Doctor: "James, your blood pressure is 800 over 400." James: "Cool! It's gone down, then."

To have an employer who is willing to offer 100 hours of overtime in a month to get an employee out of a bind Priceless 🧡

I went from a job that paid very well with lots of mandatory overtime and travel to a job that paid half of my former wages and little overtime. The reason- I became a father. I made less money but I was able to coach all my kids in every sport they played. I was there for every game, sport, concert, teacher/parent conference, etc. That was my choice and I am happy with my decision. I’m much poorer than my former coworkers who chased that overtime job. I was part of my kids lives from the cradle until they graduated from university. And just a couple of years ago my son and his gracious wife asked me to come live with them on their farm in a small apartment next to their home. I have grandchildren, dogs and home cooking every day. My porch has a swing for my granddaughter to use when she stops by to visit me and talk about fairies. I watch my grandson after school while he does his homework. Life is full of choices. I’ll take family over money any time.

I would be appalled if I offered someone basically $40 bucks an hour to do some grunt work, and they said they wanted something easier. It's a good thing you're so reasonable.

It’s nice to see a boss that knows how to math

Long as I’m being paid a good amount for overtime, I’ll work however long as it takes. Somebody has to be on shit detail

Offering to send your brother with him and the guy going into Panic Mode.... We need to meet your brother. He sounds like a total blast to be around! Please James, make this happen. 😂🎉

For years I was the guy who took as many hours as I could, until suddenly my oldest daughter is in college, my middle son is in high school, and my youngest son is seven, and I realized I've lost a lot of that time with them. Now I go home at the end of the day.

I had a colleague years ago always doing the 37 hours, going home on time every day, and complaining about paying child support and how he didn't have any money. Our manager at the time told him he was free to do all the overtime he wanted as long as there was things to do, there always were. They sat down and calculated how much he would have to work to be able to pay of the debt, it was something like an hour a day 4 days a week would take of it within a year or two, vs 5-6 years at his current rate of paying off the debt. It lasted for about a month, then he was back to only 37 hours a week.

I can't tell you the number of times I would have loved to have a boss willing to send someone like James's brother along with me to make sure everything was ok. what a mensch.

The fact that he was comfortable enough to come to you shows the support your employees have from you and that is amazing. I love that you’re straightforward but caring.

My bill collectors want me to work 80 hrs a week, but my body wants me to work 20 hours a week. So I split the difference and aim for 50.

Over a 30 year career, I have learned there needs to be a balance between OT and life. Mama likes the nice things, but she likes me around. I love my job. I also love the wife. So sacrifices need to be made at both ends. If I had the ability to go to my boss like he did and was offered the hours needed to fix my problem, I would have danced out of the office. Those jobs you mentioned? All over it. There's no such thing as "shit work" when you're getting paid $37/hrs to do it. How does he not see that? As for cleaning trucks and hoses, that's part of maintaining my equipment. If you want to pay me OT at the end of the day to do it, that would become part of my day. Hope he works it out. It also builds character.

To the employee.... I hope you realize how blessed you are to have James as an employer.

I had to work tons of OT as an ICU nurse. Most hospitals budget for average census, not full census. Not only ICU, but I had experience in ER and in recovery room. Throughout my life, I took so much call I lost count. I loved it, if for no other reason than it allowed me to provide gifts to my nieces and nephews. Needless to say, covid also played havoc with staffing. On top of it, nurses getting covid decimated available staff. I finally had to go on disability because it seriously impacted my health. Work life balance is important but I learned that too late. If you want OT, you need to work. Reality. But too much OT can be detrimental also.

For real. If my work just said no problem when I needed overtime and they would find me something to do to get that overtime. I’d show up with a smile on my face every day. I think maybe some of your employees take for granted working for a good company

One of my father's favorite sayings was "common sense isn't common". You sir, are just overflowing with common sense and you have a wonderful gift of packaging that common sense into a wonderful story.

I can have all I want as a maintenance tech. If we have a major issue, I will always stay. However, I also run a gunsmithing business on the side. I leave work, go home and go to work on my passion, gunsmithing. Weigh it out. $67.50 an hour at my regular job OT vs about $150 an hour average on my side business. No brainer. And I can drink a beer while doing my home shop work. Edit - You're a very good employer. I take care of my maintenance team as best I can as well. Working for a large entity, I battle for them and they have no clue I do such. If my employees are happy and doing a great job, my company is happy.

I painted for my old septic company when they moved offices to get extra hours. I got permission to hire a friend to help with the project. This friend needed money badly, so i thought between this side work and a good impression, he might be able to pull himself out of the hole AND secure a job within the company. It took about a week, working 4-5 hours after work to get everything done. He never showed up less than an hour late, and constantly blamed his girlfriend for his lateness. He threw away a really good chance to get a nice job at my company and ultimately our friendship as well. All because he refused to take any control over his situation. On top of that, it was embarrassing to me and hurt my reputation for a while too (turns out he was vaping weed while we were working and left a dead vape in our warehouse) It still makes me mad as hell to think about. It's been 3 or 4 years now.

Every employer I’ve ever worked for has not wanted their employees to work overtime. I guess they don’t want to pay the extra money 🤷‍♂️ You’re the first employer I’ve heard who actually encourages it. Great video 👍

Got to 7 minutes in to the video, where you were mentioning the chores and was a little shocked by their reaction! Dude, if you'd offered me that as an option, and it's just doing cleaning, the maintenance stuff that doesn't get done? Yeah, I would have been ready to pounce on that, and that's even without being in a situation like what they were in!

When I was young and full of energy I had a good job and worked all the overtime I could.I would take home 3 to 4 times my regular pay. I loved my job, my employer and the people I worked with. Not being at work was boring. 50 years later I'm gainfully retired.

You seem like a decent employer. I work 12 hour continental shifts. OT is available sporadically. I’m reasonably well paid, & happy where I am.

It is nice to see a boss that knows how to take care of their employees to the fullest. Still wish I had the same. I need to look harder - take that ACTION to get RESULTS.

It's good to know that there are good bosses like you that understand work-life balance and are willing to work with their employees. And you offering to basically provide a security detail with you and your brother is going above and beyond.

After a certain amount of overtime and your working for Uncle Sam !!!

I worked my last job for 23 years and never had an OT panic because I managed my bills fairly well and never got into a pinch that I couldn't crawl out of in a few months. That said, OT "is what it is" and I always took it in stride. If I put in for OT the boss knew he was in for a few bucks as well, either because I had a great day (good production) or because we were charging the customer OT on the job. (after hours work) I understood there was no free lunch and the money comes from somewhere. I was never the guy who NEEDED the OT but if we were swamped, I was willing to take some of the load. I think that's a fair way to look at it.

I’m an OT hound. After 4 decades of it, I’m getting sick of it. You’re storytelling is so captivating that I am now OT refreshed and ready to take the money again!

I wholeheartedly appreciate how you posed the solution without impacting the other employees pay. That shows you are a leader, and not "the boss." You're the kind of person someone will stay with when a competitor comes to offer them more money. Also, can we all just appreciate the quality of the line "something more fun, not the shit jobs" given the line of work 😂

Surprising he was so hesitant to do those tasks for 3 grand. You definitely are the type of boss I would have loved to work for in my younger years when I could do more manual labor. My bosses were asses and loved to tell us little people how much better they were.

James always in some way inspires me to do better. Love this guy and his content. What a boss to have. He's in your corner.

I'm one of those people who strive on controlled chaos and will work through lunch and 16+ hours a day to stay busy because I hate not being busy. When I slow down is when I feel old

I keep being amazed how every video of this guy running a septic business is entertaining and educational enough for me to click on. I don't give a shit about septic tanks. I live in a country where they're not even common! But every single one of his videos/clips are worth watching. Thank you James!!!

That's why I like the oil field, hitch schedule with plenty of OT, but solid days off, and if you really want the money you can even work over with even more OT

Thanks bro. Your material is so luminous. Much appreciated. God bless

As someone involved in speech and debate, I have to say, this was a really well-written speech, and even more importantly, really well memorized. If it were a bit more naturally delivered, I might not even be convinced that it was a written speech. Well done sir, a lot of youtubers can learn from this. Also, I know sometimes I focus on the method of delivery, rather than the message, so let me add that it was also an exceptional message.

I feel ya James. The job we're on now is a minimum of 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, and they're talking about doing 7 days a week to get caught up. Love the paychecks!

I LOVE overtime! No lunch either.

You're a good dude, James. Love these stories and your work/life ethic. Peace.

James,you are definitely someone i would want to work for if i was in your area

After watching many of your videos, seeing his reaction to your brother being involved seriously made me lol.

I kinda needed to hear this I think. Thanks for sharing!

James. Have been watching for the last 6 months or so. Really loving your content. The more I watch the more I love it. No Nonsense, Common Sense Answers to everyday conundrums. Bravo 👏

As a parent, I pray that you have the opportunity to spend some time talking to highschool classes .... the world needs more people to hear this. The younger they hear it, the better

Dude probably hasn't had an issue like this before. Good on you for having the patience of a saint.

Thanks for the pep talk man really thank you

Thanks for the show James

OT was welcome 95% of the time. When you come to me on Friday saying I need to stay 6 hours, because somebody screwed up. That usually means the Boss screwed up.

I am 100% a "40 and Home" person as I call them. I have a few reps on my team that are the same and I have others that work 6am to 6pm 7 days a week if I let them. I want to have more stories when I get older than "I was at work 80% of my life". =)

Was hoping for a part two with your brother. Those are always fun ones.

I've heard that same sentiment where I work. our crew was told that in some instances, the custodial crews that were cleaning up the commercial restrooms we work on... might not always be available- so they wanted us to do the cleanup after we finish our plumbing work. OH! the whining! I agreed with a smile. why? because we're STILL on the clock, at our regular rate. custodial work is EASY compared to plumbing- no real thought or grunt work necessary. what ended up happening? that slowed the jobs down... we couldn't get to as many calls and that resulted in the need for after hours overtime- KACHING!

I work IT and have apprentices. Sometimes I set them to do inventory sorting and such. They hate it because it's monotonous and they seem to think that it's a punishment. But it's just work that has to be done, and if I had the time to do it myself I would love to do it myself, I could have zone out and listen to an audiobook or music while doing the work in peace. If I needed 3k, I would have no problem cleaning pipes or tanks, no questions asked. Grime comes of, you just need to clean yourself afterwards.

tell more stories about you and your brother please.

Loyal bosses have loyal employees. Good on you!

That is completely awesome that you made those extra tasks available to him. I would have been far more grateful back in the day. So many jobs couldn't care less about an employee and even more don't allow for overtime. I spent the previous ten years working for ungrateful jerks, but I finally got the courage to change jobs. Now my boss (and his boss) absolutely rock. I make more money and get more bonuses. They even coach me on how to get to the next level. I would kill people for them. Even as far as my mother-in-law (lives in another country) passed away days before a huge inspection that I had a major portion. It wasn't a discussion, I was ordered to take my wife to the funeral. Those are the people you want to work for.

I'm mixed. I love that overtime money. But I also really enjoy my hobbies and spending time with my kid. It's a balancing act.

It has been 20 years since I worked at a labor intensive job. I am retired now, but I would gladly do those tasks for an extra 3k this month. Could I wear cousin Eddie's bath robe and fur hat while I'm cleaning out the shitter?

🤣🤣🤣 love your style of story telling!

I *love* overtime!, the more, the better! ❤

I needed that "Action is greater than talk" lesson rn and it's a wonderful lesson

Rando: I want more money! Boss: Ok, work more hours and/or do tougher and more dangerous work. Rando: THATS NOT FAIR! Me: Ugh…

Love your videos and the messages you always deliver.

You sound like an awesome boss, you hit me right in the feels when you mentioned your brother. As of today my brother has been gone 2 months.

I know it's crazy to think that people would rather spend the time with their family and loved ones and not making money

I’ve always found that, whenever possible, putting in overtime is always easier if you can put it on the front of the day. Come in an hour or two early, knock out a couple projects and tasks before regular work shift gets going, and be able to go home at your regular time feels a lot better than watching everyone clock out and then forcing yourself to stay and be productive for extra hours, knowing that you *could* be at home.

Your newest video, plus this one, put something in perspective in a way I needed to hear very specifically. I have felt a very dreadful brand of hopelessness for a long time thinking there was no way out of my situation that was possible. This gave me a plan. Thanks, man.

James, I am a Journeyman tool and die maker, and I work in a small machine shop in Kokomo, Indiana. Kokomo is the home to the Dodge/Chrysler transmission plants. Years ago, my boss got the contract to make the tensile test samples from the 6 cylinder engine blocks the foundry was also making. I would go to the foundry every morning, and each day the sample size would differ. Some days I would only have a dozen to 15 castings. Other days I could have up to 30 castings... I would pick them up and go to the shop and start cutting them up, I needed the strip of casting right above the main bearing in the middle of the engine. Little 1"×3" chunk of casting. Then I would stick that piece of casting into a holder that fits the cnc mill, and we turned it into a pull test sample. And each test sample was tracked by serial number that was stamped by the operator at the foundry. Cool job, but it got old after 28 days straight of doing it... Especially the 30 casting days...

The part where you said there s no one on the planet he would sic your brother on...Oh James did that make me laugh! Love the stories!!

Man you're such an understanding boss, it's always great to hear how you go above and beyond to meet the needs of your employees

Everyone needs a boss like you. A boss who treats his employees like people and who will go that extra mile to help the people who work for him.

Your solution sounded actually enjoyable to me

I personally prefer to spend more time at a jobsite and then finish that job if I know the job can be done within a reasonable amount of time, rather than coming back in the morning. When I say 'within a reasonable amount of time' I mean coming home before dinner, not after.

The respect you have for your people - no words are sufficient

I wish i could get all that overtime ive done in life. Money comes and goes, time just goes. Don't waste it at work. Make each day count. I promise you, in the end, you will never regret spending time with your loved ones.

Thank you for telling the story the way you did where you knew the outcome as it is all in the past. Having closure really completes the story and the points made.

If it ain't regular youtube superstar with the consistent uploads. Have a nice day yall

I generally liked to work OT. But, when we had kids, my wife and I worked different shifts. 8-5 for me 3-11 for her. That killed my opportunity to get extra hours. The place I worked was closed on weekends. When the kids got older I made it work when I could. I also pulled ours delivering pizzas for the local shop. Being older at the time, I loved working Friday and Saturday nights. That’s when made the good tips. The HS kids never understood that.

Best quote I heard in HS that helped me through college and early life: "Sometimes you have to do the things you don't want to do in order to do the things that you do want to do later on."

Honestly, those options of extra work ARE easier than a lot of the other options equivalent to almost $40/hr! Id love to clean the truck or spread some gravel or cut grass for 40 bucks an hour man. You really are the shining example of how an employer/employee relationship ought to be, love your videos and all the great work you guys do!

I'm just shocked to be a boss who's so willing to push overtime. That money usually squeaks coming out of the boss' hands

To funny I just stumbled across your channel and this story after getting home from work. A Saturday OT day. Time and a half right out the gate!!👍 🇨🇦

I'll tell you what James, I'd come work for you doing the shit work nobody wants to do. You really seem like the type of boss everyone needs

I came into work for 2 weeks with pneumonia and 100-105 degree fever, diarrhea, and nausea because we were shorthanded. After finally getting tired of feeling horrible, I went to the doctor; work called me 10 minutes after I left the ER and asked when I would be back.

Some people have to experience things to learn!!! Great story!😊

Excellent life lesson. Thank you.

Bro, you're so clever and funny... Please keep these videos coming!

If I worked for your company and I was in your employees' situation, I would be asking what else needs done, boss. Especially since you helped him and worked out the math.

I will say, James, you are a great story teller.

OT: Same shit, better pay. Sign me up.

I did my OT when I was young, now that I have my daughter and my career I just want my 40 and that's all... I could make a ton more money being on the road or working OT (electrician) but as my grandfather once told me "No amount of money ever bought anyone a seconds worth of time." and I'll take my daughter to a baseball game over extra cash every time.

The company that put me out to pasture had a "Lunch break is mandatory" policy, but the manager wanted everyone to "take lunch while driving to your next call" policy. I informed her that driving to the next call is hours worked because I'm responsible for the truck and equipment. We came to the agreement that as long as I didn't tell the workers that didn't know this, I would be free to take my breaks. I hated that manager.

Personally, I love overtime when I'm getting the overtime pay. I understand and respect it if someone doesn't though. If you don't understand both why people would both want and not want overtime you need to reflect on yourself. There are some pretty obvious and clear answers to these basic questions. It's not unreasonable to expect to earn what you need without doing overtime. I've been burned before doing overtime and not getting paid accordingly - real shady shit - one time my manager changed my timesheets all up after I had approved them and I didn't find out until my check. It only takes one time to fuck it up for everyone else after for a while - once someone has gotten burned they'll always distrust and now you have to prove you're going to do the right thing and pay for the overtime.

They say money doesn't buy happines, but it sure as hell makes life a little easier to enjoy therefore buying happiness.

The world needs bosses like you and although your brother has t been seen (at least by me), he sounds so much like my brother John lol. We all need someone to have our backs.

Oh! He actually came through?! I was not expecting a happy ending.

Great story. I’ve always been under the attitude that time off was just lost opportunity, and always looking for a reasonable bit of OT. After being bypassed for promotion to people that were better at playing office politics I became the OT guy that everyone counted on being there. When my take home pay started to shade the bosses take home he started cutting into it. Then it became a game and everyone was up for the challenge to make my check bigger. This worked well for a few years until they realized how much money they were passing up and eventually everyone wanted the OT. Those were some lean days after being used to having so much available cash. 😂 Now I’m retired on a fixed income living the life that so many guys wanted and trying to find the right idea to get some cash flowing again.

"Actions are greater than talk". I love that. Put that on a T-shirt and bumper stickers. I'll start handing them out to all the young people nowadays. Thank you for sharing this

Just what I needed right now

That was such a great story. Really well handled and managed.

I was sure this was going to end up with a new family member for this crew member. 😂