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Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:04 pm
by saladfiend
Is there any particular reason why judicial chambers request 10-week externships? Between the law review write-on and summer OCI, this would leave me with 4 days off over the summer.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:34 pm
by Geist13
You mean 4 days off other than the 20 weekend days you'll have off?
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:37 pm
by fatduck
Geist13 wrote:You mean 4 days off other than the 20 weekend days you'll have off?
you mean you don't get summer break in biglaw?
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:38 pm
by 005618502
Geist13 wrote:You mean 4 days off other than the 20 weekend days you'll have off?
haha i like this response
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 9:28 am
by wiseowl
All the internet tuff guys came out to play I see.
I think everyone knows biglaw or any real job is a grind. Coming off of 1L, possibly one of the most stressful years of your life, I can at least empathize a bit with OP.
OP, I negotiated my internship down last summer (for job fair purposes, not laziness) with no repercussions at all. It's at least worth it to ask.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 1:03 pm
by Borhas
glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:04 pm
by Sup Kid
Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:10 pm
by DoubleChecks
Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
kind of depends on what their job is, no?
i mean, it is probably not as customary as it is in biglaw
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:14 pm
by Borhas
Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
yeah and I bet they work on Christmas too
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:17 pm
by fatduck
Borhas wrote:Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
yeah and I bet they work on Christmas too
they're required to by law. separation of church and state.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:29 pm
by awsiler
fatduck wrote:Borhas wrote:Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
yeah and I bet they work on Christmas too
they're required to by law. separation of church and state.
Federal employees are not required to work on Christmas, it is considered a federal holiday. If a case requires work, that is a different thing, but federal employees are also compensated for working on a holiday. Have you ever seen a calendar with "Christmas or XXX Holiday observed"... if the holiday falls on a weekend, they are given the observed day instead. Not sure where you are getting your information, but my husband is a federal employee...and he gets more days off than I do in the private sector.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:34 pm
by Patriot1208
awsiler wrote:fatduck wrote:Borhas wrote:Sup Kid wrote:If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
yeah and I bet they work on Christmas too
they're required to by law. separation of church and state.
Federal employees are not required to work on Christmas, it is considered a federal holiday. If a case requires work, that is a different thing, but federal employees are also compensated for working on a holiday. Have you ever seen a calendar with "Christmas or XXX Holiday observed"... if the holiday falls on a weekend, they are given the observed day instead. Not sure where you are getting your information, but my husband is a federal employee...and he gets more days off than I do in the private sector.
what was that sound I heard???
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:35 pm
by Borhas
Awsiler, the guy was making a funny
but, is the pay thing true about weekends? In general... Do salaried employees get compensated for times outside of the normal work day? (talking about state/local gov't workers too now)
I've looked at some Memo's of Understanding between PD/DA's and their respective counties, and some say that the standard work day is 8-5pm M-F and weekends are rest days... now I know for sure that these folks work past 5pm, but at what point would they start getting extra money, especially if they work on weekends?
I'd ask the offices, but I think it'll make me look lazy.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:44 pm
by Stanford4Me
I'm working BIGLAW over the summer and have two days off for holidays. They also give 4 weeks vacation (and I was told by many associates that many people use a lot of that vaction . . . I don't see myself taking 4 weeks off, though). Moral of the story: Don't work in NYC.

That being said, you are in for a rude awakening if you're complaining about only having 4 days off over the summer. Welcome to the rest of your life.
Edit: I'm also trying to do a one week program with a firm so that I'm not lazy doing nothing during that week. Step your game up, OP. Shit just got serious.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:52 pm
by Wholigan
Borhas wrote:Awsiler, the guy was making a funny
but, is the pay thing true about weekends? In general... Do salaried employees get compensated for times outside of the normal work day? (talking about state/local gov't workers too now)
I've looked at some Memo's of Understanding between PD/DA's and their respective counties, and some say that the standard work day is 8-5pm M-F and weekends are rest days... now I know for sure that these folks work past 5pm, but at what point would they start getting extra money, especially if they work on weekends?
I'd ask the offices, but I think it'll make me look lazy.
I recently talked to a grad of my school who works for the SSA, and that person said you get paid overtime for over 40 hours, even staying late on a weekday.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 2:56 pm
by awsiler
Wholigan wrote:Borhas wrote:Awsiler, the guy was making a funny
but, is the pay thing true about weekends? In general... Do salaried employees get compensated for times outside of the normal work day? (talking about state/local gov't workers too now)
I've looked at some Memo's of Understanding between PD/DA's and their respective counties, and some say that the standard work day is 8-5pm M-F and weekends are rest days... now I know for sure that these folks work past 5pm, but at what point would they start getting extra money, especially if they work on weekends?
I'd ask the offices, but I think it'll make me look lazy.
I recently talked to a grad of my school who works for the SSA, and that person said you get paid overtime for over 40 hours, even staying late on a weekday.
Actually, it depends on your position. They will try everything possible not to pay you lol. My husband is in a supervisory position, but is not technically salary... if he works over 40, he is supposed to get overtime, but a while back they made a ruling that they only get comp time. They can then let you have the comp time as vacation or as pay, but they decide, not you. If you are salary, you are expected to work a minimum of 50 hours, and most of them have some type of time tracking system (even for salary). Depends on the office of course, but thats generally how it works. It is FLSA federal law to get "compensated" after forty hours IF you are not administrative personnel. Read here, paper pusher. That is how they can get away with comp time vs actually paying you. Hope that helps.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:00 pm
by powerlawyer06
fatduck wrote:Borhas wrote:Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
yeah and I bet they work on Christmas too
they're required to by law. separation of church and state.
LOL (please don't take a break in April, these threads are boring with your comments)
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:13 pm
by Nicholasnickynic
Stanford4Me wrote:I'm working BIGLAW over the summer and have two days off for holidays. They also give 4 weeks vacation (and I was told by many associates that many people use a lot of that vaction . . . I don't see myself taking 4 weeks off, though). Moral of the story: Don't work in NYC.

That being said, you are in for a rude awakening if you're complaining about only having 4 days off over the summer. Welcome to the rest of your life.
Edit: I'm also trying to do a one week program with a firm so that I'm not lazy doing nothing during that week. Step your game up, OP. Shit just got serious.
Shouldn't you be working on the west coast? Seems like NYC is a long way from Standford.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:26 pm
by Stanford4Me
Nicholasnickynic wrote:Stanford4Me wrote:I'm working BIGLAW over the summer and have two days off for holidays. They also give 4 weeks vacation (and I was told by many associates that many people use a lot of that vaction . . . I don't see myself taking 4 weeks off, though). Moral of the story: Don't work in NYC.

That being said, you are in for a rude awakening if you're complaining about only having 4 days off over the summer. Welcome to the rest of your life.
Edit: I'm also trying to do a one week program with a firm so that I'm not lazy doing nothing during that week. Step your game up, OP. Shit just got serious.
Shouldn't you be working on the west coast? Seems like NYC is a long way from Standford.
A) Check the 'tar broseph, my name is a misnomer.
B) I'll be working in Texas. YEEHAW.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:29 pm
by Sup Kid
Sup Kid wrote:Borhas wrote:glad I'm gonna (hopefully) work for the G-man
weekend + federal holidays + vacation + sick days
that's like almost a third of the year
If you think government attorneys don't do work on the weekend, you are sorely mistaken.
My experience is from working in a large USAO over the summer and having a family member who works in a DOJ division. In both cases, they are salaried attorneys, and do not get paid overtime if they work late or work on weekends (which happens somewhat regularly, though obviously not as much as in Biglaw). They do have off for federal holidays, and they get vacation/sick days.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:39 pm
by Julio_El_Chavo
no one cares about what you do your 1L summer. just do what's easiest to get by. i had a very unprestigious 1L summer job and over-performed relative to my GPA range during 2L OCI. seriously, no ones cares. just get good grades, do the bare minimum to be able to get a solid letter of recommendation from your 1L judge/firm/employer, and stress about other things that are more important like OCI
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:42 pm
by keg411
I got 5 paid vacation days (non-holidays) at my old job. We did not get any sick days. I have zero sympathy for OP.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:45 pm
by awsiler
keg411 wrote:I got 5 paid vacation days (non-holidays) at my old job. We did not get any sick days. I have zero sympathy for OP.
LOL I have been with my employer for four years, always having five paid vacation days. We do get five days sick pay also... but now that I am leaving, I am going to miss out on the five year employment bump where I would get an extra week of each! Timing!!!
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 4:06 pm
by Patriot1208
Borhas wrote:Awsiler, the guy was making a funny
but, is the pay thing true about weekends? In general... Do salaried employees get compensated for times outside of the normal work day? (talking about state/local gov't workers too now)
I've looked at some Memo's of Understanding between PD/DA's and their respective counties, and some say that the standard work day is 8-5pm M-F and weekends are rest days... now I know for sure that these folks work past 5pm, but at what point would they start getting extra money, especially if they work on weekends?
I'd ask the offices, but I think it'll make me look lazy.
Some of the Federal government jobs factor in overtime in the regular paycheck but don't allow you to comp overtime over that. Meaning, your GS level is xx, then you get locality pay at xx percent, and then you get overtime pay at xx percent. You'll then be required to work at least 50 hours a week but many in those jobs will work more than that anyways and not get compensated for that extra time.
Re: Why are employers so hung up on exactly 10-week summer jobs?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 4:16 pm
by Kohinoor
saladfiend wrote:Is there any particular reason why judicial chambers request 10-week externships? Between the law review write-on and summer OCI, this would leave me with 4 days off over the summer.
It coincides with the solstice.