Include "drive time" in our daily 8 hour day?

Question

Why don';t employers factor in an employee's drive time to and from work?

The employee is not traveling somewhere they want to go to do something they'd prefer to do.

Many employees in the US have an hour or more commute to their jobs... battling traffic, construction and very high gas prices.... Is it too much to ask for employers to include this grind as part of their working hours?

After all we are enduring these stresses to make someone else's business successful.

Answer 1

Don't work so far from home.

You are just a typical example of societies "It's not my fault but someone elses" culture.

Answer 2

Get real. It will never happen. I'm not sticking up for them,but it's not their fault it takes you that long to get back and forth. You have to be at work for your lunch break. I don't know about your job.But I sure don't get paid for that hour. I would rather pass on the lunch break and leave an hour earlier. Your lucky you only work eight hours a day. Think about that. Lots of jobs mine included are twelve hours a day.

Answer 3

I don't see how you could ask for you employer to compensate you for commuting. You chose where you live and to work there. It needs consideration by you.  I do consider those things part of my work. For example if it takes me a hour each way to work and I'm getting paid for 8 hours at $10 an hour, I actually made $8 an hour for 10 hours. Realistically the vehicle and fuel cost needs to be considered also which drops that pay alot more! I bring this up to people all the time and they don't even understand, they continue to commute because they're getting an extra few bucks an hour. It obviously varies and each person needs to do the math but none seem to even understand the calculation's goal.

Answer 4

Why should your employer have to pay you to sit in traffic.   You choose to live an hour away from work,   not next door.    You choose to drive,  not him.     If you don't like the commute,   move or change jobs.  

Your suggestion would only raise the labor costs your employer has to cover.   They will then seek to lower those costs by canning the workers who live farther away,   and asking all the others to do more.    The extra costs would be passed on to the customers in higher prices,  making cheap labor in India or Mexico more attractive,  resulting in every body losing their job.  

You choose to work there,   you asked for the stress.   Quit or move.

Answer 5

No, it's not fair to anyone for employers to compensate you for coming to work.  Why should someone who lives close to their job have to work harder than someone who lives farther away?  I know commuting is getting expensive, but it's your choice, not your employer's.

Answer 6

You must be kidding and you obviously vote democrat (if you vote). Isn't Obama just dreamy!! Or is it Hillary. She is going to give me $1000 for every kid I have and $1000 for every one that starts a retirement account.

By the way, those very high gas prices...ask some one to calculate how much you pay for a gallon for that bottled water you drink (all that pesky conversion from ounces to gallons...you know...) . Did you know George Bush has stock in water bottling companies?

The employer has no control over where you live. So you want to live a long way from your job (or get a job a long way from where you live). The reason gas prices are high is because you drive a car an hour or more to work. Ride a bus or train. Move closer.

I drive 30 miles, 35 minutes to work. When I decided to move here ( I live 30 miles from the DC Capital Building), I looked at the direction traffic flowed to and from work and chose a direction where I go against traffic. I haven't been late due to traffic in 6 years. I should get paid what another employee gets that drives two hours. Isn't that fair? Now that everyone is getting two hours pay each way to work, now the pay role goes up. Every body is getting 12 hours pay for 8 hours of work ( oh yes and surfing the Internet and talking on the cellphone and chatting with coworkers.)

Now the price of your product or services go up. If you are worried about someone else getting rich, start your own business. Then you can decide what to do with your money.

Did you know these evil rich people provide you with a job? Did you know there is costs to running a business? Taxes, supplies, pay, insurance, equipment, the pens and paper you take home, the computer you use (you know the one you complain about being to old and slow) all the benefits that are company paid or subsidized. Don't forget about research and development, and lawsuits. Why does that evil CEO make so much money? Because he has a skill that is in demand. When you work to develop a skill that is in demand, you will get higher pay too. And now you want them to pay you when you are not working. Next you would drive slower and use excuses like "well I am a safe driver so it takes me longer to get to work"

As a person in society, you have a responsibility to learn about what you are talking. It is obvious you do not understand business. This is why the rich democrats can tell you things and you blindly follow them.

How many people are in this country? Probably more than half do not pay taxes, children, retired, low wages, disabled and lazy. Did you stop and think where the money comes from that Hillary wants to give away? Your paycheck. Did you ever wonder where those higher taxes she and Obama are talking about are goring to come from? your pay. Did you ever think where the money that your employer is going to pay you to drive to work is going to come from? your paycheck (when you buy goods and services the price will be higher). Did you ever think if you make too much money, your jobs could go to China where it is cheaper to employ people? Go to school and learn about business and economy and then read your question again. You will then say, I sure was uninformed.