though, it's a 40-hr week, and if I manage my time right, I can often work out at lunch.

My job isn't remotely challenging, though, and my career path is completely stalled. I'm not always sure it's worth the tradeoff from the interesting job with long hours.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:RN. I work 36 hours a week, am well paid and love my job. Not really physically difficult: we help each other. Stressful? But good stress. I hold peoples lives in my hands. I'd best be at the top of my game.


well paid? how much do you make as an RN? I've been a nurse for 12 years and have done the gamut (from hospital ICU nursing (staff and agency) to working for a pharmaceutical company to being a nurse practitioner) and I'd never say I was "well paid". The only time I ever broke 6 figures was when I was working two jobs at once and barely slept.


maybe you have a different definition of well paid. i wouldn't need to reach 6 figures to call my job well paid.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The Federal Government.


LOL...it's true. More specifically, federal employee. Union dictates hours, breaks, hard to get fired, everything. Sweet deal!


Clearly you are not in government.

Unions do not universally apply to all government workers. It's not that hard to get fired, actually, if there are good managers. We -my small agency- have fired at least 1/2 dozen people in the last few weeks.

Also, as to the hours, almost every agency is expected to do more with less (and yes, your services will suffer. Thank you Eric Cantor and crew) with the current budget situation. And, your expected to do it with pay freezes, less staff, higher insurance premiums/retirement contributions on the horizon and with the contempt of people like this poster. 8 hour work days do not exist in almost every position in my agency -save for one particular business unit. But, keep perpetuating this myth. Because it is just that.


Agree! As I sit here still on my blackberry after working 10.5 hours today, then coming home and having my blackberry ring while I was trying to help my child with homework, I long for that elusive 40 hour per week government job!!!


yes, please share with my DH when you find it!
Anonymous
Well Paid?

I have a nice car, support both rent and a mortgage, 2 wonderful puppies and I have enough money to do spiffy things that I like to do. I'm well paid.

What do you need? 6 figures? I'm sorry for you....if you need that much to be happy.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:RN. I work 36 hours a week, am well paid and love my job. Not really physically difficult: we help each other. Stressful? But good stress. I hold peoples lives in my hands. I'd best be at the top of my game.


Agree, I'm a RN and I wouldn't say we are "well paid" we definitely do pretty well. Physically demanding would depend on which specialty you choose, some really difficult on your body. That's why I prefer the NICU, smaller humans= smaller poo's.
Anonymous
It's funny I always thought RNs had a lot of mandatory overtime/ flexible shifts (that would make finding childcare difficult). not that I have $ or time to go to nursing school...
Anonymous
Work at a nonprofit. 40 hours a week. Wouldn't say I'm well paid but we do ok.

Nurses? Isn't that typically shift work? Before care isn't open in time to get to work at 7, right? How do you do it?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Work at a nonprofit. 40 hours a week. Wouldn't say I'm well paid but we do ok.

Nurses? Isn't that typically shift work? Before care isn't open in time to get to work at 7, right? How do you do it?


Hospital work is shift work, but there are plenty of other options. Homecare, visiting nursing, consulting, auditing, private practice, surgicenters, are just a few I can think of that offer flexible hours. Lots of daycare centers open prior to 7am.
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