Q: I'm an hourly employee at a large health care provider. In checking my online time clock, I noticed that my manager had shortened the time I had checked out by nine minutes. While I realize it was a mere nine minutes, I also feel that I am here to work; I am not here as a hobby or for personal enjoyment. I had to stay because of an unexpected increase in work that had to be completed before I left. My supervisor leaves earlier than I do and has no idea of what had to be done. I feel I deserve to be paid for that time, but when I spoke to our human resources department, I was told to speak to the department manager. No matter what my manager says, I deserve to be paid for time worked. Should I say something to my manager or just keep adding up the extra time I have worked?

A: It was wrong of you to complain to HR before talking to your supervisor or manager. Managers work with a departmental budget, so any change in hours or overtime should be discussed with that manager. Your supervisor leaving before you does not excuse you from explaining any unusual work situation that arises. Also, most companies pay hourly employees in increments of 15 minutes. If you repeatedly work unpaid overtime, talk to your supervisor or department manager to resolve the problem or confusion you may have with the overtime policy. If these unexpected overtime events rarely happen, then going over your supervisor's head to pursue pay for nine minutes is not only petty but also may get you fired.

7-Year-Old Felony Follows Worker With a Now-Clean Record

Q: My dream job is to work at Disney, and I have applied there in vain for the past two years. I was honest on my application by admitting to a domestic violence conviction seven years ago. I was drunk at the time, but I quit drinking and successfully attend all my Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. My wife and I have remained very good friends and never have had similar problems since that one incident. I have come a long way from the person I was seven years ago, and I am working with a lawyer to have my conviction changed from a felony to a misdemeanor. How do I overcome my criminal record? I can't seem to get hired by my dream employer.

A: Unfortunately, our criminal justice system is not always administered fairly. Some offenders seem to get off repeatedly, while one-time-only offenders have to live with criminal records that forever ruin their futures. Large corporations often have strict policies on hiring ex-offenders, and the fear of employee liability means the company won't take chances on individuals considered to be high-risk. Continue working with your lawyer, and focus on smaller companies able to bend hiring policies based on the job candidate. Don't set your sights so high that you make it impossible for you to succeed. It's important to develop a good work history with every company that hires you. Check into the organizations that help ex-offenders find employment. Seven years of a good work record should be meaningful enough for at least one prestigious employer to give you a chance.

Please send your questions to: Lindsey Novak, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. E-mail her at LindseyNovak@yahoo.com, or visit her Web site at www.LindseyNovak.com. To find out more about Lindsey Novak and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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