Insurance and Smoking: UCS hires non-smokers because smokers have more health problems and take more sick days. Personally I thought it was a benefit; I didn't want to work around smokers and neither did my coworkers. In the 90s they became self-insured, because claims were about half as much as premiums.
Overtime: Supervisors and Managers encouraged their employees to do what it took to get the job done. During a period of explosive growth after Ford DCS was acquired, many employees were expected to work many hours overtime but were still paid salary. After some workers left, they filed suit and the Labor Department came in to the company to investigate. Many current employees were interviewed. It was determined that many positions' descriptions did indeed fall somewhere between salary and hourly. Since the company expected overtime, it needed to pay for it. The company was made to pay the previous year or two overtime to the employees, entry level only, and continue paying "declining half time overtime" (I think it was called).
Hiring and Retention: The company makes you take an aptitude test to make sure you have the proper "sheep" mentality - you will do as you are told. I think many people become angry at the company that there are so many rules and restrictions, but they can quit at any time. The company does seem to have a "use 'em and lose 'em" attitude, demonstrated by some of their policies. I don't think they have ever understood the true cost of turnover, particularly as their software has become more and more complex over the years, but I think they like a continual stream of new, young, healthy, energetic, naive, obedient employees.
