a VERY simple way to create new jobs.

I will say right off the bat that corporate America is scared to death of this. Corporate America controls our government with their money, so this is unlikely to ever happen.

It may come as a shock to you that tens of millions of "salaried" workers work between 60 and 70 hours a week, every week, and are required by their employers to do so.
If a basic law was passed in the United States that "salaried"workers were no longer required to work more than 50 hours a week, you would litterally free up possibly hundreds of millions of work hours for the currently unemployed.

I have worked retail management for the last 17 years, for several different companies. Though I will not name them, because I am currently employed by one, THESE COMPANIES ARE HUGE, AND ARE NATION WIDE. I have been salaried for the entire expanse of this time, by every one of these companies, and they have required me to work 60-70 hours a week every week.

If Every person in this country who was salaried, was only allowed by law to work 50 hours a week, the amount of man hours to be replaced would be in the hundreds of millions.

No I do not think this would take care of unemployment as a whole, but I honestly believe it could cut it by 1/3 to 1/2. Which would be huge for the country as a whole.

Just a side note, I attempted to contact the White House via E-mail, regarding this idea. The response was the typical "Dear concerned citizen, we are with you on the jobs issue, and are doing everything we can to address all of your concerned, be sure we have a plan".

For all those contemplating contacting the White House, with any ideas whatsoever, save your breath.

This is how France manages the challenge.

35 hour work weeks.

Max of 220 hours of OT per year.

~37 vacation days per year.

And if you are sick, you are entitled to the time it takes to get better.

Now you know why the Corporate propoganda machine of the United States hates France. They don't want their sheep to have dreams of a better life.

I hate to sound like this but, so what? The problem is not the lack of thought or input of ideas. The ideas to create jobs are everywhere.
The problem is, why arn't any at all being implemented? People sit on their hands because of the agenda. You should know this.

This is the darker side of capitalism. We can include limiting the percentage of part time workers as well. Most corporations attempt to only hire part time employees so they avoid providing benefits.


We could also rebuild our power grid, water and sewer systems nationwide.

[edit on 30-6-2010 by LDragonFire]

I've always thought that it would be worth starting a thread on what our western leaders could do better... for example, I live in London, England, and would like to see people on benefits have to contribute something to the community before picking up their wage. Take single healthy people on unemployment benefits and tell them they have to clean rubbish, paint benches and remove graffiti from park areas.... create a single mother community where single mothers make the choice to either contribute to the community (for example cook or deliver OAP meals or clean the local area) or work in school type buildings helping to look after their own children and those of the mothers that decide to work... Take into account the potential to work on farming (self sufficient styley) growing cheap crops for the community they live in, and all of a sudden, we have eradicated the unemployment list to those that can't work due to disabilities... too easy isn't it? Maybe the powers that be need us to be dependent... ha, ha... is that an understatement?

It’s all in plain sight isn’t it.

Peace.

reply to post by dreamwalker74


The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 set out to make rules for salaried employees and who qualifies for overtime. Since that time the law has been expanded for the very purpose you described. Companies were hiring their entire workforce as salaried and requiring they work unlimited amount of hours. So congress stepped in to try to solve this during the great depression, doing exactly what you said.

I have also been in corporate management for over 10 years. What has happened is that companies started getting sued like mad in the late 90's causing major employers to redefine salaried employees appropriately. Now it is not uncommon to hear of managers who are paid salary up to 50 hours and then are paid overtime hours for anything over 50 hours.

The one thing about this law is that while some of the major employers have changed their pay policies to be in line with the law, many employers still have not. I will not kid you by telling you companies do not like a well informed workforce, and anyone showing an interest in fair labor issues are removed at first sight.

Generally, for an employer to pay salary 51% of the salary persons duties must be managerial type of duties. A salary person must also have at least (2) people they are in charge of supervising, unless their work is of a professional nature. In addition to these things, a salaried person must be paid $450 a week at least. This is a short list of the requirements. It is important to note that a salary employee is qualified for salary on a week by week basis. So if for a whole week the salaried employee does hourly type manual labor or duties then they should be paid overtime.

There are also qualifiers that apply to small business. In order for a company to qualify under FLSA they must be engaged in interstate commerce or supportive interstate commerce and make $500,000 or more in gross sales. If your company does not then no worries, a worker may be individually covered depending on what they do.

The point of this post is to tell you and others reading it, that in theory, your idea is already LAW. It just takes educating workers to stand up for their rights. The great part about this law is that you can recover back wages from the employer generally for up to three years. In some states like California, the state will triple the damages if they find the employer knowingly misclassified a position to gain more work for less pay.

reply to post by zroth


I have heard this debate and, I want to make it very clear, there is a huge difference between 50 and 35 hours a week. If you diagree you are already likely in the 35-40 hour zone. What I am talking about is salarlied workers, not hourly. Here's to the hourly individual who's company supports them and is willing to give them the overtime to work that additional 20-30 hours a week. What I am talking about is the fact that employees, who have a "set pay", regardless of how many hours they work, are being taken atvantage of. With proper training we could create millions of full time jobs, just based off of the extra hours salaried employees would no longer legally be able to work.

We are on the same page. My point was that by limiting the amount of hours that you can work, more positions are required which results in more opportunity with less unemployment.

The problem is here in the states, the corporations are fine with 70-100 hour work weeks because they know you will burn out, get sick or die. They also know there is someone to replace you for less money and that is good for their bottom line.

your heart is in the right place but there is no place for it in big business. People need to rise up in this nation and demand a better life, which includes labor laws that are suited to healthy lives.

reply to post by dreamwalker74


Dreamwalker I think your idea is great , and I believe that Obama and the dems might agree with this and could put this through in short order. The problem is how to get this suggestion to them in the first place in a way that could really spark some legislation. Any Ideas anyone?

reply to post by ExPostFacto

Thank you for your reply, I am very familiar with most of the laws you have just stated. Mostly becuse the majority of my employers have been sued under these laws. The ways they get around this are amazing. I currently am paid salary up to foury hours a week, at that point for every hour I work over 40 hours a week I am given "salary plus" which is 1/2 of my average salaried hour. This currently works out to 7$ an hour for every hour I work over 40 hours. Note: below minimum wage. Not exactly overtime. All the laws you state have barely gotten through, for one simple reason. The monster companies that can pay teams upon teams of lawyers have gotten around they system with the forementioned type of judgement. The 50 hour, Nationwide Law, would take away the corporations ability to completely screw their workers in this way.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Actual fact and disclosure, I worked 68.23 hours last week. As a "salary plus" employee, I earned $14.28 per hour for the first 40 hours and was paid $7.14 per hour for the remaining 28 hours which I was required by my comapny to work.I work for a BIG corporation. So much for the current laws working.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Actual fact and disclosure, I worked 68.23 hours last week. As a "salary plus" employee, I earned $14.28 per hour for the first 40 hours and was paid $7.14 per hour for the remaining 28 hours which I was required by my comapny to work.I work for a BIG corporation. So much for the current laws working.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Actual fact and disclosure, I worked 68.23 hours last week. As a "salary plus" employee, I earned $14.28 per hour for the first 40 hours and was paid $7.14 per hour for the remaining 28 hours which I was required by my comapny to work.I work for a BIG corporation. So much for the current laws working.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Actual fact and disclosure, I worked 68.23 hours last week. As a "salary plus" employee, I earned $14.28 per hour for the first 40 hours and was paid $7.14 per hour for the remaining 28 hours which I was required by my comapny to work.I work for a BIG corporation. So much for the current laws working.

reply to post by ExPostFacto


Actual fact and disclosure, I worked 68.23 hours last week. As a "salary plus" employee, I earned $14.28 per hour for the first 40 hours and was paid $7.14 per hour for the remaining 28 hours which I was required by my comapny to work.I work for a BIG corporation. So much for the current laws working.

reply to post by dreamwalker74


Sorry for the serious multi post, computer glitched out on me.

Well I guess if you don't mind destroying people's property rights and intruding into people's lives against their will then maybe your idea is worth considering.

I was hoping you would say you could start gardening in your back yard. Then you'd have something that would actually help people out.

While I like the fact your are thinking about solutions, your idea destroys wealth and therefore makes everyone much worse off as a result. When someone works less hours it means less productivity. Less productivity means higher prices. I prefer to pay low prices for my goods and services. In fact, that is what happens in healthy economies. The cost of stuff goes down over time. What you are advocated raises the cost of goods.

I strongly encourage you to think about creating jobs that increase the wealth in an economy without threatening violence against innocent people.

reply to post by Phantasmagoria



Those are fantastic ideas. Absolutely people should have to chip in in someway to get benefits. Even if it is just picking up rubbish, cooking for shut ins, etc.

Kinda like in the old days we people all pulled together in their communities.

That is a great idea but it won't happen. Here in Europe you are not supposed to work more than 45 hours per week but a lot of people do.

reply to post by bluemooone2


Obama and the Dems dont really work for you. Thats part of the problem. All ofour politicians work for the wealthy interests who want you to work 60-70 hours a week on the cheap.

Thats why the laws favor them.