I got Good News and I got Bad News...which do you want to read first?

Well I'm going to give you the [U]GOOD[/U] news first. My employer wants to promote me. [I](Yay...me...really...aww why thank you ---- doing the happy dance!)[/I]

The [U]BAD[/U] news; if I take the promotion my days on the high seas will come to an end...or be dramatically reduced. [I](Tears, Tears, Tears)[/I]

What to do? :confused:

Ok so let me back up. Currently I get a ridiculous amount [I](yet not enough)[/I] of paid time off; works out to be about ....wait for it...8 weeks a year and I've been with the company for less then 5years. Now before you start saying wow that's great... I work the dreaded nightshift; all 12 hours of it. I'm my current position the opportunities for advancement are slim....literally someone has to kick the old bucket because no one ups and quits their job anymore and no one is moving. Or someone has to be...dare I say the horrible [I]"F"[/I] word.

On those weeks off my husband and I enjoy cruising and taking various other land vacations. Being that we have opposite schedules it's really the only time we get to spend quality time with each other for more then a few hours here and there.

With the potential new position I'm still stuck on the night shift but only 8 hours instead of 12 which means more time on a daily bases with the hubby. I go into a new emerging field that really has a ton of advancement opportunities and would look really good on my resume. But here's the kicker...I get only 2 weeks of vacation time. [I](Gasp)[/I] Oh my God just the thought of 2 measly weeks a year...what am I supposed to do with that? I'm going through withdrawal just thinking about it.

Another thing is that [I]I don't[/I]...[I]won't[/I]...[I]will not[/I]...[I]ever[/I] step foot in an airplane ever again ! [I]Very traumatic experience.[/I] We usually take Amtrak to the various ports and enjoy a night or two hotel stay before and or after the cruise. So if I take the position; for time sake it will limit me to cruising out of the northeastern US ports. And I don't know about you but if I do just one more Port Canaveral/Bahamas cruise I'm going to scream. Lol

What does my husband say? Well he's supportive in whatever decision I choose. You know it's one of those happy wife happy life type of things lol. But I know he enjoys cruising, he's the one who got me hooked on it.

Oh what to do...what to do? :confused:

To me, I'd rather have the vacation time. It sounds like you don't mind the 12 hours nights - if you do, that would be a factor.

The one thing that stands out to me in your post is "new, emerging field". Well, new emerging fields can go belly up. My 2 cents, I'd stick with what you've got.

No congratulations yet since you are obviously not sure you even want the promotion. :)

1. Do the math.... how much of a difference financially will this mean to you and hubby? (No, don't tell us, just do the math)

2. In many jobs/companies vacation time increases with the years employed. Is it possible that in say 5 years you will have 3 weeks vacation?

3. Have you thought about negotiating for an extra week of vacation?

4. Which is most important to you? The change in hours or the time off? Edited June 20, 2014 by SPacificbound

First thing is you don't "Have" to accept the initial offer. Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.
2 weeks is only their starting offer.
Tell them you still need the 8 weeks, maybe offer to only take 4 or 6 weeks, but 2 weeks is a serious barrier.

Other than that,,,, I got nothing.
Family first, job/career second.

Your income/retirement comes before vacations. Take the promotion.

[B]Take the promotion.
[/B]

Wow...8 weeks, that is unheard of unless you're a teacher I guess. I too, work the night shift - the 8 hour version. I currently get 2 weeks of vacation and some shift differential. My company gives 3 weeks at 5 years, 4 weeks at 15 and 5 weeks at 25. That is the max, even for some coworkers who have been there for 40+ years.

If I were you, I'd look at what is better for you in the long term. While 12 hour shifts are long days, it can sometimes give you more days off. Some companies have employees work 3 days one week and 4 days the next. If you decide to opt for the new position, negotiate for more vacation time. People do it all the time.

Good luck!

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Thank you all for your replies.:)

Hopefully they would let me keep my vacation time, or I’ll be happy with just 6. If nothing else they will have to honor the rest of my days off for this year. I have a meeting next week with HR to discuss the particulars.

Five years from now, think of how your day to day life would be like in your present and in your potential future position.

Good luck with your decision ;)

[B]Please let us know what you decide.
[/B]

Ask if you can buy vacation days.

You need to put a value on your time off - compare it with the salary increase and reasonable expectation of future earnings. Pick which gives you what is most important.

Second - get over it - learn to fly. Lots of us do not like it - but to allow a dislike of flying to remove many life options is self defeating. If if is a phobia - enroll in one of the many programs not too expensive, concerning the importance of travel in living a full life. I repeat : get over it.

[quote name='sail7seas'][B]Please let us know what you decide.

[/B][/QUOTE]


Will do! Thank you.


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[quote name='Grannycb']Ask if you can buy vacation days.[/QUOTE]


Really? I never heard of that. Have you done it, how does it work?


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I'll give it my best for you since I just retired a couple of years ago but I have seen it all in the work place. The last ten years before I retired my wife and I made it possible to take a cruise and vacation at least once a year. I think it saved my sanity in the work place and made it possible to get through those very stressful years. First of all just how long do you see yourself working for the company you presently work for? If the benefits are good do they include a defined pension? With five years in most companies offer more vacation time. How much vacation time will you get with five years in. Will the promotion be worth while for you and your husband. I watched many people take a promotion only to be miserable or be booted out the door. If you are under 30 it could work to your advantage to take the promotion. If you are nearing 40 those promotions don't come very often. I would encourage you to make the right decision going forward and try to get into airplane mode. Don't let one bad experience change the way you travel. Get a passport and plant that trip to Barcelona, Rome, or Venice. Hawaii and Australia are great places to experience. You need to get out there and visit other cultures which will make you a informative person. Good luck with your decision. I always called 3rd shift.... killer shift. Retired from the work place. Tim

I'd examine how much more money and opportunity are you getting? if you are giving up 6 weeks of vacation I hope you are getting much more than that in the form of a financial increase. is the oppty such that in a few years you will be able to jump to an even better job? you have to look at what you are gaining vs. what you are giving up. in general you want to take promotions. I also think you could ask for more vacation time.

[quote name='vivian02']I'll give it my best for you since I just retired a couple of years ago but I have seen it all in the work place. The last ten years before I retired my wife and I made it possible to take a cruise and vacation at least once a year. I think it saved my sanity in the work place and made it possible to get through those very stressful years. First of all just how long do you see yourself working for the company you presently work for? If the benefits are good do they include a defined pension? With five years in most companies offer more vacation time. How much vacation time will you get with five years in. Will the promotion be worth while for you and your husband. I watched many people take a promotion only to be miserable or be booted out the door. If you are under 30 it could work to your advantage to take the promotion. If you are nearing 40 those promotions don't come very often. I would encourage you to make the right decision going forward and try to get into airplane mode. Don't let one bad experience change the way you travel. Get a passport and plant that trip to Barcelona, Rome, or Venice. Hawaii and Australia are great places to experience. You need to get out there and visit other cultures which will make you a informative person. Good luck with your decision. I always called 3rd shift.... killer shift. Retired from the work place. Tim[/QUOTE]


Great advice Tim. Your right when I'm working just knowing I have a cruise coming up helps me get through my nights. Like right now I'm in count down mode till we celebrate our anniversary.

Yes great benefits and pension plan. When I reach 5 years I get and extra weeks vacation and a few more personal days. Worthwhile as far the advancement opportunities yes, anything else really no besides a little extra money.

And everyone I have flown in the past and have visited various countries and ports of call.


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Wow, what a decision! I'd be curious to know what you decide. Hopefully you can negotiate for a "best of both worlds" type situation! Good luck!

If it's really important to you and you can't get extra weeks as paid time off, it might be worth asking about unpaid time off. At one point in my career after many years with the same company, I just couldn't do it any more (mainly the part that involved supervising too many people) and quit. After a few weeks gone from the job, the company decided it wanted me back. One of the things I asked for, and got, was an extra 4 weeks vacation a year which I was willing to take unpaid. My husband was a teacher and had the summers off, so this was very important to me. It made a huge difference in our lives.

Move to Australia where you get four weeks annual leave? :D

Seriously though, you are still working night shift but your hours are reducing by 1/3. Yet they want to reduce your vacation time by 3/4. That sounds like something that should be negotiated. Hope you can manage to reach a suitable agreement with your employer. :) Edited June 21, 2014 by OzKiwiJJ

[quote name='Kartgv']If it's really important to you and you can't get extra weeks as paid time off, it might be worth asking about unpaid time off. At one point in my career after many years with the same company, I just couldn't do it any more (mainly the part that involved supervising too many people) and quit. After a few weeks gone from the job, the company decided it wanted me back. One of the things I asked for, and got, was an extra 4 weeks vacation a year which I was willing to take unpaid. My husband was a teacher and had the summers off, so this was very important to me. It made a huge difference in our lives.[/QUOTE]

What do you do?
What's the difference in Salary
The 8 weeks off... Does that include holidays?
12 hours a day---how many days do you work
8 hours a day--how many days do you work--5 days.

8 weeks off isnt really that much if you dont get holidays off....where I retired from....new employees get 4 weeks after 3 years and 12 holidays a year along with 2 personal days.
Also 12 paid sick days which carried over.

YES ITS A MUNICIPAL CITY UNION JOB :)

Time off with pay can not be matched. .....The funny thing about advancement opportunities is that you might not get one. The American Dream is a Financial one. If you will find fulfillment and more money....By all means take the job and move up the ladder if you can.

But im curious to what it is that you do.

As a person who's worked her adult life (started supporting myself at 17) and have now been unemployed for 3 years just short of retiring - take the promotion. Put money aside and learn to deal with the vacation time. Seriously - the vast majority of us only get 2 weeks for the first 5 years, then 3 weeks untill 10 years. Welcome to America! Vacation time is great - long time income and savings are much more important. It really sucks retiring with no income/savings because we thought having fun when we were young was more important. Take the money, buy a house, pay it off and put money in savings.

My daughter-in-law had been a vice president with her company for 10 years and got 5 weeks vacation each year. She changed jobs, more $$, better benefits but now only gets 2 weeks. My son also has a new job and this year only gets one week as a new employee. They both decided their new jobs were more important than vacation time.











oNE week!

Wow, what a decision to have to make.

If you are working 12 hour shifts x 5 nights a week, then you are [B]earning [/B] those extra holidays.

You mention you will get an extra weeks holidays after 5 years. Ask your employer to count the time employed in your current position towards this.
Ask about taking unpaid leave and calculate the financial implication.

If you decide not to take the promotion, make them an offer of what it will take for you to take the promotion.

IOWs, tell them you will take the promotion if you can get x weeks of vacation and any other perks you desire.

Nothing to lose if they decline.