Regional Differences

[cornflake]

I've always worked in either the deep South or the Midwest, and have been a salaried professional for every full-time job I've ever had. The "face-time" expectation was a minimum of 8 hours of WORKING time each day to account for a 40-hour workweek; if you are salaried you are expected to add extra time onto your day to account for your lunch break, so most people do not take an hour except in unusual situations. 30 minutes is very much the norm for everyone, even executives unless they are having a "lunch meeting." The expectation is that if you expect to be able to regularly walk out the door at 5 pm, then you'll have to regularly arrive no later than 8:30.

IME it is usually spelled out in the company handbook what the number of minimum hours in the unclassified workweek are, and that lunch does NOT count. (It also more often that not explains that you cannot choose to skip lunch in order to "legally" arrive later or leave earlier than usual.)

Huh, weird. I've mostly only worked in the northeast and every office I know of that runs on traditional office hours has expectations of 9-5. Lots of people don't take a full hour for lunch or eat at their desks but no one says anything if people do go out to get lunch, run errands, etc., nor are people expected to arrive before 9.

Executives or people with a lot to do, etc., may choose to come in early, but I used to temp in college and all the offices (and there were many, in very varied areas and types of businesses) all ran on a standard 9-5 expectation. As a temp you weren't paid for lunch but could only take half an hour instead of an hour if you wanted - but still worked 9-5.

Many medical jobs are, because that is the usual "day shift" on the hospital clock.

See, this is doubly weird because while I'm sure some shift work does hold to that, here a lot of shift work is 8-4, 4-12, 12-8.

I worked those hours at one job and I HATED it. Wicked long day.

Speaking of regional differences.... I read that, kept scrolling down the page and then scrolled back up to check you were near Boston.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

LOL- I couldn't believe it when I heard that in some places you had to pay if you wanted to do school sports, clubs etc!

Book fees blew my mind too- can't even get half the kids parents to buy the supplies they need nevermind pay fees for books!

Property taxes kill me too--people in places pay less than 6,000 a year in property tax!

Guess that's why you have money for school sports and books!

When we bowl we usually bowl candlepin, not duck pin.

I had no idea there was more than one way to bowl, or what either of those terms mean.

One thing I've noticed is the concept of the "next town." People say "just go the next town" as if every town was no more than 10 minutes from the next one. There are lots of places in the U.S. where the next town is 30 minutes or an hour away.

Then there are those of us who live where all the towns just run into one another. No one around here says "go to the next town", it's more like "go to 5th and Main" whether 5th and Main is in my city or another nearby.

I've always wondered something since the movie 9 to 5, and it could be a regional difference. Typical full-time office work hours here (Texas) are 8-5 (8 hours with a 1 hour lunch break). Do people really just typically work 9-5 in New York or other parts of the country? Do you work through lunch?

I always thought "9-5" was misleading, too. In Southern California and in Colorado, people work at least 8 hours a day (in a typical office job). Hours are usually 8-5, or 8:30-5:30, etc. We do not get paid to eat lunch, whether salaried or hourly. Exactly as NotUrsula explained it.

I have often worked closely with people in NY, and they all worked 9-5 (or 8-4, etc)... 7 hours of actual work. Even when they worked for the same company as I did, their work hours were shorter. "No fair!" we said . They said it's because the commute is so bad in NY. Maybe compared to a small town, but I was working in L.A. at the time! We spent hours commuting, too, but we did it in cars. At least on the train/subway, they could read, pay bills, sleep, etc. Never understood that. But that is one sweet deal you folks have going on, working 35 hours and getting paid for 40!!

Why would you not get a lunch- I work 8-4 and get paid for 8 hours....all jobs I have ever worked you get paid for your lunch break.

Lucky!! We get a lunch, We just don't get paid for it. It's personal time, we go out and chat with friends over lunch, run errands, or surf the 'net while we eat at our desk. We're not working, so it would never occur to us to expect to get paid for that time.

'Course, then you have the business lunch. If you're taking a client to lunch or having a meeting over lunch, you do get paid for the time it takes above your normal lunch break. So if the business lunch takes 1.5 hours and you normally take an hour lunch, you get paid for the extra half hour. This is when everybody says they only take a half hour lunches.

 

[cornflake]

I have often worked closely with people in NY, and they all worked 9-5 (or 8-4, etc)... 7 hours of actual work. Even when they worked for the same company as I did, their work hours were shorter. "No fair!" we said . They said it's because the commute is so bad in NY. Maybe compared to a small town, but I was working in L.A. at the time! We spent hours commuting, too, but we did it in cars. At least on the train/subway, they could read, pay bills, sleep, etc. Never understood that. But that is one sweet deal you folks have going on, working 35 hours and getting paid for 40!!

I think y'all are just suckers!

I can't imagine my reaction if someone told me I was expected to come in at 8 and stay til 5 on the regular, for no particular reason.

 

[Becky2005]

So, would you say "I'm on the plane," or "I'm in the plane?" If someone said they got on the plane, would you picture them sitting on top of it?

My DH gives grief about this saying all the time! If I say something about ON the plane (which is funny since we have never flown anywhere together)...his comment was "YOU can be ON the plane but I would like to be IN it". We both grew up in Illinois practically in the same area, so just him being annoying.

Then again the first time my DH told me he was washing the "bed clothes" I had no clue what he was talking about -- I thought he was washing pajamas or something. I was perplexed until I figured out he meant the sheets!

I know several regional differences just because my sister moved around a bit after getting married. Then again, I always find Illinois a regional difference among itself. I went camping one time in southern IL and needed to find a straw....they looked at us like we were insane when we asked if they had straws at the little store near the lake. Turns out they are officially "drinking straws" -- I had never called them drinking straws in my life but they had no clue what we wanted until we could figure it out and that was only a few hours from where I live!

I never knew there were school districts that supplied EVERYTHING including paper! Even when I was in school in the dark ages we still had to bring our own paper/pencils to school.

 

[sasywtch]

The state of CA and most counties require their offices to be open 8-5. Depending on our positions, some can work different shifts while others who help customers must work the 8-5. I work 7:30am-5pm 4 days a week and then every other Monday I work 7:30-4pm and have the opposite Monday off. They won't allow us to do the 4-10's. We elect to either have a 30 minute or hour lunch unpaid. Unpaid due to state law that they must have us away from our work for at least 30 minutes to eat and if you go off property, they aren't responsible for you. If you go off property during your break and you get hurt, the employer is responsible for you.

Difference I noticed when we moved for awhile to Oklahoma from CA...
The waitress' seem to wait on the men first which was odd for me.

No selling cars on Sundays in Oklahoma. Heck, that's a good day to go out and look at cars in California. The car sales person took my husband out to look and asked me if I'd like to stay in the showroom. Ummm NO. It's my car
That was odd to me.

The break and lunch laws weren't as strict in OK or if they were, the companies didn't adhere to them as they do here in CA.

Within a day of moving into our new house in OK, as someone else mentioned, the neighbor came down to introduce herself and asked what church we go to. CA-that's definitely not the first question you'd ask a new neighbor.

CA-4/5 year old starting kindergarden, OK 5/6 years olds so my daughter was the youngest in her highschool. Driving in your freshman year was odd to us.

The wedding thing is also a little different as I am also one that is surprised by the $$ expected as a gift instead of a tangible gift. (now it's getting to be cash or gift card but I've never heard of the cost of covering your plate).

How much vacation/holiday time in other countries vs here.

Amazed at the trip reports by Canadians and UK on how long they can stay both dollar wise and time wise in WDW or DL. I love reading their first time trip reports though.

Canadian Boards-love to read the differences and the different foods they come across the border to get.

 

[Michelle67]

I'm not sure if someone already said this and I missed it, but the undie thread just reminded me:

I say dresser "drawer." My husband (from Long Island) says "draw."

Ladies: does it bug you to be called ma'am? Or is it just normal/expected/completely ingrained? (Guys feel free to chime in on the sir issue, but I don't get the impression that guys really care about this one way or the other). I bring this up because my niece is a transplant from WA state to Texas, and it bugs the daylights out of her that everyone keeps calling her "ma'am." It doesn't bug me, but it bugs some of my other friends because they say it makes them feel old.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

When DH and I went to Louisiana to vist family, he had such a laugh over drive-through Daquri places, which seemed like one on every block. He said he hadn't seen so many drive-up windows since we were in Washington State and saw all of the coffee places....but that is what makes Louisiana so special......drive-through alcohol.

 

[Michelle67]

When DH and I went to Louisiana to vist family, he had such a laugh over drive-through Daquri places, which seemed like one on every block. He said he hadn't seen so many drive-up windows since we were in Washington State and saw all of the coffee places....but that is what makes Louisiana so special......drive-through alcohol.

Haha! Yep...drive through liquor places were such a shock to me the first time I saw them, but we do have coffee on every corner. I got a laugh out of listening to the one-sided conversation when my niece from New Jersey was up here once, and called one of her friends...she was saying "No, REALLY. They're EVERYWHERE. I dunno, they're like these shack things and you drive up and get coffee. It's good but....man, it's EXPENSIVE!"

 

[EMom]

I'm not sure if someone already said this and I missed it, but the undie thread just reminded me:

I say dresser "drawer." My husband (from Long Island) says "draw."

Ladies: does it bug you to be called ma'am? Or is it just normal/expected/completely ingrained? (Guys feel free to chime in on the sir issue, but I don't get the impression that guys really care about this one way or the other). I bring this up because my niece is a transplant from WA state to Texas, and it bugs the daylights out of her that everyone keeps calling her "ma'am." It doesn't bug me, but it bugs some of my other friends because they say it makes them feel old.

If she is staying in Texas, she might as well get used to ma'am. She will hear it all the time and not just from kids. It's the polite thing to do. We were raised on ma'ams and sirs. It has very little to do with age, although you would definitely use it to address a man or woman older than yourself. You'd have more leeway with someone your age and younger, but it is NOT used to imply that you think someone is old.

If I'm in a checkout line and the woman in front of me walks off, forgetting a bag of groceries, I'd call out, "Excuse me, ma'am, you forgot your groceries," no matter what her age. Same for a man. Children have gotten more lax about their yes ma'ams and no sirs, but we'd have been skinned alive if we would have failed to use them growing up.

 

[ilovemk76]

Hmmm, I always understood "bankers' hours" to refer to a shorter workday, like ending at 3:00 (going back to the old days when banks closed at 3, and there were no atms )
Maybe that's another regional difference

Do people you know work in corporate settings, law firms, governmental offices? Everyone I know in those jobs works 9-5 (or 9-5:30, 8:30-4:30, etc.) The hours of 7-3:30 would be a police officer, firefighter, nurse, hospital shift worker.

Interesting how things are different.

I know lots of people in those kinds of jobs and most have flex hours. There is a set time that they have to be in but they can start and end when they want. For example, the set hours could be 9-2. Some will start at 9, some will leave at 2 and others will arrive before 9 but leave after 2.

 

[golfgal]

Aren't your regular business hours 9-5? Unless everyone is a SAHM, I can't see how it's possible. I work 9-5 in NYC. I get home about 6 p.m., then have to cook,so we usually eat by 6:45 or 7 p.m.

No, most people I know work from 8-5, they work 8 hours and get an hour unpaid lunch. Most people I know don't actually TAKE a lunch break either, they just eat at their desk--which is why no one wants to work with eastcoasters here, they are never in the the office....

Commutes here are RARELY longer than 30 minutes. Most people I know that have two working parents plan ahead and put something in the crock pot or make it up the night before so they just have to put it in the oven, or they use the time bake setting on their oven and the food is mostly ready when they get home. Dh's office is only about 10 miles away and takes 15 minutes, depending on how you hit the stop lights....

Why would you not get a lunch- I work 8-4 and get paid for 8 hours....all jobs I have ever worked you get paid for your lunch break.

8-4 is only 7 working hours. I can't believe companies actually pay you for "full-time" when you are only working part-time. Most salaried employees here WORK 45-50 hours/week. I also seem to remember getting bashed for making a comment about the work ethic in other parts of the country, just kind of proves my point....

It's a garage sale in our area...

 

[spacemountainmom]

When I worked full-time, our office hours were 8-4:30. That was pretty typical around here. It would take me about 20-30 minutes to get home depending on traffic. When dd came along, a stop to pick her up from daycare added at least another 15 minutes to my commute.

DH always has worked in some kind of service job so he gets home later. His commute is long too so traffic often dictates when he gets home. We generally don't eat until 7:00 most nights. I do feed the kids earlier on Church night, but usually dh and I have date night while they are at Church.

If we have an evening event, sometimes we eat before and sometimes after. It depends on the timing and when dh gets home.

My dh grew up and always had dinner at 5:30, no matter what. My dad worked later so we always ate after 7:00 when I was growing up.

 

[aprilgail2]

Do people you know work in corporate settings, law firms, governmental offices? Everyone I know in those jobs works 9-5 (or 9-5:30, 8:30-4:30, etc.) The hours of 7-3:30 would be a police officer, firefighter, nurse, hospital shift worker.

Interesting how things are different.

At my job we have the choice to bid different hours--I could work 6-2 or 7-3 or 10pm-6am or midnight -8..or 4pm-12am or 730pm-330 am....once you have seniority you have the pick of hours and job locations--I could work anyplace from Montauk-NYC North short-south shore....whichever works for me...

 

[KristaTX]

Ladies: does it bug you to be called ma'am? Or is it just normal/expected/completely ingrained? (Guys feel free to chime in on the sir issue, but I don't get the impression that guys really care about this one way or the other). I bring this up because my niece is a transplant from WA state to Texas, and it bugs the daylights out of her that everyone keeps calling her "ma'am." It doesn't bug me, but it bugs some of my other friends because they say it makes them feel old.

If she is staying in Texas, she might as well get used to ma'am. She will hear it all the time and not just from kids. It's the polite thing to do. We were raised on ma'ams and sirs. It has very little to do with age, although you would definitely use it to address a man or woman older than yourself. You'd have more leeway with someone your age and younger, but it is NOT used to imply that you think someone is old.

If I'm in a checkout line and the woman in front of me walks off, forgetting a bag of groceries, I'd call out, "Excuse me, ma'am, you forgot your groceries," no matter what her age. Same for a man. Children have gotten more lax about their yes ma'ams and no sirs, but we'd have been skinned alive if we would have failed to use them growing up.

That was one thing that shocked me on the DIS, and I was telling my husband about it just last week. Ma'am and Sir are ways to show respect, and kids are taught to say "Yes/No Ma'am/Sir" when replying to adults. And adults do that in situations like the one above at the grocery store.

So if you don't use ma'am or sir, and a stranger is trying to get someone's attention like in the grocery situation, how do you get the person's attention ? "Excuse me, person"? "Hey you"?? Run up and tap them on the shoulder??

 

[golfgal]

That was one thing that shocked me on the DIS, and I was telling my husband about it just last week. Ma'am and Sir are ways to show respect, and kids are taught to say "Yes/No Ma'am/Sir" when replying to adults. And adults do that in situations like the one above at the grocery store.

So if you don't use ma'am or sir, and a stranger is trying to get someone's attention like in the grocery situation, how do you get the person's attention ? "Excuse me, person"? "Hey you"?? Run up and tap them on the shoulder??

We just say "excuse me". It works.

 

[tlbwriter]

Do people you know work in corporate settings, law firms, governmental offices? Everyone I know in those jobs works 9-5 (or 9-5:30, 8:30-4:30, etc.) The hours of 7-3:30 would be a police officer, firefighter, nurse, hospital shift worker.

Interesting how things are different.

In my area, regular office hours are always 8-5. Unpaid lunch hour.

See, this is doubly weird because while I'm sure some shift work does hold to that, here a lot of shift work is 8-4, 4-12, 12-8.

Around here it's 7-3, 3-11, and 11-7.

Most people I know that have two working parents plan ahead and put something in the crock pot or make it up the night before so they just have to put it in the oven, or they use the time bake setting on their oven and the food is mostly ready when they get home.

Really? Everything they eat is baked or crockpot cooked? No stovetop cooking?

8-4 is only 7 working hours. I can't believe companies actually pay you for "full-time" when you are only working part-time.

That puzzles me, too.

 

[golfgal]

In my area, regular office hours are always 8-5. Unpaid lunch hour.



Around here it's 7-3, 3-11, and 11-7.



Really? Everything they eat is baked or crockpot cooked? No stovetop cooking?



That puzzles me, too.

For the most part, probably. What do you really make on the stovetop though, boil some noodles for spaghetti, etc.?

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I went camping one time in southern IL and needed to find a straw....they looked at us like we were insane when we asked if they had straws at the little store near the lake. Turns out they are officially "drinking straws" -- I had never called them drinking straws in my life but they had no clue what we wanted until we could figure it out and that was only a few hours from where I live!

What other kinds of straws are there?

--besides the threshed grain used as bedding and food for animals "straw", but who ever puts an "s" on the end of that? Watch, now someone will tell me in their area, they do.

 

[tlbwriter]

For the most part, probably. What do you really make on the stovetop though, boil some noodles for spaghetti, etc.?

Well, last night I made my variation on this recipe, and before that, it was this one (which I have jazzed up and I think is much better than Martha's ), and before that it might have been tacos or sloppy joes or fajitas or sauteed marinated pork tenderloin medallions or stir-fried something or hoppin' john or alfredo/spaghetti sauce (you need something for those spaghetti noodles you're boiling, right?)... I just don't do a whole lot of casserole or baked meals, and didn't realize that stovetop cooking was considered atypical by anybody.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

Just to clarify, my hours are 9-5. I do not get paid for lunch and I get paid for a 35 hour work week. Maybe it's because I work for attorneys, but they are adamant that you MUST take a minimum of 30 minutes for lunch because IT"S THE LAW.