Question

Calculating the Direct Labor Rate Variance and the Direct Labor Efficiency Variance

Guillermo's Oil and Lube Company is a service company that offers oil changes and lubrication for automobiles and light trucks. On average, Guillermo has found that a typical oil change takes 18 minutes and 6.2 quarts of oil are used. In June, Guillermo's Oil and Lube had 990 oil changes.
Guillermo's Oil and Lube Company provided the following information for the production of oil changes during the month of June:

Actual number of oil changes performed: 990
Actual number of direct labor hours worked: 291 hours
Actual rate paid per direct labor hour: $16.00
Standard rate per direct labor hour: $15.00

Required:
a. Calculate the direct labor rate variance (LRV) and the direct labor efficiency variance (LEV) for June using the formula approach.
b. Calculate the direct labor rate variance (LRV) and the direct labor efficiency variance (LEV) for June.
c. Calculate the total direct labor variance for oil changes for June.
d. What if the actual wage rate paid in June was $14.00? What impact would that have had on the direct labor rate variance (LRV)? On the direct labor efficiency variance (LEV)? Indicate what the new variances would be below. If required, round your answers to the nearest cent.

Answer 1

Guillermo's Oil and Lube Company

Calculating the Direct Labor Rate Variance and the Direct Labor Efficiency Variance

a1. Direct labor rate variance (LRV) = Actual Labor Rate minus Standard Labor Rate multiplied by Actual hours worked

= $16 - $15 x 291

= $291 U

a2. Direct labor efficiency variance (LEV) = Standard hours minus Actual hours x Standard hourly rate

= 297 - 291 x $15

= $90 F

b1. Direct labor rate variance (LRV) = the difference between the actual wages paid and the standard wages

= (Actual labour rate x actual hours) - (standard rate x actual hours)

= ($16 x 291) - ($15 x 291)

= $4,656 - $4,365

= $291 U

b2. Direct labor efficiency variance = the difference between the actual number of direct labor hours worked and budgeted direct labor hours that should have been worked based on the standards

(291 x $15) - (297 x $15)

4,365 - 4,455

= $90 F

c. Total Direct labor rate variance (LRV) = Actual Wages minus Standard Wages

= (Actual labor rate x Actual hours) - (Standard labor rate x Standard hours)

= ($16 x 291) - ($15 x 297)

= $4,656 - $4,455

= $201 U

d. If actual wage rate paid in June was $14.00:

d1. Direct labor rate variance (LRV) = Actual Labor Rate minus Standard Labor Rate multiplied by Actual hours worked

= $14 - $15 x 291

= $291 F

d2. Direct labor efficiency variance (LEV) = Standard hours minus Actual hours x Standard hourly rate

= 297 - 291 x $15

= $90 F

d3. Total Direct labor rate variance (LRV) = Actual Wages minus Standard Wages

= (Actual labor rate x Actual hours) - (Standard labor rate x Standard hours)

= ($14 x 291) - ($15 x 297)

= $4,074 - $4,455

= $381 F

Step-by-step explanation:

a) Data and Calculations

Actual number of oil changes performed: 990

Standard number of direct labor hours to for 990 oil changes = 990 x 0.3 hours (since 18 minutes = 0.3 hours or 18/60) = 297 hours

Actual number of direct labor hours worked: 291 hours

Actual rate paid per direct labor hour: $16.00

Standard rate per direct labor hour: $15.00

b) The impact on direct labor rate variance if the actual wage rate paid in June was $14 was to turn the unfavorable labor rate variance into a favorable variance of $291 and the total direct labor variance would have been a favorable variance $381 instead of an unfavorable variance of $201.