Dear Editor:

A well-staffed well run emergency operation leaves employees on the clock no more than 12 hours a day.

This is a sustainable amount of work time for up to three weeks of continuous duty.

Beyond 12 hours a day, productivity decreases dramatically and ‘burn out’ can occur.

However in a setting where meals are provided ‘on the job’ and where sleeping and ‘cleaning up’ is done on site (no travel required) it is possible to work 16 hour days indefinitely. (the difference between personal time and work time blurs and productivity does decline in this environment)

 

Working two weeks straight:

At 12 hours a day the County’s new plan pays 89% of what the old plan paid.

At 14 hours a day the County’s new plan pays 94% of what the old plan paid.

At 16 hours a day the County’s new plan pays 98% of what the old plan paid.

 

For the first two weeks of 12 hour days:

Original pay plan – 12 hour days:

8 hours X 5 days X 1.0 hours = 40 hours administrative pay

12 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 90 Hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

12 hours X 2 days X 1.5 hours –= 36 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 166 hours paid for 84 hours worked.

 

New pay plan – 12 hour days:

8 hours X 5 days X 0.0 hours = 0 hours administrative pay

8 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 60 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

4 hours X 5 days X 2.0 hours –= 40 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekdays)

12 hours X 2 days X 2.0 hours –= 48 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 148 hours paid for 84 hours worked.

 

For the first two weeks of 14 hour days:

Original pay plan – 14 hour days:

8 hours X 5 days X 1.0 hours = 40 hours administrative pay

14 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 105 Hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

14 hours X 2 days X 1.5 hours –= 42 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 187 hours paid for 98 hours worked.

 

New pay plan – 14 hour days – :

8 hours X 5 days X 0.0 hours = 0 hours administrative pay

8 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 60 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

6 hours X 5 days X 2.0 hours –= 60 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekdays)

14 hours X 2 days X 2.0 hours –= 56 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 176 hours paid for 98 hours worked.

 

For the first two weeks of 16 hour days:

Original pay plan – 16 hour days:

8 hours X 5 days X 1.0 hours = 40 hours administrative pay

16 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 120 Hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

16 hours X 2 days X 1.5 hours –= 48 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 208 hours paid for 112 hours worked.

 

New pay plan – 16 hour days – :

8 hours X 5 days X 0.0 hours = 0 hours administrative pay

8 hours X 5 days X 1.5 hours = 60 hours (emergency overtime pay – weekdays)

8 hours X 5 days X 2.0 hours –= 80 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekdays)

16 hours X 2 days X 2.0 hours –= 64 hours (emergency double-time pay – weekends)

TOTAL = 204 hours paid for 112 hours worked.

 

Yes, they really cleaned up that pay plan.

B. Vigilant