[Publib] Fair labor standards in public libraries -- briefsurvey

Tue Sep 22 17:05:10 EDT 2009

It seems that the definition of 'exempt' as not being
authorized overtime would be decided at the state
level.

In Rhode Island, it was determined in Superior Court
that the rank of Assistant Director on down was essentially
clerical and therefore eligible for collective bargaining.

Collective bargaining contracts define overtime.

*************************************************
Robert L. Balliot
Skype: RBalliot
Bristol, Rhode Island
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com/contact.htm
*************************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]
On Behalf Of Sharon Foster
Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 4:49 PM
To: Jillian Lashmett
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] Fair labor standards in public libraries --
briefsurvey

In fact, the word "exempt" does not appear anywhere on my paystub or
in my letter of offer, or in my copy of the employee manual. As a full
time employee, I am a member of the "professional" staff. However,
neither job title nor number of hours work are determinant in the
exempt/non-exempt question.

Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
Technology Librarian
http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
"Have you tried switching it off and on again?"

On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 4:31 PM, Jillian Lashmett
<jlashmet at cumberland.lib.nc.us> wrote:
> Mr. M.,
>
> You do think we are dumb lot, don't you? I'm pretty sure that most people
> notice when they do not receive the same overtime benefits that other
> employees do.  I notice.
>
>
> Jillian Lashmett, Librarian I, I&R
> Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center
> Headquarters Library
> 300 Maiden Lane Fayetteville, NC 28301-5000
> Phone (910) 483-7727 ext 224
>
> jlashmet at cumberland.lib.nc.us
>
> ________________________________
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of backwage at aol.com
> Sent: Tue 9/22/2009 3:43 PM
> To: fostersm1 at gmail.com; publib at webjunction.org
> Subject: Re: [Publib] Fair labor standards in public libraries --
> briefsurvey
>
>
> To question 4, 70 are exempt, 24 are non-exempt, and 6 aren't sure how
> their position is classified.
>
> And I bet you that 76.2% of them don't know what the terms mean, and
> probably aren't really exempt even if they think they are.
>
> M. M.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com>
> To: publib at webjunction.org
> Sent: Tue, Sep 22, 2009 11:43 am
> Subject: Re: [Publib] Fair labor standards in public libraries -- brief
> survey
>
> One hundred people responded to my survey.(That makes it really easy
> to calculate percentages, doesn't it?)
>
> 97 work in public libraries.
>
> To question 2, 12 responded "Association," 81 responded "Government
> unit," and 6 responded "Not sure." It has been called to my attention
> that the term "Association library" is not universally used, so let's
> just think of the 18 non-government units as "Other."
>
> To question 3, 18 are union members, 81 are not.
>
> To question 4, 70 are exempt, 24 are non-exempt, and 6 aren't sure how
> their position is classified.
>
> I thought I would have to work at finding a correlation or two, but it
> seems clear that most of us work in a public library that is a
> government unit, do not belong to a union, and are exempt from the
> overtime pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
>
> What strikes me about this is that apparently we all have a great
> degree of discretion and independence in how we conduct our jobs
> (that's from the Department of Labor definition of exempt), and we are
> the only town employees who do not belong to the same union as all the
> other town employees. It's been explained to me how some states dance
> around that--for example, public libraries are funded by the
> jurisdiction, and not really the town or city, despite all external
> appearances to the contrary. But why is that so? Why, for example,
> aren't police services or firefighting services handled the same way?
> Why are public libraries a special case? We didn't cover this in
> Foundations class--or maybe I slept through it.
>
> I'm not asking for responses, at the risk of going off-topic, but if
> anyone has some resources they'd like to share, please email me
> privately.
>
> Thanks for your time,
> Sharon
>
> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
> Technology Librarian
> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
>
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com>
wrote:
>> Wow, that was fast. The survey has already received 100 responses,
>> which is the maximum allowed for my free surveymonkey account. Thank
>> you all very much. I will post the results shortly.
>>
>> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
>> Technology Librarian
>> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
>> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 7:09 PM, Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>> It's 4 questions now, but much simpler. Please just answer for
>>> yourself. All replies will be kept in strictest anonymity.
>>>
>>> http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=R5QvuFhNgDkDME8V1pbzWw_3d_3d
>>>
>>> Right now this information is just for my own edification. I'll leave
>>> the survey open for one week.
>>>
>>> Thank you for your time,
>>> Sharon
>>>
>>>
>>> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
>>> Technology Librarian
>>> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
>>> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 5:55 PM, Sharon Foster <fostersm1 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Two very short questions, please respond privately to me, and I will
>>>> summarize for the list.
>>>>
>>>> 1. Are you and your co-workers members of the town employees' union?
>>>>
>>>> 2. Is most of the staff at your place of work exempt or non-exempt?
>>>>
>>>> Sharon M. Foster, JD, MLS
>>>> Technology Librarian
>>>> http://firstgentrekkie.blogspot.com/
>>>> "Have you tried switching it off and on again?"
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org
> https://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Publib mailing list
> Publib at webjunction.org
> https://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>
>

_______________________________________________
Publib mailing list
Publib at webjunction.org
https://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib