7 day work week

[anon68314200]

So an ad popped up on my FB feed offering board at a “co-op” that employs a groom 7 days/week to feed, muck and turnout. I am curious whether this person is “on the books,” is covered by work place injury insurance, etc. ( they also live on site.)

Aside from those legalities, how would/do feel as a boarder if the staff worked 7 days/week? Would it matter if they were legally in the USA or not? I don’t know about all areas of the USA but east coast it is very common for farms to employ undocumented Spanish speakers. Sometimes these folks crank out 2-3 different job sites/day for 10+ years and support extended families and businesses back home. Sometimes not…

if the barn ADVERTISING emphasized that staff works 7 days, would that encourage you to board there or discourage?

[streamline]

I’d be a little off put… I think people definitely need a day off to avoid burn out.

When I was grooming/managing/etc we all got one day a week off. The regular guys always got a day off. Just once a week. We all worked 6 days a week, except when clients/trainers were at shows. I’d sometimes work straight through then get a break.

[TheJenners]

Firstly, does the ad say it is ONE person? Most barns have weekday and weekend staff. If weekday staff lives on site but is available for eyes-on on the weekends, cool. And depending on the size of the barn, “seven days a week” may not equal a 40-hour work week. Lots of people in this country who are not “Spanish speakers” as you put it crank out 2-3 different jobs per day, seven days a week, for years, to support their families, often off the books.

For the list of questions, my answers are: none of my business, I would prefer they were here legally but I’m also not going to quiz anyone to check (how presumptuous!), and it would not make a difference in my decision to board there assuming all other things are equal to all other barns I’m looking at and in fact might sway me in that direction.

[anon68314200]

[QUOTE=TheJenners;n10764253]Firstly, does the ad say it is ONE person? Most barns have weekday and weekend staff. If weekday staff lives on site but is available for eyes-on on the weekends, cool. And depending on the size of the barn, “seven days a week” may not equal a 40-hour work week. Lots of people in this country who are not “Spanish speakers” as you put it crank out 2-3 different jobs per day, seven days a week, for years, to support their families, often off the books.

For the list of questions, my answers are: none of my business, I would prefer they were here legally but I’m also not going to quiz anyone to check (how presumptuous!), and it would not make a difference in my decision to board there assuming all other things are equal to all other barns I’m looking at and in fact might sway me in that direction.[/QUOTE

ad lists groom’s duties And says “he does this 7 days/ week.”

[TheJenners]

Gotcha. Still doesn’t change my answers. Rarely do “horse jobs” equal fulltime employment. Have you even met this person? Will your tune change if he is blonde haired and blue eyed?

[anon68314200]

@TheJenners

Gotcha. Still doesn’t change my answers. Rarely do “horse jobs” equal fulltime employment. Have you even met this person? Will your tune change if he is blonde haired and blue eyed?

Horse jobs are often 50-60 hours easily, so not sure how that is NOT full time.

ad lists groom duties and says “he does this 7 days /week.”

some people feel it is “okay” for undocumented workers to work “off the books” because they provide so much support “back home.” But this leaves them (or US taxpayers) in the lurch when injuries occur. And they do occur.

my “tune” is questioning.

[TheJenners]

Your whole post is based on the assumed fact that barn workers are undocumented and this one in particular. My only assumption is you are not concerned if this worker is not undocumented, either naturalized or American born. That is… Interesting.

[anon68314200]

@TheJenners

Your whole post is based on the assumed fact that barn workers are undocumented and this one in particular. My only assumption is you are not concerned if this worker is not undocumented, either naturalized or American born. That is… Interesting.

No my whole post about s NOT based on an “an assumed Fact.” That is what you are emphasizing.

It is is not a long post and THREE sentences (FOUR if you include the title) refer to the 7 day work week. Interesting that you ignore that part of it and choose to focus on my question about whether people would care one way or the other WHOis doing the 7 days. From what Incan see you are choosing to emphasize the issue, not me.

[Scribbler]

@Isabeau Z Solace

So an ad popped up on my FB feed offering board at a “co-op” that employs a groom 7 days/week to feed, muck and turnout. I am curious whether this person is “on the books,” is covered by work place injury insurance, etc. ( they also live on site.)

Aside from those legalities, how would/do feel as a boarder if the staff worked 7 days/week? Would it matter if they were legally in the USA or not? I don’t know about all areas of the USA but east coast it is very common for farms to employ undocumented Spanish speakers. Sometimes these folks crank out 2-3 different job sites/day for 10+ years and support extended families and businesses back home. Sometimes not…

if the barn ADVERTISING emphasized that staff works 7 days, would that encourage you to board there or discourage?

Are you planning to move to that barn? If so, you can visit and observe.

Are you just wondering because of something you saw on FB? I would let it go. None of your business. The question of whether any boarding barn has any of their staff “on the books” is something you aren’t going to find out except from the inside.

When I hear works 7 days a week and lives onsite, my first thought is, they own the property :).

[StGermain]

I take care of my horses at home 7 days a week.

Frankly, if the employee knows what the job entails and still chooses to work there, that’s between them and the owner. As long as this isn’t forced labor - holding someone’s passport, or refusing to let them leave - I’m fine with whatever they work out between themselves.

StG

[Me_amp_MrTango]

Yes, it would bother me regardless of the person’s ethnicity or citizenship status.

Having worked one of those hell on earth 24/7 grooming positions, I would be second guessing the type of personality that is running the barn. It calls into question their professional ethics, capacity for empathy and their standards of care.

Of course my opinion might vary depending on the hours and chores, but bluntly stating “he does this 7 days a week” upfront in the ad is offputting and comes across a little sociopath-ish IMO.

[ladyj79]

FWIW many of these jobs are held by legal residents and citizens and are still very much off the books or fake independent contractor jobs. The horse world is very much built on the backs of illegal labour.

[S1969]

@Isabeau Z Solace

No my whole post about s NOT based on an “an assumed Fact.” That is what you are emphasizing.

It is is not a long post and THREE sentences (FOUR if you include the title) refer to the 7 day work week. Interesting that you ignore that part of it and choose to focus on my question about whether people would care one way or the other WHOis doing the 7 days. From what Incan see you are choosing to emphasize the issue, not me.

Well, there is so much we don’t know and have to guess about.

If this is a co-op is it really a boarding barn? Is there an actual “employer” - or does each person give someone $50/week? Or is there an employer, and they are hiring a full time person? That makes a big difference in whether it is legal or not legal.

Whether a person works 7 days a week or not is not my biggest concern. If they work 3 hours every day of the week by choice, I have no objection. I do object to anyone that is hired illegally or unethically.

I object more, of course, to anyone who is taken advantage of because of their own circumstances - e.g. someone making a groom work 80 hours a week knowing they can’t complain because they are undocumented.

[Darat]

At one of the barns I used to board at were those exact working conditions - 7 days a week, paid for only 5 hours a day with minimal wage, charged for accomodation so the grooms earned just barely enough to afford food.
Both of the grooms were men at their mid 60, ex homeless with no family. One of them had serious drinking problems, often showed up drunk at work, endangering both himself and horses. The second one was actually one of the best horsemans I ever met. BO was a psychopath, and would definitely not publicly admit those working conditions in adds. He simply knew they had no other option so he took advantage of them. Most boarders probably had no clue, or simply did not care. BO and his family even called the grooms “savages” or “game”.
I was lucky enough to have my horse being taken care of by that great groom, and I was boarding there for 5 years.
Grooms were technically allowed to go, but had no place to stay if they did and were not able to save enough money to even pay deposit. Also, they had a slight chance to even find another job, so they would end up living on the streets again.

[enjoytheride]

The assumption, based off a FB post, that this person is an abused undocumented worker is ridiculous. You don’t know any of that.

I have a farm and board horses, I take care of those horses 7 days a week AND Have a full time job. Nobody’s started a FB post about my abusive situation.

[fordtraktor]

@enjoytheride

The assumption, based off a FB post, that this person is an abused undocumented worker is ridiculous. You don’t know any of that.

I have a farm and board horses, I take care of those horses 7 days a week AND Have a full time job. Nobody’s started a FB post about my abusive situation.

So this. MYOB.

[Alpha_Mare]

unless the groom is the owner I would visit the barn and ask about back up care in case of injury or better offer for that 7 day a week person. Agree with others, 7 days a week is very hard to maintain over time (I know some do) but if the person is good at the job there is also the concern that if they leave the BO has to find a substitute, for 7 days a week. More typical legal situations I know are 5 1/2 days, M-F and Sat am. Then part time/owner’s time sat pm and sunday.

what is a ‘co-op’ where there is staff to feed, clean, turn out/bring in? Usually a co-op is a version of self care where the owners take turns with these tasks.

Overall, I wouldn’t touch a ‘co-op’ because too many potential issues with others rather than a professional barn manager or trainer overseeing things

[enjoytheride]

@Alpha Mare

unless the groom is the owner I would visit the barn and ask about back up care in case of injury or better offer for that 7 day a week person. Agree with others, 7 days a week is very hard to maintain over time (I know some do) but if the person is good at the job there is also the concern that if they leave the BO has to find a substitute, for 7 days a week. More typical legal situations I know are 5 1/2 days, M-F and Sat am. Then part time/owner’s time sat pm and sunday.

what is a ‘co-op’ where there is staff to feed, clean, turn out/bring in? Usually a co-op is a version of self care where the owners take turns with these tasks.

Overall, I wouldn’t touch a ‘co-op’ because too many potential issues with others rather than a professional barn manager or trainer overseeing things

But the OP has no intention of boarding there, she’s just making a post because she’s certain the entire situation is shady. Nobody questions when a farm owner takes care of their horses 7 days a week and what happens when the farm owner gets kicked and has to take time off because we call them a farm owner or a barn manager and not a “groom” Maybe the “groom” who’s a natural born American lives on site and takes care of the horses am and pm for an hour each shift in exchange for free rent and then goes to another job that provides him with insurance? Maybe the barn owner who also lives on site takes care of the horses when the “groom” needs a night off? Or since it’s a co op one of the boarders does that?

But the OP instead of assuming the best, immediately assumes the groom is an undocumented abused under the table person who works 12 hours a day 7 days a week. I’m certain there are situations like that, but to be nosy and start a FB post and assume the worst is uncalled for.

[eightpondfarm]

This post feels kinda virtue-signally to me. What is the real issue here? *( i think it’s ‘illegals’…and this triggers me big-time).

[Red_Barn]

@Isabeau Z Solace

So an ad popped up on my FB feed offering board at a “co-op” that employs a groom 7 days/week to feed, muck and turnout. I am curious whether this person is “on the books,” is covered by work place injury insurance, etc. ( they also live on site.)

Aside from those legalities, how would/do feel as a boarder if the staff worked 7 days/week? Would it matter if they were legally in the USA or not? I don’t know about all areas of the USA but east coast it is very common for farms to employ undocumented Spanish speakers. Sometimes these folks crank out 2-3 different job sites/day for 10+ years and support extended families and businesses back home. Sometimes not…

if the barn ADVERTISING emphasized that staff works 7 days, would that encourage you to board there or discourage?

If I read “groom on premises 7 days a week,” I’d simply assume that there’s always some groom on duty, not that this is necessarily the same person all the time.

Do you have some reason to think otherwise?