Orrick's "Unplug Time" - and non-$$$ benefits Forum

[kovdak02]

Check out this ATL story: https://abovethelaw.com/2021/03/top-50- ... ff-policy/

Orrick is essentially creating a new category of PTO called "Unplug Time" during which associates (and partners!) are not supposed to check email, take calls, or do any work. 40 hours a year, and they count toward bonus eligibility. Interested to hear from folks at Orrick how this goes and if it actually works.

I think top firms could get a lot of bonus points from associates for pursuing similar policies. Unfortunately, I think most partners would rather hand out larger special bonuses than commit to giving their teams any sort of real time off. As we all know, the 24/7/365 nature of being on call is one of (if not the) worst parts of the job. Even one week guaranteed to be free from that would be tremendous.

I also see Orrick is formally discouraging non-time sensitive meetings on Friday afternoon as well, which strikes me as something perhaps difficult to implement but also in the right vein of finding non-monetary ways to help associates survive the job.

Hope to see some other firms follow, but I expect their attention will be only on the DPW special bonuses rather than both this and that.

[Anonymous User]

I just don’t see how this works unless the business model changes. It’s just like vacation, which is supposed to be unplug time. It’s not like you can cash it in whenever you want, it has to be negotiated, if your team is decent then they’ll respect it. But if something blows up you’re expected to put your job first. I don’t see how this is any different.

[kovdak02]

The difference as I see it (from outside Orrick) is that if I took an “Unplug Time” vacation, I wouldn’t bring my work laptop and I’d turn off notifications on my Mail phone app. On a “normal” vacation now, I’m looking at both of those probably twice a day.

[Anonymous User]

I just don’t see how this works unless the business model changes. It’s just like vacation, which is supposed to be unplug time. It’s not like you can cash it in whenever you want, it has to be negotiated, if your team is decent then they’ll respect it. But if something blows up you’re expected to put your job first. I don’t see how this is any different.

Even then, you risk damages. My vacation was “cleared” in sense other associate said my work was covered and team okayed it. I told the other associate I could do whatever on my vacation. I was never asked to do a thing (admittedly did not volunteer after I left), and when matter blew up while I was gone, found out the other associate threw me under the bus hard. Was eventually taken off matter but reviews and bonus were unaffected, so net win.