If you work 80% (or similar), what do your hours, salary, and benefits look like?

[Anonymous]

I am thinking of asking my employer (small law firm) if we can work out an 80% schedule. There is no precedent for this at this firm and I am not really familiar with how the nuts and bolts work for those who do it. I am envisioning being in the office 30 hours a week, billing 20-25 (I am not very efficient, I realize this). Is that reasonable, or does 80% really mean 40 hours/week (which is a little less than what is expected now)?

Also, I am not sure how receptive the partners will be to this request. I was thinking of pitching a salary reduction (but how much?) and also giving up benefits. I can get health insurance through my DH, could contribute more on my own to retirement, etc. Is this the norm? Or is it the norm to keep benefits? What about vacation time, sick time, reimbursement for expenses like bar registration fees, CLE's etc.? Thanks for any input!

[Anonymous]

I switched to 80 percent at a large law firm (though I don't think they ever actually lowered my salary). 80 percent to me meant 80 percent of what I was otherwise expected to do. So if I was otherwise expected to bill 2000, I would be expected to bill 1600. Likewise, I expected 80 percent of my previous salary. I kept all benefits, and vacation/sick time is kind of an amorphous concept at a large firm anyway.

[Anonymous]

I worked an 80% schedule for a short period of time. I received 80% of my salary and retained my benefits (since we are automatically guaranteed benefits for anyone working more than 20 hours/week). I got annual/sick leave at a reduced rate that corresponded with the hours worked.

Our work week is 35 hours (9-5, with an hour for lunch). I went to 28 hours, and worked 4 days/week (9-5, with an hour for lunch).

I don't work for a law firm, though, I work for a nonprofit. Potentially much more flexible.

[Anonymous]

I practice law in-house at a large company.

I used to work 80%, now work 60%. I work three full work days and am expected to bill 60% of what I would bill were I full-time. I do not work on my off-days unless there is a true emergency.

My benefits are pro-rated as are PTO and paid holidays. If I got health insurance through my employer this might be an issue (paying more for same coverage as full-timers) but we have health and dental through DH.

[Anonymous]

I worked 80% at a law firm. I was expected to bill 1600 hours a year instead of 2000. That translated to billing about 6.5 hours a day (ie, 133 hours a month, and with approx 20 weekdays in a month, give or take). So I was in the office for 7.5 hour days on most days. However, to take any vacation time, I needed to ramp up extra billing hours. So for a 2 week vacation, I would need 65 extra billing hours in the bank, so to speak. I probably was more obsessed with counting my billable hours on an 80% schedule than when I was billing 2400 + hours a year.

[Anonymous]

I work at a technology firm with a 75% schedule. I get paid hourly (for anything over 30 hours but less than 40). I get prorated (75%) vacation but full health/dental benefits.