Direct Labor Variances The following data relate to labor cost for production of 4,700 cellular telephones: Actual: 3,190 hrs. at $16.10 Standard: 3,140 hrs. at $16.30 a. Determine the direct labor rate variance, direct labor time variance, and total direct labor cost variance. Enter a favorable variance as a negative number using a minus sign and an unfavorable variance as a positive number. b. The employees may have been less-experienced or poorly trained, thereby resulting in a labor rate than planned. The lower level of experience or training may have resulted in efficient performance. Thus, the actual time required was than standard