[sallyskellington]

He is a civil/mechanical engineer for an engineering firm, now recently his office cut everyone back to 4 days a week. He is just so frustrated, I mean the loss of one days pay stinks but we are fine without it. It's the fact of his job is inundated with work it's just the architects they work with have not been paying their invoices. So my husband was working 40+ overtime and now he is expected to get the same amount of work done in "32" hours and I say it like that b/c the way his office did it is half gets off Monday the other half Fridays. Which sounds good in theory, but he ends up playing catch up from his day off and covering the work of the other guys who are off so it really ends up being less then 32 hours plus the afternoon secretary has the iq of a stalk of celery so many times the guys cover the phones as well. Not to mention my husband knows how to fix computers so often during the day he is called b/c one of the computers is down or the head boss who is as old as dirt needs him to stop and explain to him how to work his camera for not even exaggerating 14times*he had a running total going* So now my husband has just been going in on his day off and not getting paid or staying late at work and not getting paid to get his deadlines meet. I just feel so bad for him, do you guys think I should cook something or buy him a new video game or something?

[CHANDLERS WISH]

I think, your husband should shop around, look for somewhere else, apply until he find somewhere and leave.

In Australia, that firm would be reported but the problem is everyone needs their jobs to survive, so they don't say anything and they can't quit.

His boss obviously has no idea how to run a business, choose his workers.

Massage his shoulders, cook a nice meal why not

But, start sending his resume out....

CW

[sourpuss]

It will be hard, but what he needs to do is put his foot down and only do what is required of the job. He doesn't need to tell anyone that's what he's doing but he just needs to be 'too busy with his work' to answer the phone, fix a computer or help run a camera. He needs to do it for his own sanity. It's hard to do when you're a hard worker because it goes against everything you believe. But in the end he'll end up driving himself crazy and resenting everyone he works with and for.

In the mean time, try to make his life away from work as stress free as possible. Make sure he doesn't have to do the grocery shopping when he gets home, or clean house on the weekends. But make sure that he knows you're doing it to make his life easier and that he also needs to take some steps to make life less stressful. No one else is bending over backwards at his job (I'm guessing) so I doubt they notice that he is. If it were going to get him a promotion or better pay or keep him from getting laid off, then I'd think differently about it. But if it's just the nature of the company to get as much out of someone as they can for as little as possible then he needs to take a stand and just do his job, as it's required and let the others figure out their jobs on their own.

[jns]

Staying late is better than going in on a day off. On a day off, you can put in your resume, or relax or do a lot of other things. Staying late you can find some time that doesn't have fires to fight, so you can get your work done. If he has to, he has to put in unbreakable appointments on his day off, such as doctor or dentist. This will only have to go on until the others are broken of their dependence. He should strive to get everything done on paid time. He should possibly let some less important things lapse.

He also has to not show his skills unless he is compensated for them. As such, he has to not find a solution for the problems others bring. Or warn them that a fix he will attempt could make things worse and have it happen every so often, that is: be undependable, specifically talking about computers. He does have to, however, maintain his competence in his job as it was described when he was hired.

Use the day off to find another job.

I am an engineer in a union shop. Unfortunately, engineers tend to think they have better ideas than the next one and usually aren't unionized and as such don't get the benefits of working collectively.

[WildChild]

He will deal with his work situation as he feels best and he isn't asking our advice on that. Sally is asking what she can do to be supportive and help relieve some of his frustration.

Absolutely cook him something special, make some treats. I know you are in pain with your back so giving him a full massage may not be an option but how about a scalp or foot massage?
Oh and a little sex would probably not go amiss.

[rcoreyus]

Make sure he understands that you appreciate all the work he is doing. The job market is terrible and there may be nothing he can do about his situation now.