def getHours(self):
        """returns floating point hours rounded up to the nearest quarter hour"""
        td = self.end_time - self.start_time
        hours = td.seconds // 3600
        minutes = (td.seconds % 3600) // 60
        dec = (float(minutes) / 60)
        quarter = dec // 0.25
        if ((dec % 0.25) > 0):
            quarter += 0.25
        return hours + quarter