<p>I've heard a lot of rumors that those in CM (field engineers, project engineers, estimators, construction managers) are required to work very long hours (60 hours a week or so) yet they do not receive any compensation for it-whether it be comp time, straight time, or overtime. Any truth to this?</p>
<p>Salaried employees (as opposed to hourly paid workers) are not generally paid overtime.</p>
<p>Seconding swimcatsmom, and adding that nearly all professionals, engineers or otherwise, are salaried. You're expected to get the job done. If the job takes sixty hours a week, so be it-- you're still paid the same.</p>
<p>At our company, a frequent snidely-snicker-around-the-water-cooler topic of conversation is how the interns can and often do rake in more per paycheck during the summer months than the young engineers. The interns are paid hourly, so all their hours "count", so to speak... ours don't.</p>
<p>We do, however, have permanent jobs. We have health insurance. We have great benefits. Plus, the amount of overtime we put in, in addition to whether or not we get the job done right, are factored in to our bonuses, raises, and promotions.</p>
<p>(This is for structures, but CM is pretty much in the same boat. It's a fairly typical boat to be in for professionals.)</p>
<p>The general rule is no, you don't get anything for working overtime as a salaried employee. Some of my colleagues, including myself, have gotten compensatory time, but it's not an official policy and we don't always get it. I got a day off because I worked on the Saturday before Labor Day until 11pm. This only applied to superintendents and not so much for people in project management. On my last project, nobody got anything for working on weekends, though the annual bonuses were pretty good. As you can see, it varies widely. </p>
<p>As for the 60 hours per week, I wouldn't say that's average, though it does happen every now and then. If you're working on a project that's on an accelerated schedule, that's definitely possible (6 days x 10 hours/day) if you're working in field supervision and there aren't enough supers to rotate for Saturday work. I'd say you should expect to work closer to 50 hours on average though.</p>
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At our company, a frequent snidely-snicker-around-the-water-cooler topic of conversation is how the interns can and often do rake in more per paycheck during the summer months than the young engineers. The interns are paid hourly, so all their hours "count", so to speak... ours don't.
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<p>Ha, that was true for me for a couple of weeks!</p>
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though the annual bonuses were pretty good.
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If you don't mind me asking, what is considered good bonus? How many % of your annual salary would be considered good?</p>
<p>OP - If you are unsure of what you heard before was true or not, what makes you think what we say are true or not? Heck, we could be the same people. And no, salaried employees usually don't get paid overtime.</p>
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OP - If you are unsure of what you heard before was true or not, what makes you think what we say are true or not?
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<p>Well, this goes for the entirety of this forum, now, doesn't it? ;) Caveat emptor. We'll give advice, but everyone around here has to use their best judgment as to whether or not it's halfway-decent advice.</p>
<p>I also work as a construction project manager and am on salary. PMs in my firm bill a minimum of 40 hrs per week and often work on weekends. Comp time is sometimes allowed, but not an official policy. One is expected to be available when the contractors are, usually starting the day before 7am. Often work goes on during holidays too, depending on the project. My firm is involved with alot of higher education projects that must be completed before school begins each semester, making for many late nights and weekends even over the December/January holidays.</p>
<p>interesting...</p>
<p>I heard from the salaried employees that their bonuses were pretty good. I don't have any numbers for you.</p>
<p>My annual bonus is about 10% of my salary, in structures... Depends upon how the group is doing, and how the economy is doing. Unlike archiemom and ken285, though, we never get comp time, so I don't know how that would comparatively affect bonuses.</p>
<p>You either get bonuses OR your salary is broken down into an hourly rate and you are paid that.</p>
<p>I got a bonus at one of the companies I worked with as an intern (hourly rate). I don't think it's the norm though.</p>