Great comments and very, very true. I've worked overseas for a number of years and can vouch for what you say. Americans are too driven. They don't know how to

Great comments and very, very true. I've worked overseas for a number of years and can vouch for what you say. Americans are too driven. They don't know how to relax. Most Americans don't even take their full holiday time. What I've done to combat the BS with employers is to set the bar at the interview. I tell them they will get a solid 8 hours of work from me, M-F, 730-430 or 8-5. I don't waver on this, as I have a family. I don't work nights or weekends. I don't accept calls after hours unless it's something that is dramatically critical. Don't call me to bitch about the email server being slow. The shit's in the cloud and I have no control over it anyway. It can wait. I firmly, yet nicely "demand" an hourly wage in lieu of salary to ensure that I get paid for every second I work. Should I have to work overtime in an emergency, I should be compensated. This all sounds like some harsh demands on my part, but if I don't do it for myself, who will? I have a union mentality towards work because I know that no employer has my best interests at heart. I tell people all the time to negotiate their own employment. HR departments are willing to work with you within reason, but you have to ask. One way of almost forcing companies to work your way is asking for an hourly salary. Quite a few will comply. No one wants to pay overtime. It's costly. I don't want to work overtime. It's a kind of let's check each other. If I cannot accomplish something in 8 hours, there is always tomorrow. I don't check email after work. In fact, I refuse to put my work email on my personal devices unless you pay a stipend. My device is mine, not yours. You have to pay to play. Yet no one stands up for themselves. Almost no one. You get what you are willing to fight for. And before someone says, well, you deserve to get fired or not hired... why? Because I'm willing to be my own union and "demand" my own terms? It's possible. Not always, but unless one tries, one gets what one gets. I tell the people all the time here, "stop taking your laptop home at night. Are you being paid overtime? If you're not, don't work overtime. Negotiate better pay and working conditions."