Is this lying? What to do?

[seeker_of_God]

Just recently started a new job, only my second real 9-5 job. This job is very strict about keeping accurate timesheets: how long we spend on each specific task, in 15-minute increments.

I find it stressful. Anyway I found myself in a situation that I didn’t know how to handle. I don’t want to lie and then that be a mortal sin. I should note that I work from home so there’s no immediate supervision.

So I was waiting for something to complete, during which I couldn’t really do much. So I opened up another website to pass the time, and ended up dozing off for around 15-20 minutes.

Realizing what had happened, I was rather horrified. Then I didn’t know what to put on my timesheet. Should I subtract 15 minutes because I wasn’t really working on that task, or put the time I ended after I realized what had happened?

I know realistically they’re not going to care about 15 minutes, but I still don’t want to lie in any way, so it makes me rather anxious.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Put it down as a 15 minute break.

 

[PetraG]

Is there a way you can talk to your boss about this? What is the company’s objective in keeping the time sheet? Do they just want to know how long each job takes to complete, how the task is spread over the day, both…or what are they looking for? In a case such as you cited, does the company expect you to go on break when you’re waiting around for something to complete? If not, what sort of work should you be doing during that time?

The main thing in filling out this time sheet is to honestly relate the information the company wants, not to relate every detail of your work day in excruciating detail. Otherwise, you’re spending a lot of their time and your stress on work that they don’t care about.

 

[TheLittleLady]

I’d imagine any boss would consider a nap to be a break.

 

[PetraG]

I’d imagine any boss would consider a nap to be a break.

Oh, no…I liked your comment about marking it down as a break when you fall asleep on the job!

No, I was (in addition) referring to the overall problem of this becoming a big stressful thing. As Steven Covey put it, the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. The OP may not be clear about what “the main thing” is with regards to the time log. Clarification might result in a log that is more useful to the employer but with less wear-and-tear on the employee.

 

[Theo2]

I don’t want to lie and then that be a mortal sin.

Hold on. Unless you deliberately lie about a whole day’s work, it used to be that stealing had to amount to a days wages to be grievous matter, it is venial sin at most.

 

[QwertyGirl]

I want to commend you on your honesty. Fibbing on timesheets is a bad habit to get into, and one that can lead you down a bad path.

I agree that you should just put it down as a break. Or, you could ask your boss what you should do in the event you are waiting for a report to load (or whatever it is) and you aren’t able to be productive during that time. You don’t have to say you fell asleep. The situation may arise again, and your boss will appreciate you asking, rather than assuming.

Good for you. Keep up the good work.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Hold on. Unless you deliberately lie about a whole day’s work, it used to be that stealing had to amount to a days wages to be grievous matter, it is venial sin at most.

Is this true? That’s exactly the kind of reply I was looking for. Otherwise I stress about little downtimes here and there: did I really need to do that one thing, or take that 2-minute break? etc.

Thanks.

 

[PetraG]

Is this true? That’s exactly the kind of reply I was looking for. Otherwise I stress about little downtimes here and there: did I really need to do that one thing, or take that 2-minute break? etc.

Thanks.

The question is whether they’re getting the whole day’s work they’d get if they actually had a video camera on you. It doesn’t have to be the exact same way you’d work if being watched, but rather the same overall quality and quantity of work you’d do if you were being watched.

The exception would be if the employer specifically had said, “This particular work, in this particular amount, at this particular time, in this particular way.” In that case, doing what you consider equivalent doesn’t quite cut it. The fact that they’re asking for 15 minute blocks of time suggests that they’re talking about an overall pace and the big picture of time usage, not an every-minute accounting.

Really, this is Golden Rule stuff: If you were paying your salary or you were reporting to that employer as a boss, what would you be expecting of a worker in your place? Is that honestly what you think your boss and employer believe you do? If you’ve agreed to that, then do that. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no.” Don’t split hairs, either for yourself or against yourself.

 

[Arwing]

I was going to suggest that if you find yourself worrying over whether things like this are mortal sins, maybe you should book an appointment with your pastor and ask for some guidance with regard to practical judgment.

But you’d be right in this case to put it down as a break, I think, or to do what @QwertyGirl suggested. It is important to avoid even small lies, partially because they will lead to compromises in one’s resolve in more serious matters. It’s just that an unhealthy worry about mortal sin where there is none is extremely dangerous as well.

 

[LisaB]

I think it depends on whether you really had nothing to do during that time, or if you could be doing another assigned task. In my previous position, I worked in tech support, and my job was to process incoming tickets from users. There were many days when I had no tickets for hours. My boss knew we were slow and didn’t care. I spent a lot of time on CAF waiting for tickets. I still put that as paid time because I was a full time employee, and was available for work but they had nothing for me to do.

So if you were there waiting for work for 20 mins, it’s not your fault there wasn’t anything for you to do. If you could have been doing some other task though, I’d say put it as a break if the company is strict about these things.

In a usual office environment though, it’s not uncommon for employees to chat for that 15-20 mins while on the clock. Sometimes the boss is chatting with them. In every office I’ve worked over the past 20 years this has been the norm. Employers don’t usually care about 15 mins here and there, they care about the overall production and quality. They realize they employ human beings, not robots. And not working for 15 mins while “on the clock” is not usually a mortal sin. It would have to be something more serious than that.