It used to be that techs were employees, and therefore endowed with all the rights and customary expectations as such. These days they're more like free agents. Its almost like service departments rent you a bay where you set up your own garage with your own tools. You are an employee, but they way you're paid is per estimated work hour. The dealer charges a flat rate for the work, you get paid a flat rate for the job. If you are doing a transmission remove and replace that is scheduled for 3 hours, they pay you for three. If you get it done in 2 hours, you still get paid for 3. If it takes you all day, you still get paid for 3. On a really kick butt day where I had a lot of good "ups" I could have a 20 hour paycheck in a 10 hour shift.
It removes liability from the dealer, and places more motivation in your hands, but it does make you more like a free agent. When I got the job, I didn't call it getting a job, I called it landing a gig.