8 hrs a day “working,” govt job?

[Anonymous]

Coffee with a supervisor definitely counts as work!

I would try to focus more on outcomes. If it’s a busy week with lots of important projects moving, you may work more than 40 hrs. A slow week? Don’t stress about taking done extra breaks and leaving early. Do what you need to do to get your work done well.

Last week, for example, I decided to tackle a difficult, stressful, and important task. I blocked off a morning with no meetings. And I worked 30 mins, took a 30 min break, repeat, from 9-12:30. So only 2 hrs of work, not 3.5! But the task got done. I could have easily been busily working that whole time with just a 15 min break, but on lower impact work. So this was the best option from my employer’s perspective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coffee with your supervisor is work. Full stop.

For your other questions, please read your agency policy on work time and how to track/allocate it. You may also have a union to consult.

For most federal agencies, your lunch period DOES NOT count as part of your 8-hour day. Perhaps your agency is different. The 15-minute breaks do. You should aim to be "available to work" for the hours of your workday. Tossing in a load of laundry is the equivalent of using the restroom or a coffee chat - that's fine. Running an errand that takes an hour during your 30-min lunch period? You're unavailable, add that to the clock.

This. We were so swamped where I worked that there were rarely 8 hour days. But then, I'm a professional and have lots of responsibility. No one who wanted to be taken seriously just worked 8 or did the minimum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For my work, it's not 8 hours, it's 8.5.

I think it depends on your workplace, but my agency has flexible start and stop times, but no freedom to take long breaks in the middle of the day (other than your 15 min breaks and lunch).We aren't allowed to take "quick errands" without taking annual leave. I had a coworker who wanted to take an hour break daily at 9am to take his kids to school and HR disallowed it. They said he couldn't make up the time later and would need to take an hour of annual leave daily.

Talking to your boss= work.

That seems like a short-sighted move by the employer. As long as the employee is getting the job done and being productive, why not give him that flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For my work, it's not 8 hours, it's 8.5.

I think it depends on your workplace, but my agency has flexible start and stop times, but no freedom to take long breaks in the middle of the day (other than your 15 min breaks and lunch).We aren't allowed to take "quick errands" without taking annual leave. I had a coworker who wanted to take an hour break daily at 9am to take his kids to school and HR disallowed it. They said he couldn't make up the time later and would need to take an hour of annual leave daily.

Talking to your boss= work.

That seems like a short-sighted move by the employer. As long as the employee is getting the job done and being productive, why not give him that flexibility.

I think 9-3 are considered as "core hours"

[Anonymous]

walking to the coffee shop

Most people would never do this, working from an office, unless it was their lunch time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

walking to the coffee shop

Most people would never do this, working from an office, unless it was their lunch time.

If working for the government this would be considered time card fraud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

walking to the coffee shop

Most people would never do this, working from an office, unless it was their lunch time.

Really? Going down the elevator and outside to the ground level coffee shop is fraud? It takes about the same time as walking out of my cubicle area, down the hall, and to the rest room

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

walking to the coffee shop

Most people would never do this, working from an office, unless it was their lunch time.

If working for the government this would be considered time card fraud.

If this is true, then my coworkers and I committed fraud almost every work day. We would routinely go and grab a coffee at the shop inside of our building.

[Anonymous]

Yep. Agree with PP. I have a similar schedule 2 15 min breaks and 30 min unpaid lunch. The 15 min breaks are really just an allowance for it to be okay to say “I’m going for a quick walk” in the middle of the afternoon stretch.
In my opinion, it doesn’t mean you need to be charging full force the rest of the time. Our brains don’t work that way. But it does mean you should be at your desk, accessible and responsive to rest of the time.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who has 3 kids with no childcare. It sounds like she does 2 hours of work per day.

[Anonymous]

Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that's why I poop on company time.

I like to follow that motto in regards to the entire working day.

As long as my work for each day is accomplished and I don't miss any meetings or deadlines, I take as many breaks during the day as I want.

This afternoon I went to the pool from 3-5:30 because I finished a long project and my brain was fried. My tailbone was DONE, DONE for the day as well. I needed to move (more than just standing). I came home, showered, cooked some dinner, and now here I am checking my email to see if there was anything else that needed done for today. There was not. I feel no guilt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For my work, it's not 8 hours, it's 8.5.

I think it depends on your workplace, but my agency has flexible start and stop times, but no freedom to take long breaks in the middle of the day (other than your 15 min breaks and lunch).We aren't allowed to take "quick errands" without taking annual leave. I had a coworker who wanted to take an hour break daily at 9am to take his kids to school and HR disallowed it. They said he couldn't make up the time later and would need to take an hour of annual leave daily.

Talking to your boss= work.

That seems like a short-sighted move by the employer. As long as the employee is getting the job done and being productive, why not give him that flexibility.

Because it is time card fraud and the easiest way to get yourself fired in the federal government. Also, you can’t be watching kids at home before they go to school either if they’re little.

[Anonymous]

You don't leave work and go somewhere else

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The way I approach it is not to overthink it. Just get your work done and don’t worry about counting the minutes.

+1 You’re way overthinking this, OP. As long as you get your work done and are available for your allotted 8 hours, you’re good.

I think that depends on the office. We were expected to be working the full time, other than our 2 15's, and our lunch break. Working might involve email, but there were no Twitter breaks or anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't leave work and go somewhere else

You’re the person who made the two precious posts as well, right? Lol