Driving your own vehicle, you have to stop by the supply house for something your boss should have at the site (and have to pay out of your pocket btw). The site is 30min away and the supply house is at the beginning of the trip. Do you start the clock when you get to the supply house, or when you get to the site?

Depends on alot of diiferent things.

Is the supply house on your way to the job site?

Did your boss "ask" you you stop and pick a couple things up, or did he "tell" you to?

You a new guy to this employer?

Were you ever late, and your boss overlooked it a couple times, maybe you goofed up and he never said anything?

Basically, what I am getting to is this.

If you want to split hairs, you should get paid from the time you hit the parts counter, until the time you normal day ends.
And you should probably get paid mileage too.

However, alot in business is give and take, you give a little and take a little.

If you go storming into your boss and demand he pay you for time and mileage, just don't ever be late, don't mess up, don't mistakenly take a long lunch, ect.....


Dnk.......

I hear ya. This was more of a discussion between me and my friend. I was for it and he was against it. I figured that normally, you'd have to show up at the site from wherever you were, just be on time. But on this day, we had to be at the parts store to get stuff to finish an install. I don't think it matters whether it's on the way or not, we had to go because the owner didn't get the stuff himself and have it at the site (which is how it was before). I just wanted to see what y'all do, in light of the other thread about company vehicles vs personal vehicles.

it seems I'm having issues posting. I don't know why this thread got double posted, and the post I just submitted a min ago isn't up. Odd.

I don't sweat the small stuff and neither does my boss. I sometimes put down 8h for 7.5 hours or 7.45 hours, but then when it comes time for me to go a little out of the way or to give a little extra effort, I still put down just 8h. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and I am certain that at the end of the year these little overages/underages are a wash and come out dead even between me and him. I know not everyone has that kind of boss or works in a shop where this is acceptable or feasible, but that is my basic philosophy on this kind of thing, barring other extenuating circumstances.

I think without a doubt you punch in at the supply house. That is if the boss knows and approves that this is the the best way to schedule the day. If you are doing this of yourselves because the boss just can't seem to get the right material out there, and the best way to do it right is to do it yourself, then clock in at the job. Consider it an expene you have to eat to save your own frustration.

I have to agree with trollog. Small companies are more informal and easy going. The labor board says you get paid when you start to work ( picking up materials is work ). If you have a good work situation and the Boss is not riding you every minute to make production and will turn a blind eye if you're ever late then you should let it ride. Many people I know want to be paid for every minute but don't think about the time they stand around on the clock doing nothing (not saying that you do). You can always tell if you are being treated fairly without consulting a lawyer.

We're pretty much the same way here. Informal, easy going, give and take. Have never had a problem with that. However, if someone whinned about having to stop at the supply house on the way in I can assure you the give and take for that guy would be gone and he would be punching a time clock.