Not Worth It in Book Four: Ichi-no-Tani 2017
- July 3, 2017, 4:20 p.m.
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- Public
Some days… things just don’t seem worth it.
Last week I worked Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I put in at least 3 billable hours every single one of those days (and quite a lot more in physical hours). I was physically present for a work-related required thing 6 days last week for no less than 5 hours. And yet....
Yesterday. My anniversary. Granted, Wife was working but… I needed a day of rest.
Middle of the afternoon… phone goes off. I answer it. It is a client calling from jail. Eye roll, whatever. Except, here is the kicker. (1) It is a client that I got at the eleventh hour on Friday; (2) so the first day he should expect his attorney would be the next available business day (Monday); (3) and he is calling using the MOST EXPENSIVE COLLECT CALLING OPTION… literally the machine said “Press 1 to accept the charges of 24.50 for 20 minutes or Press 2 to accept the charges of 14.75 for 10 minutes.” I selected hang up. Granted, there are some who would probably say that was unethical. But for Christ’s Sake. Sunday.
Then… and remember how I was saying after 6 days, I wanted ONE day where I could rest… I get 4 phone calls at 11 at night. And when I let each of those go to voice mail; I get 2 text messages at midnight (from the same Client’s girlfriend.) Apparently, she has gotten the money together for his bond but the jail says they can’t release him. Well.. fucking duh. It is midnight. Earliest they would release him would be 8 a.m. because he has been in jail for a week. If he was in booking, having just been arrested, different story. Less paperwork. But there is a lot to be done… you can’t just expect to walk into a jail at midnight and say “Why isn’t he out?” Good grief. Though, honestly, it makes sense. The Criminal Element is controlled by three factors (1) instant gratification; (2) a complete lack of forethought; and (3) an inability to consider other people’s needs or wants.
So… yeah. After a 70 hour work week… my Sunday is filled with phone calls, demands, and expectations. And… funny thing… I’m the only attorney in the office today. So… my professional career: bust my ass as often as possible for people who don’t deserve it, who don’t appreciate it, for less money. Because yeah. These are all appointed cases. Appointed Cases, in the state of Iowa, receive a mandated/required salary structure. The State pays me $60 an hour but puts a cap on the case. So any hours worked beyond that cap go unpaid. Oh, and the cap? And the $60 an hour? Those numbers haven’t changed since the fucking 1980s. Do the math on that via inflation. $1 in 1980 is equivalent to $2.91 today. So… not only am I making 30% of what most attorneys get paid already (most attorneys charge $200 an hour)… but just as an inflation perspective, I’m earning less than half of what was earned when those numbers were set.
Then again… maybe I’m just in a foul mood. I mean… bad enough that my one day off was filled with phone calls about work… but then I have to come in today (when SO many other people are off work)… and it is hot as balls. Me in a long sleeved shirt, wearing a tie, in a suit… walking to court (outside, obviously).... and yeah, I sweat through just about everything in a minute flat.
I think tonight I am going to shut off all electronic devices before I go to bed. Make absolutely certain my sleep can’t be interrupted.
Sarasyn ⋅ July 03, 2017
That sounds pretty rough. I have to say, I don't envy your job. Is there anything that can be done to push through raising the amount the state pays per hour? I'm sure if enough people complained something might change.
As for the calls at all hours of the night, I wish I could change that. Some people are so inconsiderate. You're a human being and shouldn't be expected to be on the clock 24/7.
White Rabbit ⋅ July 03, 2017
Simple fix. Get a second phone! One for work and one for ONLY personal use. Turn the work phone off on weekend if there's nothing you can do for those people. Don't worry about that phone until Monday. That's what I am doing here in the next few months so I don't feel on demand all the time. But also don't give the ppl too much grief, odds are they don't know about days and times and how that stuff works. You do cause you're in it all the time. Maybe just try to be understanding and graceful.
Also maybe it's time to start a private practice? I always suggest going to business for yourself if your so unhappy. It changed my life.
Deleted user ⋅ July 04, 2017
Good idea !
Wallflowergirl ⋅ July 04, 2017
I say this in the nicest way possible because you seem like an intelligent person who can consider all angles.
I don't think your work situation is unusual. What you write about your job seems fairly typical for those that I know and jobs I've had. Let's take a teacher for example: Hours 7-4pm M-F. It seemed like dream hours! Reality was quite different. Not a single teacher I knew left school at 4pm. If you were leaving school at 4pm then you were at home staying up until midnight grading papers, lesson planning and yes answering emails and texts from parents at ungodly hours. Weekends off? Haha. No the school has functions that you are required to work at, volunteer your time towards and also the above mentioned work that never ends. All for no pay beyond your very low, barely livable salary. Sound familiar?
I branched out on my own to work as a consultant. Guess what? I only get paid for the actual hours I work. So I may spend a 14 hour day and I'm only getting paid for 8 hours. Sometimes I'm at the school, but waiting between classes and not being paid. Sometimes I'm driving between appointments. I have blocks of time everyday like that. I'm also not being paid for all the prepping, studying to be better at my job, answering parent emails, scheduling, etc. Basically a bunch of stuff that I have to do that generates me zero income.
So I don't think your situation is all that unique or terrible. If it makes you feel terrible and it's not worth it to you, then I'd look elsewhere. For me it's worth it because I love what I do. I love my clients and schools. It never occurs to me on a Sunday night when I'm dealing with something that that is somehow an intrusion on my day off or my private time. I'm just doing my job.
Now I do have one friend who works an hourly job and nothing is required of him outside of work. He works 4 10 hour shifts and is done. It's manual labor in the elements and the job is dangerous. He is paid very well. He gets an unpaid 30 minute lunch, but other than that he is paid for his entire work day. I think I'll take my 14 hour days and never ending work over his job anyway.
Just some perspective.......
Always Laughing ⋅ July 07, 2017
No one ever warned me just how hard being an adult can be at times. Somedays I just want to be a kid again. Sorry things still aren't going that great.