Talk about Bartlett

[alphadude]

yea it only took me three days to get DD. 

[Rennhack]

Is this 1000 hr/yr so you have to requal annually? If you qual one year is this good for all subsequent years? Does it work like their 401 contribution and insurance eligibility once your in, your in?

As the quote says, TOTAL employment, not CONTINIOUS, (overtime not included) please read it again:

Direct Deposit
Direct Deposit is also a topic where employees have suggested a change, especially employees who support outages. To that end, employees will be eligible for direct deposit once they have worked 1,000 regular (excluding overtime) hours.  Regular hours will be tracked begining January 1, 2006.  The 1,000 hours will be based on total regular hours worked, not continuous employment.

The changes will go into effect on Monday, August 7, 2006. 

[SloGlo]

whatta employment lure.  work a half a year 'n yer eligible fer d.d.   afreekeenmazing!  not that d.d. is a bad thing, i'vw had it fer so long i woodent know what to do with a real paycheck.  'n it's so useful, the money is ina bank on payday fer me to use, no matter where i am.  but having to wait a half year?  puhleeze. 

[vikingfan]

while many may be excited that big blue is finally goona offer DD to its outage workers, whom i will assume for the sake of argument is their bread and butter of thier business sector, I do not think that it should take 1000 hours of service for employees to be eligible when other companies offer it to you from day 1. just my opinion.

[Lorrie Henson]

Vikingfan, I totally agree.  My husband received DD while working at CY.  After leaving CY and going back to outages only, the DD has never stopped.  Plus, last season, when Jim went with Atlantic Group, his very first paycheck was DD.  I just don't understand why it should take someone 1000 hrs of working to qualify for DD, especially if they have been a long term employee to begin with.  Just my $.02.

Lorrie

[Camella Black]

Ever heard the saying you can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all the people all of the time (or something like that)? Guess that goes for nuke workers as well 

I see it this way: I have to save X amount of box tops to get that free apron, or I have to fly X amount of miles to get a free ticket, or I have to spend X amount of money to get a rebate; And now I (or rather Henry) will have to work X amount of hours to get D.D.

[hamsamich]

Maybe gollnick is right, but I don't see why a company the size of bartlett can't just do direct deposit and get er done without all this hokey "we will give it to you after x amount of hours."  It really doesn't bother me, I'm just trying to look at it from both sides of the coin.  It's supposed to save companies money by reducing admin.  not complainin' just wondering, why?....,  as I often do.  it seems petty, and from a bidniss point of view, I don't get it.  just like the holding of your relatively small bonus for 4 months seems petty for a medium sized company like Bartlett.  things like this just don't seem quite right.  then again, I'm JAD HP.

[Dream Tar Heel]

Hey, we wanted it!

We got it!

All is good, at least today..........this time.

[Eric_Bartlett]

...I don't see why a company the size of bartlett can't just do direct deposit and get er done without all this hokey "we will give it to you after x amount of hours." It really doesn't bother me, I'm just trying to look at it from both sides of the coin...it seems petty, and from a bidniss point of view, I don't get it.  just like the holding of your relatively small bonus for 4 months seems petty for a medium sized company like Bartlett... things like this just don't seem quite right.  then again, I'm JAD HP.

From what I'm being told the company needs to roll DD out over a period of time as compared to making it available all at once do to financial/credit restraints.  I guess they feel if its rolled out over the next few months it will have less of an impact on our creditors than an all at once type deal.
As far as the bonus situation goes, I can tell you that it frustrates me as well.  Bonuses are not only an incentive for technicians but also a staffing tool for me as a recruiter.  If a bonus is 4+ months late being paid it's lost all its future appeal as recruiting tool...the reasons behind late payments are varied - everything from we cant pay it until our clients pay us, to still wait'n on client approval and sign off, to still wait'n on final tabulation from S/C - Now here is where I get myself into trouble w/the company - I agree with you, once its earned it should be paid, no ifs, ands, ors, or buts - well I hope I've shed some light, however dim - at least your hearing what I'm hearing.

Eric

[hamsamich]

Thanks Eric.  I don't know you except from here but your name is Bartlett.  It's good to know somebody at least has an idea of what is what.  Yeah no ifs ands or buts.  The major Bennie of being the company is the company gets a cut of what we make.   One of the major Bennies (or should be) of being a little techie is getting your $$$ within a reasonable amount of time.  But like I said, it has seemed to get better over the last 2 years, coincidence or not.

[Eric_Bartlett]

...The major Bennie of being the company is the company gets a cut of what we make.   One of the major Bennies (or should be) of being a little techie is getting your $$$ within a reasonable amount of time...

We do get a cut, but with in reason - the only thing we make money on is the hourly rate - diem, travel and bonuses are what we call a direct pass thru - basically we bill what gets paid out w/no profit margin built in.  As I said I fully agree that one of the bennies of being a tech should be getting your money on time, and I'll keep pressing that issue until its done in a adequate amount of time.   
I appreciate the comments, keep 'em coming - if you have a problem, an issue, or need me to look into something don't hesitate to contact me via phone, e-mail or personal message thru nukeworker.

Eric

[NukeWifeKW]

Just to put my twocents in where it isn't wanted, but here goes.  Direct Deposit is work for those in the payroll department.  We have to get all the infomation complete, and even then it takes time for it to become active.  At least one full payperiod.  If anything changes (and it always does), once again, a waiting period.  We also, by law, have to keep files on all of that paperwork for each individual.  With all of the identity theft, I'm surprised that more people aren't a bit paranoid about giving out their banking information.

I'm not talking payroll for your outages, etc.  I'm talking from just your average company who pays over 200 employees every two weeks, and we have electronic time clocks.  Payroll is work and paying attention to detail.

In a company the size of Bartlett, with workers who flow in and out of work, all I can say is that their payroll must be a nightmare, and those must be the most organized people in the world to get out checks on time, along with Per Diem.  My hats are off to them.  In all the time my spouse has worked for Bartlett, I've had no complaints about him getting his check on time and correct.  I have had go arounds with at least one other employer on how they handled payroll. 

Direct Deposit is a sweet deal.  I love having it.  Still, it's work, and Bartlett's payroll is a HUGE job, from what I read.  If you're getting a check on time, be thankful.  I'm actually impressed that they're willing to do it for outage employees.

[Roll Tide]

There is a way to make DD affordable for the company. Stop paying any other way. It is the route chosen by the US military (a condition for enlistment today).

(Of course, there will be riots at first and distrust forever.)

[alphadude]

its nice to see that people are doing what they are paid to do?  perhaps an infrastructure change with updated software and people skills will grease the wheels?

[Chimera]

Thanks, Eric, for keeping all of us in mind back there in the trenches of the home office.  It is appreciated.

I know there aren't too many of us "old timers" left still following the road-tech way of life.  I started doing this over thirty years ago.  I've worked for companies that no longer exist and that a lot of people never even heard of.  I have noted anecdotaly out here on the road, that the one thing that will stir up a tech faster than anything else is having problems getting a paycheck on time and for the correct amount.  It seems it's always been that way.  In that regard, I have always appreciated Bartlett's way of doing business.  You know what to expect when you show up and what to expect when you leave.  That's important.  While direct deposit is a wonderful thing, I'm just happy to get the correct amount in my paycheck and on time.  As soon as I have my thousand hours completed for this year, I intend to take advantage of the service, but I've never had any problems with the "old fashioned" paper paycheck on Fridays.

Eric, as the most visible representative of the company, thank you (and everyone else there in Plymouth) for taking care of all of us over the years (even the disgruntled ones - laughing).

Michael

[RRhoads]

OHHHHH the flurry of activity today!
ONLY AFTER Atlantic posted a couple jobs..Bartlett posts 8! AND 1 even w/ PAY & DIEM rates!!! Again only after Atlantic posted the same pay rates for a certain outage.
I think it's GREAT that Atlantic is holding Bartlett's feet to the fire!
Competition IS a GREAT thing!!! But ya know...Bartlett has NOOOO problem staffing ANY outage!
Hope everyone can hold out for more money...there is obvioulsy MORE in the pipeline to go around as evidenced  by todays activity!

[RemBoy]

Actually........ The big "B" is having problems staffing this Fall.  They're short on a few outages, short by alot.

Look at all the posts!  Jeeeeeeez, read between the lines.

[RRhoads]

Actually........ The big "B" is having problems staffing this Fall.  They're short on a few outages, short by alot.
Look at all the posts!  Jeeeeeeez, read between the lines.

yeah...i've been doing this long enough that i CAN read between the lines...my Sarcasm is lost on you dude!
Get some more posts under your belt & then maybe YOU can read between the lines!

[illegalsmile]

they're short on just a few outages? lookin' at the job board it appears they're short on quite a few. o well, there's fixin' to be an outflow from INL......maybe some of those folks will take up the slack

[RRhoads]

they're short on just a few outages? lookin' at the job board it appears they're short on quite a few. o well, there's fixin' to be an outflow from INL......maybe some of those folks will take up the slack

seems like they are kinda settled down & into a long-term gig.
From my take on reading that thread...
But ya never know...if the $$$ is right...
Figures i go house & the diem is up to at least 100 a day!
Mon-thurs ain't a bad gig tho!

[Eightmile]

Just a quick question on Bartlett since I haven't traveled except with one company, but is travel pay always so low?  Is that something that's set by the client in the contract?  So much lower than the standard business rate and capped?

[illegalsmile]

Travel pay is usually part of the contract and as such, is set by an agreement between the contractor and the client (read "plant").

[Eightmile]

Travel pay is usually part of the contract and as such, is set by an agreement between the contractor and the client (read "plant").

Thanks, I thought as much from seeing at least one other mention of mileage for a different plant.  Guess I shouldn't complain since the diem makes up for it, it was just a bit of a rude awakening.

[RemBoy]

Anybody else get the "You won't work for Bartlett again" speech for not going where you didn't want to this Fall?

[Already Gone]

I don't see what the big deal is.  If they really need you somewhere, all they have to do is send you there.  The fact that they actually gave you a choice indicates that they needed you equally at either place.