diff --git a/dist/core/abstract-resume.js b/dist/core/abstract-resume.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4955970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dist/core/abstract-resume.js
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+
+/**
+Definition of the AbstractResume class.
+@license MIT. See LICENSE.md for details.
+@module core/abstract-resume
+ */
+
+(function() {
+  var AbstractResume, FluentDate, _, __;
+
+  _ = require('underscore');
+
+  __ = require('lodash');
+
+  FluentDate = require('./fluent-date');
+
+  AbstractResume = (function() {
+    function AbstractResume() {}
+
+
+    /**
+    Compute the total duration of the work history.
+    @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
+    of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
+    *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
+    sheets that have overlapping jobs.
+     */
+
+    AbstractResume.prototype.duration = function(collKey, startKey, endKey, unit) {
+      var firstDate, hist, lastDate, new_e;
+      unit = unit || 'years';
+      hist = hist || __.get(this, collKey);
+      if (!hist || !hist.length) {
+        return 0;
+      }
+      new_e = hist.map(function(job) {
+        var obj;
+        obj = _.pick(job, [startKey, endKey]);
+        if (!_.has(obj, endKey)) {
+          obj[endKey] = 'current';
+        }
+        if (obj && (obj[startKey] || obj[endKey])) {
+          obj = _.pairs(obj);
+          obj[0][1] = FluentDate.fmt(obj[0][1]);
+          if (obj.length > 1) {
+            obj[1][1] = FluentDate.fmt(obj[1][1]);
+          }
+        }
+        return obj;
+      });
+      new_e = _.filter(_.flatten(new_e, true), function(v) {
+        return v && v.length && v[0] && v[0].length;
+      });
+      if (!new_e || !new_e.length) {
+        return 0;
+      }
+      new_e = _.sortBy(new_e, function(elem) {
+        return elem[1].unix();
+      });
+      firstDate = _.first(new_e)[1];
+      lastDate = _.last(new_e)[1];
+      return lastDate.diff(firstDate, unit);
+    };
+
+    return AbstractResume;
+
+  })();
+
+  module.exports = AbstractResume;
+
+}).call(this);
diff --git a/dist/core/fluent-date.js b/dist/core/fluent-date.js
index 3b798f9..10ff22f 100644
--- a/dist/core/fluent-date.js
+++ b/dist/core/fluent-date.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ The HackMyResume date representation.
 
   moment = require('moment');
 
+  require('../utils/string');
+
 
   /**
   Create a FluentDate from a string or Moment date object. There are a few date
@@ -33,6 +35,10 @@ The HackMyResume date representation.
       this.rep = this.fmt(dt);
     }
 
+    FluentDate.isCurrent = function(dt) {
+      return !dt || (String.is(dt) && /^(present|now|current)$/.test(dt));
+    };
+
     return FluentDate;
 
   })();
diff --git a/dist/core/fresh-resume.js b/dist/core/fresh-resume.js
index f9b8887..6fd9932 100644
--- a/dist/core/fresh-resume.js
+++ b/dist/core/fresh-resume.js
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
  */
 
 (function() {
-  var CONVERTER, FS, FreshResume, JRSResume, MD, PATH, XML, _, __, _parseDates, extend, moment, validator;
+  var AbstractResume, CONVERTER, FS, FluentDate, FreshResume, JRSResume, MD, PATH, XML, _, __, _parseDates, extend, moment, validator,
+    extend1 = function(child, parent) { for (var key in parent) { if (hasProp.call(parent, key)) child[key] = parent[key]; } function ctor() { this.constructor = child; } ctor.prototype = parent.prototype; child.prototype = new ctor(); child.__super__ = parent.prototype; return child; },
+    hasProp = {}.hasOwnProperty;
 
   FS = require('fs');
 
@@ -30,6 +32,10 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
 
   JRSResume = require('./jrs-resume');
 
+  FluentDate = require('./fluent-date');
+
+  AbstractResume = require('./abstract-resume');
+
 
   /**
   A FRESH resume or CV. FRESH resumes are backed by JSON, and each FreshResume
@@ -37,8 +43,12 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
   @constructor
    */
 
-  FreshResume = (function() {
-    function FreshResume() {}
+  FreshResume = (function(superClass) {
+    extend1(FreshResume, superClass);
+
+    function FreshResume() {
+      return FreshResume.__super__.constructor.apply(this, arguments);
+    }
 
 
     /** Initialize the FreshResume from file. */
@@ -376,36 +386,8 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
       return ret;
     };
 
-
-    /**
-    Calculate the total duration of the sheet. Assumes this.work has been sorted
-    by start date descending, perhaps via a call to Sheet.sort().
-    @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
-    of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
-    *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
-    sheets that have overlapping jobs.
-     */
-
     FreshResume.prototype.duration = function(unit) {
-      var careerLast, careerStart, empHist, firstJob;
-      unit = unit || 'years';
-      empHist = __.get(this, 'employment.history');
-      if (empHist && empHist.length) {
-        firstJob = _.last(empHist);
-        careerStart = firstJob.start ? firstJob.safe.start : '';
-        if ((typeof careerStart === 'string' || careerStart instanceof String) && !careerStart.trim()) {
-          return 0;
-        }
-        careerLast = _.max(empHist, function(w) {
-          if (w.safe && w.safe.end) {
-            return w.safe.end.unix();
-          } else {
-            return moment().unix();
-          }
-        });
-        return careerLast.safe.end.diff(careerStart, unit);
-      }
-      return 0;
+      return FreshResume.__super__.duration.call(this, 'employment.history', 'start', 'end', unit);
     };
 
 
@@ -420,7 +402,11 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
         if (a.safe.start.isBefore(b.safe.start)) {
           return 1;
         } else {
-          return (a.safe.start.isAfter(b.safe.start) && -1) || 0;
+          if (a.safe.start.isAfter(b.safe.start)) {
+            return -1;
+          } else {
+            return 0;
+          }
         }
       };
       sortSection = function(key) {
@@ -448,7 +434,7 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
 
     return FreshResume;
 
-  })();
+  })(AbstractResume);
 
 
   /**
@@ -499,7 +485,7 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
         return;
       }
       if (Object.prototype.toString.call(obj) === '[object Array]') {
-        return obj.forEach(function(elem) {
+        obj.forEach(function(elem) {
           return replaceDatesInObject(elem);
         });
       } else if (typeof obj === 'object') {
@@ -509,19 +495,19 @@ Definition of the FRESHResume class.
         Object.keys(obj).forEach(function(key) {
           return replaceDatesInObject(obj[key]);
         });
-        return ['start', 'end', 'date'].forEach(function(val) {
+        ['start', 'end', 'date'].forEach(function(val) {
           if ((obj[val] !== void 0) && (!obj.safe || !obj.safe[val])) {
             obj.safe = obj.safe || {};
             obj.safe[val] = _fmt(obj[val]);
             if (obj[val] && (val === 'start') && !obj.end) {
-              return obj.safe.end = _fmt('current');
+              obj.safe.end = _fmt('current');
             }
           }
         });
       }
     };
-    return Object.keys(this).forEach(function(member) {
-      return replaceDatesInObject(that[member]);
+    Object.keys(this).forEach(function(member) {
+      replaceDatesInObject(that[member]);
     });
   };
 
diff --git a/dist/core/jrs-resume.js b/dist/core/jrs-resume.js
index d2a1dfc..0a5b8b5 100644
--- a/dist/core/jrs-resume.js
+++ b/dist/core/jrs-resume.js
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ Definition of the JRSResume class.
  */
 
 (function() {
-  var CONVERTER, FS, JRSResume, MD, PATH, _, _parseDates, extend, moment, validator;
+  var AbstractResume, CONVERTER, FS, JRSResume, MD, PATH, _, _parseDates, extend, moment, validator,
+    extend1 = function(child, parent) { for (var key in parent) { if (hasProp.call(parent, key)) child[key] = parent[key]; } function ctor() { this.constructor = child; } ctor.prototype = parent.prototype; child.prototype = new ctor(); child.__super__ = parent.prototype; return child; },
+    hasProp = {}.hasOwnProperty;
 
   FS = require('fs');
 
@@ -24,6 +26,8 @@ Definition of the JRSResume class.
 
   moment = require('moment');
 
+  AbstractResume = require('./abstract-resume');
+
 
   /**
   A JRS resume or CV. JRS resumes are backed by JSON, and each JRSResume object
@@ -31,10 +35,14 @@ Definition of the JRSResume class.
   @class JRSResume
    */
 
-  JRSResume = (function() {
+  JRSResume = (function(superClass) {
     var clear, format;
 
-    function JRSResume() {}
+    extend1(JRSResume, superClass);
+
+    function JRSResume() {
+      return JRSResume.__super__.constructor.apply(this, arguments);
+    }
 
 
     /** Initialize the JSResume from file. */
@@ -249,30 +257,8 @@ Definition of the JRSResume class.
       return ret;
     };
 
-
-    /**
-    Calculate the total duration of the sheet. Assumes this.work has been sorted
-    by start date descending, perhaps via a call to Sheet.sort().
-    @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
-    of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
-    *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
-    sheets that have overlapping jobs.
-     */
-
     JRSResume.prototype.duration = function(unit) {
-      var careerLast, careerStart;
-      unit = unit || 'years';
-      if (this.work && this.work.length) {
-        careerStart = this.work[this.work.length - 1].safeStartDate;
-        if ((typeof careerStart === 'string' || careerStart instanceof String) && !careerStart.trim()) {
-          return 0;
-        }
-        careerLast = _.max(this.work, function(w) {
-          return w.safeEndDate.unix();
-        }).safeEndDate;
-        return careerLast.diff(careerStart, unit);
-      }
-      return 0;
+      return JRSResume.__super__.duration.call(this, 'work', 'startDate', 'endDate', unit);
     };
 
 
@@ -372,7 +358,7 @@ Definition of the JRSResume class.
 
     return JRSResume;
 
-  })();
+  })(AbstractResume);
 
 
   /** Get the default (empty) sheet. */
diff --git a/src/core/abstract-resume.coffee b/src/core/abstract-resume.coffee
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81e2588
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/abstract-resume.coffee
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+###*
+Definition of the AbstractResume class.
+@license MIT. See LICENSE.md for details.
+@module core/abstract-resume
+###
+
+_ = require 'underscore'
+__ = require 'lodash'
+FluentDate = require('./fluent-date')
+
+class AbstractResume
+
+  ###*
+  Compute the total duration of the work history.
+  @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
+  of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
+  *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
+  sheets that have overlapping jobs.
+  ###
+  duration: (collKey, startKey, endKey, unit) ->
+    unit = unit || 'years'
+    hist = hist || __.get(this, collKey)
+    return 0 if !hist or !hist.length
+
+    # BEGIN CODE DUPLICATION --> src/inspectors/gap-inspector.coffee (TODO)
+
+    # Convert the candidate's employment history to an array of dates,
+    # where each element in the array is a start date or an end date of a
+    # job -- it doesn't matter which.
+    new_e = hist.map( ( job ) ->
+      obj = _.pick( job, [startKey, endKey] )
+      # Synthesize an end date if this is a "current" gig
+      obj[endKey] = 'current' if !_.has obj, endKey
+      if obj && (obj[startKey] || obj[endKey])
+        obj = _.pairs( obj )
+        obj[0][1] = FluentDate.fmt( obj[0][1] )
+        if obj.length > 1
+          obj[1][1] = FluentDate.fmt( obj[1][1] )
+      return obj
+    )
+
+    # Flatten the array, remove empties, and sort
+    new_e = _.filter _.flatten( new_e, true ), (v) ->
+      return v && v.length && v[0] && v[0].length
+
+    return 0 if !new_e or !new_e.length
+
+    new_e = _.sortBy new_e, ( elem ) -> return elem[1].unix()
+
+    # END CODE DUPLICATION
+
+    firstDate = _.first( new_e )[1];
+    lastDate = _.last( new_e )[1];
+    lastDate.diff firstDate, unit
+
+module.exports = AbstractResume
diff --git a/src/core/fluent-date.coffee b/src/core/fluent-date.coffee
index 94654fe..f08d156 100644
--- a/src/core/fluent-date.coffee
+++ b/src/core/fluent-date.coffee
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ The HackMyResume date representation.
 
 
 moment = require 'moment'
+require('../utils/string')
 
 ###*
 Create a FluentDate from a string or Moment date object. There are a few date
@@ -30,6 +31,8 @@ class FluentDate
   constructor: (dt) ->
     @rep = this.fmt dt
 
+  @isCurrent: (dt) ->
+    !dt || (String.is(dt) and /^(present|now|current)$/.test(dt))
 
 months = {}
 abbr = {}
diff --git a/src/core/fresh-resume.coffee b/src/core/fresh-resume.coffee
index 730c3d5..b378ea6 100644
--- a/src/core/fresh-resume.coffee
+++ b/src/core/fresh-resume.coffee
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ XML = require 'xml-escape'
 MD = require 'marked'
 CONVERTER = require 'fresh-jrs-converter'
 JRSResume = require './jrs-resume'
+FluentDate = require './fluent-date'
+AbstractResume = require './abstract-resume'
 
 
 
@@ -25,7 +27,7 @@ A FRESH resume or CV. FRESH resumes are backed by JSON, and each FreshResume
 object is an instantiation of that JSON decorated with utility methods.
 @constructor
 ###
-class FreshResume
+class FreshResume extends AbstractResume
 
   ###* Initialize the FreshResume from file. ###
   open: ( file, opts ) ->
@@ -306,28 +308,8 @@ class FreshResume
     ret
 
 
-
-  ###*
-  Calculate the total duration of the sheet. Assumes this.work has been sorted
-  by start date descending, perhaps via a call to Sheet.sort().
-  @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
-  of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
-  *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
-  sheets that have overlapping jobs.
-  ###
   duration: (unit) ->
-    unit = unit || 'years'
-    empHist = __.get(this, 'employment.history')
-    if empHist && empHist.length
-      firstJob = _.last( empHist )
-      careerStart = if firstJob.start then firstJob.safe.start else ''
-      if ((typeof careerStart == 'string' || careerStart instanceof String) && !careerStart.trim())
-        return 0
-      careerLast = _.max empHist, ( w ) ->
-        return if w.safe && w.safe.end then w.safe.end.unix() else moment().unix()
-      return careerLast.safe.end.diff careerStart, unit
-    0
-
+    super('employment.history', 'start', 'end', unit)
 
 
   ###*
@@ -337,9 +319,9 @@ class FreshResume
   sort: () ->
 
     byDateDesc = (a,b) ->
-      if ( a.safe.start.isBefore(b.safe.start) )
+      if a.safe.start.isBefore(b.safe.start)
       then 1
-      else ( a.safe.start.isAfter(b.safe.start) && -1 ) || 0
+      else ( if a.safe.start.isAfter(b.safe.start) then -1 else 0 )
 
     sortSection = ( key ) ->
       ar = __.get this, key
@@ -352,10 +334,6 @@ class FreshResume
     sortSection 'service.history'
     sortSection 'projects'
 
-    # this.awards && this.awards.sort( function(a, b) {
-    #   return( a.safeDate.isBefore(b.safeDate) ) ? 1
-    #     : ( a.safeDate.isAfter(b.safeDate) && -1 ) || 0;
-    # });
     @writing && @writing.sort (a, b) ->
       if a.safe.date.isBefore b.safe.date
       then 1
@@ -400,6 +378,7 @@ _parseDates = () ->
     return if !obj
     if Object.prototype.toString.call( obj ) == '[object Array]'
       obj.forEach (elem) -> replaceDatesInObject( elem )
+      return
     else if typeof obj == 'object'
       if obj._isAMomentObject || obj.safe
         return
@@ -410,8 +389,12 @@ _parseDates = () ->
           obj.safe[ val ] = _fmt obj[val]
           if obj[val] && (val == 'start') && !obj.end
             obj.safe.end = _fmt 'current'
-
-  Object.keys( this ).forEach (member) -> replaceDatesInObject(that[member])
+            return
+      return
+  Object.keys( this ).forEach (member) ->
+    replaceDatesInObject(that[member])
+    return
+  return
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/core/jrs-resume.coffee b/src/core/jrs-resume.coffee
index ba588c0..dfd5c08 100644
--- a/src/core/jrs-resume.coffee
+++ b/src/core/jrs-resume.coffee
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ PATH = require('path')
 MD = require('marked')
 CONVERTER = require('fresh-jrs-converter')
 moment = require('moment')
-
+AbstractResume = require('./abstract-resume')
 
 
 ###*
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ A JRS resume or CV. JRS resumes are backed by JSON, and each JRSResume object
 is an instantiation of that JSON decorated with utility methods.
 @class JRSResume
 ###
-class JRSResume
+class JRSResume extends AbstractResume
 
 
 
@@ -203,25 +203,8 @@ class JRSResume
     ret
 
 
-
-  ###*
-  Calculate the total duration of the sheet. Assumes this.work has been sorted
-  by start date descending, perhaps via a call to Sheet.sort().
-  @returns The total duration of the sheet's work history, that is, the number
-  of years between the start date of the earliest job on the resume and the
-  *latest end date of all jobs in the work history*. This last condition is for
-  sheets that have overlapping jobs.
-  ###
-  duration: ( unit ) ->
-    unit = unit || 'years';
-    if this.work && this.work.length
-      careerStart = this.work[ this.work.length - 1].safeStartDate
-      if (typeof careerStart == 'string' || careerStart instanceof String) && !careerStart.trim()
-        return 0
-      careerLast = _.max( this.work, ( w ) -> w.safeEndDate.unix() ).safeEndDate;
-      return careerLast.diff careerStart, unit
-    0
-
+  duration: (unit) ->
+    super('work', 'startDate', 'endDate', unit)
 
 
   ###*