I will soon, after 39 years as a salaried social worker, be an "hourly" employee due to the change in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act regulations https://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-flsa.htm?. Because the base pay for my position is below the Federal guidelines for overtime pay upgrades, I am subject to the new overtime laws. My employer saw fit to warn the 900 or so employees affected. I have been "practicing" at working only 40 hours a week, and doing pretty good, except the week of Labor Day. It was a 32 hour week, and I had an inordinate number of family calls. So I did work over 32 hours. If it had been later in the year, and I had been under the 40 hour work limitation, I would have had to ask my supervisor for help with family calls. But, as it was, I did not, although I did tell my boss about the influx of calls, and she agreed in the future I should have help in that circumstance.
So, I am now having to adjust to going home earlier than I have ever done before. I do not mind, but I am having to "find myself" in terms of what I want to do with that extra hour plus every day. I find I am running errands during the week that I would normally defer to the weekend. I like that. It frees up my weekend. I am not satisfied with my transition, and think I want to be more active outside, rather than hibernate to the house.
My cats have also had to adjust. They have been used to being fed when I get home from work, but getting home more than an hour earlier than I used to, it is not dinner time for them. I often give them treats when I get home, but not dinner. They are getting used to me getting home and NOT feeding them. This is good.
In many ways this is a very good adjustment in my life. I just need to be more pro-active at taking advantage of it.
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