can't buy me integrity

[serene]

I've been a temp for most of my life. Almost said "most of my adult life,"
but I started temping when I was 16. In all that time, I've had two
policies:

1) I never work for free.

2) I never accept pay for hours I haven't worked (beyond the contracted
four-hour minimum, and even then, I offer to work the hours, or if I like
the employer, I just waive the minimum).

This means that I often have situations like today. The boss is closing
the office an hour early, and he made it clear to me that the department
would pay me for that hour. I presented my timecard to him just now with
39 hours on it, instead of 40, along with a note thanking him for the
offer, but telling him it's unnecessary.

He was really confused, and I told him about my two policies. He doesn't
understand why I wouldn't just take the money.

I figure that I buy more with that fourteen dollars (gross) than money can
buy. I buy my integrity, along with clear evidence to my employer that I
am the kind of person who's not out to take advantage.

That's priceless.

Comments

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Well... if I were hiring a temp, and I decided to close the office early, I might feel that I owe the temp 8 hours of pay for what would have been 8 hours of work, feeling that the temp shouldn't lose money because of my decision, especially because she might conceivably have turned down another full eight-hour gig to work for me.

I'd probably have been confused at a refusal as well.

Which isn't to say that I disagree with your decision, mind you... I'm just saying I do understand being confused.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

If they were doing it all the time, and I couldn't count on my hours being mostly what they say they'll be, I might make an exception, but in general, I've temped for so many years that I am comfortable with a bit of uncertainty. And they're paying me an hourly wage, so it would feel dishonest to claim an hour in which I didn't work. (It feels that way to me for my own internal processes, but I don't think I'd be, strictly speaking, wrong or immoral to accept the money, just that it would feel wrong inside my head.)

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Nod; that's about how I expected you felt, once I read your post. But I could sympathize with the boss's confusion over the issue

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. It crosses my mind every time it happens that it's gonna happen again. :-)

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

I've also done a great deal of temp work and have similar policies. But I don't take it quite so far. I don't assume I'll be paid or ask to be paid in circumstances such as the above, but if I am basically made to leave early even when I would otherwise be staying to work and am offered the pay for the time, I accept it. Especially when it's in circumstances where the understanding is that I'll be working some set amount of hours each week while I'm on that assignment.

[papabearnz.livejournal.com]

Go the integrity! There's little enough of that around these days. I heartily respect that in you!

Wha???

[tom-allen.livejournal.com]

But serene...

I figure that I buy more with that fourteen dollars (gross) than money can
buy. I buy my integrity, along with clear evidence to my employer that I
am the kind of person who's not out to take advantage.

... you *could* buy me a present, and that would make both your boss and I feel good.

And then I'd cook you dinner.