Inconsiderate of Shire to make employees travel/work on the sabbath

























Grow up! Plenty of business people have to travel on Sundays. We have an "office day" on Friday. Do you really think there is going to be a full day's worth of work to do? I'm sure it's a mostly a gimme. Quit whining.

Just as many don't travel and work on the Sabbath. Plenty more are paid time and a half if they work more than 40 hours per week. Plenty of company's (including Old Shire) have employees travel on Monday for these meetings. At the very least if they are expected to travel on Sunday it's fly in at their leisure with no mandatory Sunday night work function. Whats your point? You will agree that with the Sunday travel and meeting, M- W 7-5, the evening regional meetings and other evening events, Thursday 7AM-10PM, as well as working a mandated office day on Friday is well over 40 hours, right? At the very least, we should be allow to spend time with our family and attend evening church as we have done every week/year on the Sabbath. I don't complain about the other all day events or even that I am forced to take a flight that has me home after 10PM on Thursday but religion and family come first to me. To answer your question, YES there will be a full day of work on Friday. My RD has already scheduled late afternoon conference calls to go on top of the other required actions.
 






Grow up! Plenty of business people have to travel on Sundays. We have an "office day" on Friday. Do you really think there is going to be a full day's worth of work to do? I'm sure it's a mostly a gimme. Quit whining.

What does growing up have to do with one's religious beliefs? Many people believe that no work is to be done on Sunday (or Saturday depending on the religion). Just because you and I may not have this belief, telling someone who does to "quit whining" is just ignorant. Shire could have easily had everyone travel in at their leisure on Sunday. There is no reason to have a work function or other mandatory meetings on Sunday night. Regardless of my religious beliefs, I agree with the original poster on this.
 






We are not hourly employees. We are salaried. So while some may work less than 40 hours per week just as many may work many more than 40 hours per week. This is not a punch the clock 9-5 job. So no, I don't complain when I am asked to do something outside of the normal work week hours. We all know we have a certain about if flexibility in our shedules that most people aren't afforded in the jobs. So yes, quit complaining. I'm not a fan of this leadership whatsoever but the whining on this board makes me think I work with a bunch of grade schoolers as opposed to grown professionals.
 






What does growing up have to do with one's religious beliefs? Many people believe that no work is to be done on Sunday (or Saturday depending on the religion). Just because you and I may not have this belief, telling someone who does to "quit whining" is just ignorant. Shire could have easily had everyone travel in at their leisure on Sunday. There is no reason to have a work function or other mandatory meetings on Sunday night. Regardless of my religious beliefs, I agree with the original poster on this

These posters make me realize how sheltered people who have only worked in pharma can be. I used to have 6:30am sales meetings every Monday and Friday. I used to have to help out our service employees at 4 or 5 am. Trust me this job is a cake walk compared to that. And we make very good money. How often are we asked to do this? Once or twice a year? People in the real business world would laugh at the posts on these cafe pharma pages.
 






We are not hourly employees. We are salaried. So while some may work less than 40 hours per week just as many may work many more than 40 hours per week. This is not a punch the clock 9-5 job. So no, I don't complain when I am asked to do something outside of the normal work week hours. We all know we have a certain about if flexibility in our shedules that most people aren't afforded in the jobs. So yes, quit complaining. I'm not a fan of this leadership whatsoever but the whining on this board makes me think I work with a bunch of grade schoolers as opposed to grown professionals.

Hope they remember we are not hourly employees when I stop starting my day at 8 and ending it at 5. Do you think KK will mention how flexible our schedule is or that some worked against their religious beliefs when I am in the field 10-2 or she runs into me at the gym at 4?? Nope. They will preach the "8-5" BS. Don't call the job flexible or salaried unless it really goes both ways.
 






Hope they remember we are not hourly employees when I stop starting my day at 8 and ending it at 5. Do you think KK will mention how flexible our schedule is or that some worked against their religious beliefs when I am in the field 10-2 or she runs into me at the gym at 4?? Nope. They will preach the "8-5" BS. Don't call the job flexible or salaried unless it really goes both ways.

Agree with this statement. Travel for meetings...dinner programs...evening "events" = exempt employee. However, no call before 9 or after 4 and they will document, lecture and sometimes threaten to terminate you. Because then it's expected that you punch the clock 8:30-5 like an hourly employee. Catch 22 much?
 






Do you know many 8:30-5 employees that have the salary/bonus and benefits that we do? This is not an 8-5 job - if you treat it that way (on a regular basis) you will not be successful.
Quit whining and realize how good we have it.
 












These posters make me realize how sheltered people who have only worked in pharma can be. I used to have 6:30am sales meetings every Monday and Friday. I used to have to help out our service employees at 4 or 5 am. Trust me this job is a cake walk compared to that. And we make very good money. How often are we asked to do this? Once or twice a year? People in the real business world would laugh at the posts on these cafe pharma pages.

Best reply. Pharma, in all areas, are vastly coddled and sheltered.

Sounds from the tone that the OP is the type always threatening to go to HR, run to EEOC or ADA or whatever fit. We know the type. They are not successful on organic merit and never will be with that kind of mindset.
 






Best reply. Pharma, in all areas, are vastly coddled and sheltered.

Sounds from the tone that the OP is the type always threatening to go to HR, run to EEOC or ADA or whatever fit. We know the type. They are not successful on organic merit and never will be with that kind of mindset.
If you don't like the laws change them. But don't get mad because someone challenges you or makes you follow them. Who cares how many hours you worked at your last CHOSEN job. Op may have chose this job based on it not interfering with their religious beliefs. Maybe they asked that in the interview? Regardless it doesn't make you any better than them because you have different moral beliefs or have a life that allows you to work on weekends. It has nothing to do with work ethic or results. Op could be a multiple PC winner. Lets hang and crucify anyone who believes anything different from us.
 






Best reply. Pharma, in all areas, are vastly coddled and sheltered.

Sounds from the tone that the OP is the type always threatening to go to HR, run to EEOC or ADA or whatever fit. We know the type. They are not successful on organic merit and never will be with that kind of mindset.

Sounds like you are a person that may need HR called. "We know the type" really?
 






Do you know many 8:30-5 employees that have the salary/bonus and benefits that we do? This is not an 8-5 job - if you treat it that way (on a regular basis) you will not be successful.
Quit whining and realize how good we have it.

This is true. We have great benefits. My only compliant is I am a single parent and have to hire a nanny on the weekends when we travel for overnight. I don't mind during the week because I expect that for the meetings plus it's cheaper because they are in school most of the day but the weekends are extremely hard to get a nanny for. They usually charge a premium rate to work on the weekends.
 






Best reply. Pharma, in all areas, are vastly coddled and sheltered.

Sounds from the tone that the OP is the type always threatening to go to HR, run to EEOC or ADA or whatever fit. We know the type. They are not successful on organic merit and never will be with that kind of mindset.

oP said it was inconsiderate. Not illegal. Your mindset and tone comes accross as very "sheltered".
 






I hate my wife and just partially like my kids. I hope KK will make us fly out the weekend before every meeting. I am always the first to volunteer to work dinner problems and I will be the last one to close down the bar this week. I won't call home so don't care if we have to go to work events all night. People who talk about missing their spouses or kids annoy me. It's only a week. Enjoy the mental break from the nagging wife and bratty kids. Party it up like you are single. I sure wish I was.
 






The poster regarding being a single parent has a valid point and it's understandable. As is the person with religious beliefs. However, with the whining I've been hearing aroind Sunday travel I'm not getting the impression they are the exception not the rule. Most people just feel pissed for having to work or travel outside of their cushy 9-5 M-F job. And my counter to that is this shouldnt be considered that type of job. We are salaried employees is Sales. I've often done work outside of the 9-5 time frame. We do not punch a clock people and will be asked to do extras from time to time. I don't have an issue with it because it's also the exception and not the rule. I also realize as sales people we do have a some flexibility to get something done during the day that most people do not. Don't act all holier than thou and claim you've never done something personal on company time. So sick it up buttercup, put your big boy/girl panties on and do your job!
 






The poster regarding being a single parent has a valid point and it's understandable. As is the person with religious beliefs. However, with the whining I've been hearing aroind Sunday travel I'm not getting the impression they are the exception not the rule. Most people just feel pissed for having to work or travel outside of their cushy 9-5 M-F job. And my counter to that is this shouldnt be considered that type of job. We are salaried employees is Sales. I've often done work outside of the 9-5 time frame. We do not punch a clock people and will be asked to do extras from time to time. I don't have an issue with it because it's also the exception and not the rule. I also realize as sales people we do have a some flexibility to get something done during the day that most people do not. Don't act all holier than thou and claim you've never done something personal on company time. So sick it up buttercup, put your big boy/girl panties on and do your job!

If I wanted to work outside 8-5 M-F I would go into device sales and make 3-4 times more that the salary Shire pays me. You act as though the salary here is so much money. Salary with Shire is actually lower than the industry standard by $20-$30k per year. Not to mention that the "free car" we pay for can actually be driven by your spouse and even nanny at these other companies. I Have never cared because Shire was such a great place to work, never traveled on Sunday and felt respected as a sales person. That was worth the pay cut. Now that the culture has changed I feel differently. If shire is going to treat us a big pharma I have news for you. You are now greatly underpaid and undervalued.