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Star Wars Sickout
Brahmastra writes "The New York Post reports that it will cost employers $628,880,000 in lost productivity on the first two days of Star Wars Episode III - Return of the Sith . How many of you are planning to skip at least part of your workday on the first two days?"
Remember though... safety in numbers .. get a large group together and you'll likely stave off any tight-assed managers from complaining.
The findings are based on the assumption that attendance during the first two days will match that of the last "Star Wars" blockbuster, "Episode II -- Attack of the Clones," which attracted 9.4 million people in in 2002.
Challenger estimates that 4.8 million of those opening-day attendees are employed at least 35 hours per week. With those full-timers earning an average of $130.60 per day, the two-day cost in terms of lost wages and productivity would be a staggering $626,880,000, he said.
So, even estimating that their 4.8 million figure is right, they assume that all of these 4.8 million people will skip the entire day to watch a 2 hour movie? Not only do those attendance figures for episode 2 include midnight showings the previous night (I went the the 12:01 and was into work bright and early the next morning), but they don't even realize that probably *half* the showtimes are *after* work hours. I know a lot of people that are catching the Thursday or Friday evening of the show. Granted, there is a hit to production, but it's nowhere *near* the figure they speculate in the article.
-- Jinsaku
Yeah, I used to work with smokers...15-20 minutes they would spend out of each hour out back lighting up, while I was expected to keep working away with my head down. When it came time to "right-size" the organization, I and another non-smoker got the axe. Noooooo...I'm not bitter...
1000 years.
I'll be calling in for revenge of the sith...
I don't know about where you work (somewhere in the UK?), but here in the state of California in an 8 hour day employers are required to give you 2 paid 10 minute breaks and an unpaid 30 minute lunch break.
Typically only smokers actually take them. However if you don't take them, you have nothing to complain about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(drug_culture)
For you Exempt (Salaried) employees in the US, the current judicial interpretations of the labor laws do not allow employers to deduct Time Off hours for partial days worked.
In other words, a salaried employee cannot be docked 2 hours of vacation time for leaving early.
Technically if you do ANY work for the company on a day, they cannot force you to take vacation hours. (So while you are at Disneyland with the kids, send a few work emails each night....)
Your boss, however can give you grief (or fire you) for not completing the assigned tasks. - So don't abuse the privelige