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Advice needed - new job/vacation plans

Zac495

Zac495

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
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Location
Philadelphia, PA
The good news is my DH got a job. It's not the greatest - it's a contract position in his field (training and development). He was basically hired by a temp agency , but working for a Good company (they are in a hiring freeze). So we're thrilled that there's something!

My question: We planned Italy last year. It's paid and we're going - or at least the kids and I are going. His start date (once the clearances etc are done and they sign on the dotted line) is 6/18. Vacation is 6/30 for 2 weeks. Does he
1. Ask the temp agency (obviously stating that the job is more important) if he can go?
2. Ask the boss at Good company ?
3. Not ask?

we can't lose this job. As a follow-up, he will continue to interview for jobs iwth benefits - how does he do this without losing the only income he has for now?

Thanks for advice!
 
Ellen,
I'd go with option 2 - tell the Good Co manager about his trip. Hopefully he/she will be okay with it. If not, then you need to see what the options are (maybe DH goes away for 1 week only).

At a previous company I worked at, they hired a new employee, and within 2 weeks, he left for a 3 week vacation to Africa (already planned). Admitttedlty not the best timing, but trips like that (and yours to Italy) probably planned a while ago, and it's just chance that it comes up at the same time of switching jobs.

As far as continued job searching, without the promise of permanant work (which he doesn't have), I don't think there's any guilt in continueing to look for f/t employment.

Jeff
 
Hard choice, but after a difficult job search and the 'good' company breaking with their hiring freeze to hire DH, I would be very leery of bringing up even a pre-planned and pre-paid vacation.

Italy is wonderful and would give your family great memories, but it will still be there in a year, after DH is more established in the company and has earned the right to vacation time.

I say he brings it up at his peril. I would not be surprised to have the boss tell DH something like, "We hired you to do______ and you leave it undone and go on vacation. You might as well stay on vacation."

Jim
 
Good news!
Hubby dealt with the same issue a few months ago. He got laid off last Nov and finally got a full time position in April. He basically told the new company that he needed to take a week off in early May to attend DS' graduation (in Nola) and help him move to Chicago. They gave him that week as part of the hiring bonus.
Since Your DH only works as a temp and job is hard to come by these days, he may offer to take these two weeks off without pay.
I hope all will be worked out for him and your family vacation.
 
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He should STAY HOME and work. Don't even bring it up. He is over 50.

Didn't you all go to Greece last year? This is NOT a once in a lifetime trip. Sure, you would like him along, but the job is harder to come by than another European vacation.
 
In retrospect, he should have presented the vacation plans to the temp agency for full disclosure to potential employers. That did not happen. The hiring company relied on his availability during that two week period. IMO, I would not ask for the two weeks vacation unless he can afford to lose the job.
 
vacationhopeful said:
He should STAY HOME and work. Don't even bring it up. He is over 50.

Didn't you all go to Greece last year? This is NOT a once in a lifetime trip. Sure, you would like him along, but the job is harder to come by than another European vacation.
Click to expand...

Linda - that's what I think! I told him he should stay home. I will still go with the kids and my mom. It's unfortunate that he can't come - but you are RIGHT -- it's not a once in a lifetime trip and we did do Greece and if he works and finds a better job, we can go again another time. I'm so terrified that they'll say okay, but think less favorably of him. It could become a full time job if the hiring freeze ends - but maybe they won't be interested in him. Frankly, we were shocked they even offered him the job as the salary was lower than his other job. So many lower paying jobs that he applies for don't even call. They know he'll move on when something better comes along.

So getting this job- they have to know if something better comes along he's bound to go. By going on vacation, is he telling them he's willing to lose the money (of course he'd say no pay for the 2 weeks)? Doesn't that give them the indication that he is out there looking? We can NOT lose this job until a better one comes along.

I think he should stay home and earn the money, too.
 
I've never dealt with this before, but I agree that I would encourage him to keep silent on this. Italy isn't going anywhere. That job was tough to get and it may lead to a permanent position.
 
Besides, if he goes, he may not enjoy it, he may be thinking all the time that he made the wrong choice. It would bug me all the time and I wouldn't enjoy my vacation.
 
Yup, you go with mom. And then when he can take a vacation without worrying about losing his job, mom takes care of the kids and you two go back.

Is this a package tour, or can you cut back on expenses while there? Italy is an expensive place to visit -- always has been. Cutting expenses will make it easier to afford a second trip there next year.

And mom had better be spry. Italy is NO place for people with mobility issues.
 
I don't think he should even ask...it could damage his reputation.

As a side note, my husband's company regularly hires people from Temp agencies. They like to try them out with no obligation, and keep the cream of the crop. I think it is in your husband's best interest to skip vacation, and to BE the cream of the crop!
 
First let me say congratulations on your husband finding a job quickly. I know what a relief that is. I'm really torn I feel there's no harm asking if you make it clear that you would absolutely do whatever is necessary to keep the job as that is his priority. If he doesn't ask you'll never know and the company might be absolutely OK with it since as a contract worker it will be without pay. How would he feel if in six months he finds out they would have let him go but he never asked? Open and honest communication is important.
Quite a while ago we were in a similar situation. Had a trip to Disneyland planned (driving) with friends. My husband had been unemployed for quite some time with no unemployment insurance coming in. He of course got a job that started in the middle of the holiday so he stayed home. In retrospect I'm glad he couldn't make it as he hates line ups and was miserable at Disneyworld a few years later. Basically I have to plan beach or snowboarding vacations for him and theme park vacations for my son (my daughter's easy going and likes both). Luckily for me I'm a teacher and get enough holidays to make everyone happy except me since I really want to go back to the backbacking type of holidays in placesw of the world where there are no timeshares.

Joan:)
 
Ya hindsight is 20/20. In the past started a job telling employer ahead had a preplanned vacation and it was not a problem.....but that was before the current economy and times were better.

On the other hand another friend recently got a new job in his field, had been working for 3 years not in his field hating it but it was a job. He asked for time off for preplanned vacation and got it unpaid no problem, they were needing his skill set . There is definitely something about the number 50 as have heard it for years now.

brigechols said:
In retrospect, he should have presented the vacation plans to the temp agency for full disclosure to potential employers. That did not happen. The hiring company relied on his availability during that two week period. IMO, I would not ask for the two weeks vacation unless he can afford to lose the job.
Click to expand...
 
Just an opinion...

The hiring freeze will eventually end. Thus, your husband's on tryout. The last thing that he wants to do is raise questions about his motivation. Don't even ask. JMHO
 
Another idea

See what the company's plans are for the 4th of July - it's Wednesday, but maybe they are already planning on closing up for Thursday and Friday as well? If so and if he can swing the airfare or use miles, have him join you for a long weekend. OR, if he gets a good feeling about the company, ask for just those two days off.
 
Zac:

I have sent my wife on vacations with her mother and sister while I stayed home and worked. I can only afford to take so much time off from work. It would seem that your husband cannot afford to take any time off from work in the near future. I think you should enjoy time with your mother while she is still physically capable to enjoy what she is doing. I spent some time with my mother in law walking around the mountains in Lake Tahoe. She was 75 years old at the time. She is currently about 78 years old. How much longer will DW and I be able to enjoy her company in that manner? My mother has been deceased for about 11 years.
 
At this point I think it's too late to ask for those 2 weeks off. It would have been better to mention it before accepting the offer.

I am in the process of hiring a new position at work and the internal recruiter has asked each candidate about their planned vacation time. I needed to take a day off the first week on the new job, but I told them during the negotiation process.

As a contracter, he probably will only get paid for July 4th and any other time off will be unpaid. But I think it would reflect negatively on him if he were to start this new job and immediately ask for time off.

Congrats on landing a job. It's better to be employed than unemployed.
 
Agree that it should have been brought up before - it's a little late to ask now. When we were interviewing candidates for an open position, we would ask about schedule availability. We had one finalist that brought up planned vacation during final interview process. We agreed he was worth the wait. Had he been hired, then brought it up - we would have felt a little differently. It's an extremely competitive job market. We've had a couple openings with minimum bachelor's degree and would receive 140 apps for a position advertised just for a week, many applicants overqualified. If he was my DH, I would suggest he pass on this one.
 
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I was and am in exactly the same situation ... started last October, but told the client company at interview in September that I had plans for October 12-26. It was OK, had orientation 10/10, started for real 10/27.

But the plan was disclosed up front, and the time was actually just a delay in the start date ... not an interruption.

So my family also went to the Caribbean without me in January. I asked a colleague if it would be too much to ask for a week off ... he thought it would not be cool.

However the "six month" project is now at eight and clearly will last to the end of the year, so I'm going to ask about a break in October or so. I haven't missed a day, and even worked 40 hours in holiday weeks to avoid losing pay. Never had this kind of gig before .. I found myself thinking of the two days the office was closed at Christmas as the "Christmas layoff" rather than holiday!
 
I work 3 years, 9 months as a Contract Worker in a office years ago. There were NO PAID HOLIDAYS or vacations. No OT either. If the office was closed for a (holiday) day, it was a 32 hour week.
 
I agree with the majority here that it should not even be brought up.

My questions is how/why are unemployed people planning such expensive vacations? I think it is great if they can make it work but they cannot be that desperate for a job.
 
In fairness, we planned this vacation when he had a job - a good job - and it was fully paid. So we weren't unemployed planning a vacation.

That said - I agree with everyone else.

One thing about full disclosure (question that is ) - He says that full disclosure should come when the final offer is in. He was orally offered - but is waiting for clearance check etc (he'll pass all clearances of course) but he says that people never ask until the offer is firm - and since nothing is firm until after all clearances - he (DH) says it's wrong to ask beforehand.

Anyway, we are planning on going with the majority advice on tug - he's not going. I will go with the kids and my mom since it's all paid and I'm a teacher and off anyway.

And we'll go away together next summer if all goes well. I really appreciate all of your responses. Ellen
 
Zac495 said:
One thing about full disclosure (question that is ) - He says that full disclosure should come when the final offer is in. He was orally offered - but is waiting for clearance check etc (he'll pass all clearances of course) but he says that people never ask until the offer is firm - and since nothing is firm until after all clearances - he (DH) says it's wrong to ask beforehand.
Click to expand...

I don't agree. I started a new job in March. Once I received the verbal offer, I told them that I needed the day off right after I started and that was part of the negotiation. It took over 3 weeks for the clearances to come through and I actually started about a week after that was completed. Because it took so long to get the clearance process initiated, I gave notice before it was completed.
 
Zac495 said:
In fairness, we planned this vacation when he had a job - a good job - and it was fully paid. So we weren't unemployed planning a vacation.
Click to expand...

You haven't mentioned what kind of trip this is. If you need advice on how to cut corners while still having a great trip, let me know. If "fully paid" means you don't have to shell out a single Euro on top of what you've already paid, then there's not much I can do, other than suggest that you follow an Italian when you need to cross a street. And keep your gear stowed tight -- pickpockets in Italy are the best in the world.
 
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