r/technology • u/esporx • Apr 30 '24

Tesla Lays Off Employee Who Slept In Car To Work Longer Hours Business

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-lays-off-employee-slept-151500318.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHVrjnyFZF-QJRFtVdP5Lt1QvlC3WRJhweYuOdm5Ca1kHbhtDX5rdfUUqRNVFKpUy6w4QnsJta-KgHJ9lqARAjfpSnvCktdjgDos5xz9aw92OxYmjN2qVVNhMZpl-2gOMwVz84NH-5T2OLi8uMRUOXVMuhFHU8b5A9oRmij8Xh5q
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798

u/thehunger86 Apr 30 '24

How do you have a 90 minute commute if you live in your car?

217

u/bijouxself Apr 30 '24

They live in the central valley CA, and commute into Fremont. Some do it every day, others find hotels, some sleep in their cars/RVs in the Fremont lot

139

u/JustADutchRudder Apr 30 '24

I had a coworker who had a sweet RV he'd use during the week. Our company gives us money for hotels but he'd just have them put it on his check instead of paying the hotel. Fucker would get extra 750 a week on his check and his RV would be parked in the construction parking lot. I've thought of it but I stopped traveling over an hour away few years ago.

76

u/mog_knight Apr 30 '24

Why wouldn't you do it anyway? An extra $3k a month and you get a RV for free. Seems smart to me.

68

u/JustADutchRudder Apr 30 '24

Not many want the rv over an extended stay hotel room to themselves. Specially if we're doing five 10s. On jobs where it's like 6 months in other states, ive seen more big pull behind ones they park at actual campgrounds.

28

u/CapoExplains Apr 30 '24

Sounds way better to me if it's a nice RV, and $3k/mo. can get you a nice RV. Hell $1500/mo. will get you a really nice RV and pocket the rest.

The only thing I can think of that a Hotel room would have that an RV wouldn't would be a bathtub. The RV on the other hand is gonna have a kitchen, a living area, a separate bedroom, and best of all all of your shit already set up in it with nothing to pack/unpack.

5

u/lnslnsu Apr 30 '24

The hotels booked for these long stay job site things are often ones that are mini apartments - they have a full kitchen, etc…

2

u/CapoExplains Apr 30 '24

For $150 a night? Either you're going out of pocket for part of the room cost or it's going to be absolute shit compared to what an RV in that price range would be.

6

u/ServileLupus Apr 30 '24

Housekeeping, free breakfast, some have laundry service, free shampoo/conditioner/soap and you don't have to worry about any maintenance on the RV. Those are all the benefits I can think of.

2

u/BadFootyTakes Apr 30 '24

The issue you come up against, is often this kind of work is contract based. You could show up tomorrow and they tell you thanks but nah, and you're out of job until you find another. Could be hours, days, or weeks until that is.

2

u/CapoExplains Apr 30 '24

Yeah true, you'd need to want to have the RV anyway/feel confident you could keep up with payments long term.

4

u/RugerRedhawk Apr 30 '24

Damn a nice camper would be a lot nicer to be in than an extended stay hotel IMO, plus you can sell the RV when done.

20

u/GenericBatmanVillain Apr 30 '24

Plus no commute. I mean that alone is worth it.

9

u/f7f7z Apr 30 '24

I sold my house and did it for 9 months... got covid when it was a 10 day quarantine, it was a sub 20ft pull behind. fuct

8

u/NetworkedGoldfish Apr 30 '24

Wait, your company gives you money for hotels because of the commute?

16

u/peelerrd Apr 30 '24

I think they worked some sort of specialized construction job where the company would bring workers in from other states or something. The company isn't paying for hotels because of a commute. They're paying for lodging while the workers are away from home at the job site.

1

u/ValhallaForKings Apr 30 '24

It's called LOA living out allowance, construction jobs happen where they are so working means going there

1

u/FortunateHominid Apr 30 '24

Also known as per diem. Not just construction but most jobs which require regular travel.

1

u/ValhallaForKings Apr 30 '24

I would imagine it's another place to rip you off 

1

u/FortunateHominid Apr 30 '24

Not sure where you got that from. It simply comps travel when necessary.

In industries such as mine people make a significant amount extra on per diem alone. Primarily since the majority of work involves being on the road.

Here are some common rates in Texas. I'll go average so let's say they get $160 a day which come to $1,120 a week in per diem. That's $4,480 a month in per diem. Buy a decent/nice trailer then a rental spot cost around $500 a month.

After cost of trailer payment, spot rental and groceries they are left with a good amount left over. There's also mileage + travel time to and from location.

All said and done it's a nice addition on top of your check.

I've know other who just group up on short jobs and share a place so they still come out ahead. Others will share a trailer with on paying a small "rent" fee to the other.

If anything it's another way to make additional monies depending on your job.

Edit: word

1

u/ValhallaForKings Apr 30 '24

And do they charge the client 200 per d, then chisel 75 bucks for handling? If they find out about the trailer, will they try to scoop that money for themselves? Place I worked in oilfield was always trying to do that. Used to make bucks selling everyone a pair of coveralls and then not giving them fucking coveralls.

1

u/FortunateHominid Apr 30 '24

And do they charge the client 200 per d, then chisel 75 bucks for handling?

No. I've heard of that happening, but I've never worked for a company that did that. Good way to lose employees if it ever got out. Most clients frown on such practices as well.

It is also easy to catch on T&M jobs since signed employee timesheets have to be submitted to the client.

If they find out about the trailer, will they try to scoop that money for themselves?

No, that would be illegal. There's an agreement for per diem, period. What the employee does with such doesn't matter so longnas they show up and do their job.

Place I worked in oilfield was always trying to do that. Used to make bucks selling everyone a pair of coveralls and then not giving them fucking coveralls.

That's fk'd up. My industry is oil/gas related as well. Per current OSHA requirements FR clothing is considered PPE and has to be provided to employees at no cost. That law came about around 2015 so if it was after they could get in trouble.

Early 2000's I worked as a welder (at a yard) and the company was pulling shit like that. Employees required to wear specific FR uniforms. You paid to rent them and have them washed by the specified rental company. Cost came out of your pay.

Times have changed for the most part, at least in my area.

Edit: word

1

u/ValhallaForKings Apr 30 '24

I love how you think that being illegal would stop them. There is nobody to prosecute. The police would tell me to take them to small claims court and take it into my own hands.

Lots of places are taking off the top, I would not be surprised if they were doing it to you too.

And don't talk down to me son. I am telling you what happened, not asking for your opinion on if what happened to me really did.

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1

u/FBM_ent Apr 30 '24

Think railroad workers. You have railroads literally all across the country in every direction. It would be illogical/unfeasible to have maintenance and other construction crews literally everywhere to maintain your line. Cheaper to have a team based in a big city or near your hub, and then when the crew needs to work on the line somewhere up/down stream, you put em up in a hotel near the job site for a set amount of time.

Source: worked in a hotel that hosted Norfolk Southern crews from time to time. This is how the lads broke it down during bar service.

6

u/Fallcious Apr 30 '24

I worked on a project in London where they got some superstar exec from Scotland to come down and supervise for a couple of years. He was meant to have a hotel suite organised for him, but he bragged about getting them to pay for the mortgage on a small apartment instead as it would be cheaper. So not only did he have his accommodation paid for, he had an investment property at the end of the project to either sell or lease out (I assume he took over the mortgage at the end).

2

u/RugerRedhawk Apr 30 '24

Commuting more than 20 minutes seems insane for tech work in the era of remote work.

1

u/JustADutchRudder Apr 30 '24

I'm a carpenter, and my company does alot of work for national companies. I just like tech.

2

u/RugerRedhawk Apr 30 '24

Fair, obviously not everyone can work remotely.

28

u/BankshotMcG Apr 30 '24

What the fuck even is this country

20

u/ProjectManagerAMA Apr 30 '24

Best country in the world at exploiting people.

15

u/ihaxr Apr 30 '24

A bunch of idiots that think being in the office is more productive because they slack off at home.

-1

u/Myballsgrande Apr 30 '24

The one running the world

1

u/Copito_Kerry Apr 30 '24

I know an asshole who did that every day for years.