[SASAG] Are you exempt?

[Jeff Silverman]

On 01/16/2011 05:51 PM, tallpaul at speakeasy.net wrote:
>
>
> I'm conducting an informal survey:
>         * Are you classified as exempt (from having to be paid overtime)
>         by your employer?
>
> Your title would also be of interest to me, as well as how you are 
> compensated (if at all) for being on call.
>
> My only experience in WA state thus far has been at UW and my current 
> employer. My recollection from UW (a state institution after all) is 
> that many (most?) System and Network Administrators are titled "Sr. 
> Computer
> Specialist" and are classified as exempt.

When I was at the UW, I was titled Sr. Computer Specialist and a number 
(2? 3? I forget).  I was salaried exempt, and I didn't care because I 
was having so much fun.

When I was at Real Networks the first time, I was a temp so I got paid 
overtime.  When I was at Real Networks the second time, I was salaried 
exempt.  I would get calls at 2 in the morning (while I was on call, I 
slept with a laptop) and that was a drag.  Definitely not as much fun as 
working at the UW.

Now I am at F5 networks.  My job title is "Network Support Engineer" and 
I am hourly.  Not as much fun as Real Networks, definitely not as much 
fun as the UW, but I am paid a lot better and I have as much job 
security as anybody in this business can have these days.

The reason why I am discussing fun as that I notice that people will do 
useful things for free if they are having fun doing it (Consider Boy 
Scouts and Girl Scouts).  I am not having as much fun doing what I am 
doing now as I did at my previous jobs.  But in today's market, if you 
have a job, that's a Good Thing.  While money will not buy happiness, 
lack of money makes it hard to be happy.


Jeff Silverman