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Amazon Is Testing a 30-Hour, 75% Salary Workweek (washingtonpost.com)

Posted by msmash on from the work-life dept.

Amazon is planning a pilot program in which a select group of workers will need to work for 30 hours a week, instead of the usual 40 to 70 hours, and make 75 percent of the salary + benefits (alternate source). From the report:Currently, the pilot program will be small, consisting of a few dozen people. These teams will work on tech products within the human resources division of the company, working Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with additional flex hours. Their salaries will be lower than 40-hour workers, but they will have the option to transition to full-time if they choose. Team members will be hired from inside and outside the company. As of now, Amazon does not have plans to alter the 40-hour workweek on a companywide level, the spokesman said.

7 of 193 comments (clear)

  1. This is the wrong answer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    They should be trying out "30 hours a week, 100% of the salary and benefits."

    I thought Bezos idolized the sci fi future when no one would have to work?

    1. Re:This is the wrong answer by blackomegax · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What makes you think people working 30 hours are doing any less work than people working 40? Most people only do 5-10 hours of real, actual, work in a week. the rest is fluff.

    2. Re:This is the wrong answer by Fragnet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      As a dev who works 50-60 hours a week, I'm not sure I really agree. My working day tends to be mornings drinking coffee, meetings, fiddling about with code and discussing options with other developers. After about 3pm I tend to get into the zone. I finish around 7 and sometimes work weekends if there's a problem I'm particularly keen to solve.

      The guy sitting at the next desk to me is a different story though. He seems to alternate between Facebook and Chrome, with brief 5 minute coding sessions. I'm not a snitch but it does fucking annoy me. I suppose it's like that in many places. A few key staff shoulder most of the burden and the rest blag a pay cheque.

    3. Re:This is the wrong answer by Moheeheeko · · Score: 5, Insightful

      clearly you've never worked a manufacturing job.

    4. Re:This is the wrong answer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      what makes you think that 30 hours per week people will do anything differently? If people only work roughly 25% of their time (as you seem to indicate) what makes you think that those who work 30 hours wont?

      You seem to assume that if you only work 5 hours a week, therefore you will only work 5 hours a week regardless. What you miss is reason for it. I.E. getting into work, being tired, opening computer and BSing, then eating breakfast, and lunch, and talking at a cooler, etc.. all this won't change just that you be there less time.

  2. Well this is an interesting spin.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Alternative title: Amazon offers 30-hr/week employees benefits. Cause, reducing them to 30 hrs and paying less isn't some kind of amazing benevolent thing. The only mildly special thing is offering benefits.

  3. 40 hour week is a myth by Art+Challenor · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'd go for this in a heartbeat, except that the 40 hour work week is a myth at Amazon (and most large US companies for exempt employees). I suspect that 30hrs would become just a couple of hours less than the full time (60-80 hour) employees for 75% salary. If it was really 30 hours, you could work 30 at Amazon, 30 at Microsoft and get 150% of your salary for working the same number of hours as "full time".