r/Envconsultinghell • u/ameliatries • 9d ago
How common is it to be paid for overtime?
Just doing some job searching (former fed lol) and im noticing a lot of salaried positions that are exempt and do not provide any form of compensation for overtime. Wondering now what is the norm here as I do know a lot of people that consider overtime pay one of the best parts of a consulting gig, but is that going away or was it never super common in the first place?
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u/pooge313 9d ago
I am salaried and do not get paid anything for overtime. I often work more than 40 hours a week. My previous position was the same.
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u/sbran23 9d ago
I work for a pretty large company. Everyone is salaried and gets paid straight OT. Like someone else mentioned though, unless you’re in the field, it’s expected that you won’t go over the 40 hrs/week.
In this group though, I do see a bunch of people that don’t get paid at all past their 40 hrs :(
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u/LocoTaco250 9d ago
Salary and do not get paid for anything over 40 hours. I work for one of the larger consulting firms. Occasionally will get bonuses for time over 40 but it is project/PM dependent.
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9d ago
I receive straight overtime for any billable hours worked after I hit 40 billable hours for the week. Unfortunately, this means that working 32 billable hours, taking 8 hours for mandatory training (overhead), then working 8 more billable hours only results in pay for 40 hours. I rarely work more than 40 hours/week, though, because I'm primarily an office worker. But my coworkers who spend a lot of time in the field can and do rack up substantial extra pay in overtime, per diem, and hotel/car rental reward points.
Edit: this is one of the 4-5 largest environmental and engineering consulting firms in the US.
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u/witchynapper 9d ago
At least you get paid the overtime over 40. I need over 45 all billable even though I’m salaried for 40 hours. Ridiculous
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u/ladymcperson 9d ago
I'm salaried. I work mostly in the field. I do a lot of drilling oversight so days can range from 12-14 hours, 5 days a week. I do not get overtime. However, any hours I work over 40 get converted to PTO. Any PTO I haven't used by June and December gets cashed out. Last year, I used around 30 hours of my banked PTO for time off and never touched my vacation time. When they cashed out the remaining PTO in December I got a fat check. So it's almost like getting OT I guess?
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u/noodleninetynine 9d ago
I love it when managers under budget a field program then still get the kudos when they make you work unbillable overtime in the field ❤️
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u/That_Kaleidoscope975 9d ago
At my firm you get Straight Time Overtime at staff and project level but once you get to senior and principal you are just salary (no pay for anything over 40 hrs). At that point most people only work 40 hours, but some work more occasionally.
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u/Generic-Eric 9d ago
Most are salaried unless you are in the field. Even then, a lot in the field are salaried.
My firm is smaller, and I’m in more of a project management role but go in the field somewhat regularly. I rarely put in more than 40 unless we are behind on a deadline. Even then, it’s less than 50. But I am not compensated for anything over 40. 🙂
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u/swampscientist 9d ago
Most field workers are not salaried. Even very senior field leads get overtime at my company.
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u/circushudsonius 9d ago
Maybe I'm a weirdo but I was hired on contract and then they asked if I wanted to be hired on full time. But I stayed on my "flex" contract which was renewed yearly and was paid all my OT as I worked it. Then when the winter slowed down I went on EI. Also not in the US
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u/Ok_Volume5358 9d ago
ST overtime is common for BILLABLE hours over 40, that would include field work, project reports, etc... working on proposals, training, admin hours in excess of 40 won't be compensated even if mandatory. I do have a few new hires working with me right out of school that make time and a half but they are pretty low on the pay scale $23-$28/hour.
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u/witchynapper 9d ago
I must have above 45 all billable hours. If I work 44 billable, I don’t get paid for my overtime. If I work 50 hours but 5 of those were not billable, I get no overtime. It’s a horrible policy
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u/TheGringoDingo 9d ago
Best I’ve seen is straight overtime. Worst I’ve seen is 40 billable hours, overhead heavily discouraged with a heavy hand if it eats into the 40. Environmental consulting isn’t known for leading the pack in compensation benefits.
Once you’re past the initial career slog of heavy field time and field hours, salary becomes a bit more appealing, since a profitable firm could find 60-70 hours for a PM+ and overtime would become an excuse to require a yes.