Hazardous Day Job – a new quality for Shadowrun

Last Friday, I met with an old acquaintance for the first time in years (hello, Niels!). During our chat over coffee he made a simple yet genial observation concerning Shadowrun:

Shadowrun does not contain a disadvantage to model a character having a hazardous occupation (other than shadowrunning, that is).

That statement was a revelation for me.

Indeed, the quality “day job” has long been one of my preferred building blocks for modeling a certain vision I have of shadowrunners – people who, despite being highly skilled, are in dire economic straits, who have their semi- and illegal mercenary forced upon them. “Shadowrunners as (criminal) working poor” I called this view in some previous discussions.

Now, if we look at the sector of replacable low wage (slave) work of a dystopian cyberpunk setting – the Sixth World of Shadowrun in this particular case – what could be more appropriate than missing work safety, disregard of environmental protection, negligence in handling hazardous materials, and calculated accidents, occupational diseases, longterm health issues for the sake of a maximized bottomline?
Even more so in a world, whose amazing technological progress allows – theoretically – to rectify even the most grievous injury and heal the most severe disease (if we disregard the cost of the treatments and replacements involved for a moment) – thus easily putting to rest what little conscience may still stir at the thought of the health hazards facing the workers. – So, you put your arm in the machine because you were too tired? Well, get a new one! What is that you are saying? Your insurance does not cover cyber replacements? Now, that is entirely your own fault, isn’t it?

Thusly, with friendly permission:

Hazardous Day Job (10-20 Karma)
For 10 Karma the character gains a monthly wage of 500¥ and has to work 10 hours per week. At the end of each week, the character has to resist 3P damage (armor does not aid in resisting this damage).
For 15 Karma the character gains a monthly wage of 1,500¥ and has to work 20 hours per week. At the end of each week, the character has to resist 5P damage (armor does not aid in resisting this damage).
For 20 Karma the character gains a monthly wage of 3,500¥ and has to work 40 hours per week. At the end of each week, the character has to resist 8P damage (armor does not aid in resisting this damage).

Note: The income has been deliberately set at lower levels than the comparable values in the regular non-hazardous version of the quality (which are too high anyway, if you are asking me…) following the implicit reasoning that these hazardous jobs will be at the lower end of the pay scale (or vice versa).