the following data relate to labor cost for production of 4,300 cellular telephones: actual: 2,900 hrs. at $14.40 standard: 2,850 hrs. at $14.60 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.Rate variance $ Time variance $ Total direct labor cost variance $ b. The employees may have been less-experienced workers who were paid less than more-experienced workers 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.