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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 17:12:32 GMT
So right now I am working part time for my old company. My old boss retired and then 3 people from that firm formed their own company and asked me to join them. Which is AWESOME sauce to say the least. The schedule is very flexible. I can work from home. I only go the office at most 2 times a week, but the downfall is that is is almost 60 miles to work and there is a $22 toll if I take the toll. They pay for one round trip toll a week. So the other day I suck it up or take another route. I am part time though. Which I love but my pocketbook doesn't. Anyways, I love everything about it. I didn't have to train as most of it is the same work that I did before. It pays decent, but no benefits. I am still up for a full time position that is close by my house. About 2 miles. It would be full time. It would be all new to me, so lots of training. It's a government job, so benefits would be great and the pay isn't bad. Downfall, no flexible time at all. In fact, I don't even know if I could get off early in case of a home emergency, like if dd is sick. (This is working in a detention center - office job). It's working a 12 hour shift for three days and 6 hours on the fourth day and holidays, weekends (Holidays and weekends I can deal with). It would also involve working days and evening shift, being rotated every 3 months. I am excited about the job itself but the hours are crappy. Actually the night shift would almost work better for me all the time since I could be home during the day for an emergency. DH would be home at night. I don't know yet if that would be possible. I don't even know yet if I got the job. I want to stay at the part time job, but I need more hours and they know this and trying to help me out. But yeah, benefits?? Not happening. I have been in the running for this new job since April and I just emailed them to see if it was still in the works and they are still doing all the background checks. Assuming I pass the background check (I don't know why I wouldn't) I would then proceed to psychological testing. So this is a big deal. I just don't know what to do.  Opinions or thoughts? |
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Post by mom on Jun 8, 2016 17:18:11 GMT
Do you need the benefits or are you covered by your husbands? I also think you need to consider if you will actually like working from home and be productive?
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 8, 2016 17:31:39 GMT
I would ask myself:
-How old is your DD? If too young to stay home alone, can your DH stay home with her if you have to work. I'm a SAHM, but by about 12, I didn't stay home with my kids if they were home sick unless they were actively throwing up/feverish. I'd run to the store or still volunteer at the school if that was my plan for the day. But I would pop in and out of the house every few hours.
-Can your family live comfortably if you only work PT? Will you have health insurance/dental/eye? Vacation pay (and is that important.) Would it be worth the cut in pay for you to be home/available for your DD?
You've had some time to get used to being home more often. Is that flexibility worth it to you and your family? For us, we chose for me to stay home and support DH, who works long hours and was NOT available to take off for sick kids/field trips/dr appts/etc. We do vacation every year, but it's not fancy and we drive. It took us years to save up for a big Europe trip 2 years ago (but we also had a few pay raises and DH has been active duty for 25+ years, so he isn't early in his career. We don't drive fancy cars or buy new, but they are reliable.
Sometimes the choice is a matter of keeping the heat on and sometimes its a choice vs fancy vacations. Only your family can decide what it needs/wants.
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Post by jemali on Jun 8, 2016 17:31:56 GMT
My DH worked a swing shift for a while and it was very difficult. He was tired all the time.
Say he got home at 7 am on Friday morning. He was up all night working, so he is tired. But he wants to get things done around the house, mow the lawn, whatever while the rest of the family is at work/school. If he stays up and does stuff, he is super tired by mid afternoon. The rest of us get home and he is sleeping. If he goes to sleep at 9 am (cant fall asleep right away), he sleeps all day. Then when the rest of us are ready for bed, he is wide awake and can't do things like the lawn.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 17:32:23 GMT
My husband carries our benefits now but they are pretty expensive. I am thinking through the government it would be much cheaper. (Of course, if this isn't the case, that part of it would be off the table).
I am currently working at home and it is working out good. I don't have to be at the computer at any certain time, so I can work now or tonight or in the middle of the night if I wanted. I usually work when the family or most everyone is out of the house. Or in the evening when there is crappy TV on. lol
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 17:37:53 GMT
No DD isn't old enough to stay at home alone yet. She is 8. We haven't even started leaving her for 10 minutes at a time or anything yet.
The problem with DH staying home in an emergency he doesn't get paid at all, he is commission and right now it is slow so it would be hard for him to take time off if he has work.
I am not even considering vacation at this point. It's the matter of paying bills.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 8, 2016 17:42:16 GMT
My DH worked a swing shift for a while and it was very difficult. He was tired all the time. Say he got home at 7 am on Friday morning. He was up all night working, so he is tired. But he wants to get things done around the house, mow the lawn, whatever while the rest of the family is at work/school. If he stays up and does stuff, he is super tired by mid afternoon. The rest of us get home and he is sleeping. If he goes to sleep at 9 am (cant fall asleep right away), he sleeps all day. Then when the rest of us are ready for bed, he is wide awake and can't do things like the lawn. My DH worked 7pm-7am for a year when the kids were young. It worked well for us, as he had a lot of flexibility with the kids' schedules and then had 3 days off a week. He would still go in on that 3rd day, but it was usually only for about 5-6 hours. (Military officer, it's just how things are done. Not enough personnel to get the mission done and still do the paperwork.) But he could attend an event at the preschool or be there to pick DS up from 1st grade. We would have dinner and then he would go to work. We had a two story house and the sound didn't carry much upstairs, so he could sleep during the day. I wouldn't have wanted to do it forever, but it did work for that one year. It stunk if the kids had an evening activity, but they were young so there weren't too many of those. |
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 8, 2016 17:48:53 GMT
Are you willing to work christmas eve? Christmas morning? Thanksgiving?
Do you need to be home while dd is out of school or do you pay daycare?
Dh works nights 6-7 and I work days. If he's worked the might before, he n3eds to sleep, not take care of a sick child.
What is your back up if dd gets sick and dh can't leave and you don't wake up to the phone?
Just things to consider.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 8, 2016 17:50:04 GMT
No DD isn't old enough to stay at home alone yet. She is 8. We haven't even started leaving her for 10 minutes at a time or anything yet. The problem with DH staying home in an emergency he doesn't get paid at all, he is commission and right now it is slow so it would be hard for him to take time off if he has work. I am not even considering vacation at this point. It's the matter of paying bills. I wouldn't leave an 8 year old home alone, either. My kids were at least 10 before I did that, even for 10 minutes. So can you pay your bills on a PT salary? (You don't have to answer this for us, but consider it in the overall picture.) Can you take the government job, pay off some debt, then go back to the PT job? Or go back to the PT job if the government job just doesn't work for your family? If you carry the insurance, it may be that the government job "pays" enough where your DH stays home with your DD (remember to consider school holidays, too) with no pay while you go to work. |
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 20:17:51 GMT
No DD isn't old enough to stay at home alone yet. She is 8. We haven't even started leaving her for 10 minutes at a time or anything yet. The problem with DH staying home in an emergency he doesn't get paid at all, he is commission and right now it is slow so it would be hard for him to take time off if he has work. I am not even considering vacation at this point. It's the matter of paying bills. I wouldn't leave an 8 year old home alone, either. My kids were at least 10 before I did that, even for 10 minutes. So can you pay your bills on a PT salary? (You don't have to answer this for us, but consider it in the overall picture.) Can you take the government job, pay off some debt, then go back to the PT job? Or go back to the PT job if the government job just doesn't work for your family? If you carry the insurance, it may be that the government job "pays" enough where your DH stays home with your DD (remember to consider school holidays, too) with no pay while you go to work. IF and that is a big IF with my DH job.. IF I could get at least 30 hrs a week and he is busy and getting at least 40 hours commission it works. But right now his commission hours are down and I am not getting 30 hours yet. I am a little over 20-25 week. Now that is something to think of. If I got the government job and assuming the insurance is a lot cheaper DH could take that time off without pay. I guess what I need to do is wait and see what happens and see if I do proceed. And all these questions can be answered at that time. I really would love to work the part time job and spend time at home working and being able to be with my littlest one... but in reality I think we would rather be able to pay the bills and mortgage and have somewhere to live!! lol..... I have spent the last year a lot with her since I did work at her school.... I have done more with her than I did with my two oldest. It just worked out that way. Anyways, a lot of food for thought. Edited it to add: FYI No we haven't been considering leaving her at 8 years old by herself yet. But it is around the corner.... ugggg.. |
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valleyview
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,816
Jun 27, 2014 18:41:26 GMT
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Post by valleyview on Jun 8, 2016 20:29:01 GMT
Perhaps you could go onto a state government website to find out insurance info. In my state, they pay employee portion and the family cost is deducted from salary.
You've been on such a long job journey! I hope you find a good and permanent fit soon.
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Post by annabella on Jun 8, 2016 20:38:11 GMT
My DH worked a swing shift for a while and it was very difficult. He was tired all the time. Say he got home at 7 am on Friday morning. He was up all night working, so he is tired. But he wants to get things done around the house, mow the lawn, whatever while the rest of the family is at work/school. If he stays up and does stuff, he is super tired by mid afternoon. The rest of us get home and he is sleeping. If he goes to sleep at 9 am (cant fall asleep right away), he sleeps all day. Then when the rest of us are ready for bed, he is wide awake and can't do things like the lawn. I think your sanity is more important than money. If you're always tired, you can't exist. If the job was 3 days a week only during the day I would say take it. I would keep pushing your current job to give you 30 hours and 2 toll passes a week. Is it 60 miles roundtrip or one way? |
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Post by ladytrisha on Jun 8, 2016 21:04:20 GMT
Benefits are the big reason we haven't made the leap yet to move.
We would end up trading one thing for higher health insurance benefits - I paid $200 for my family each month, the company picks up the rest of the tab. So while I would get a lower house payment elsewhere, our insurance would go up insanely!
That said - if you and your current company can meet at a more equitable solution, it sounds like that will keep your heart happy. I agree with Annabella about asking for 30 hrs and toll passes, and perhaps a negotiation on affordable health care - where they buy at group rate and you pay part of the costs? My hubby was commission only his entire working life - when they finally got sued over having to be paid min. wage base if there was no work coming in and finally got sick pay, his knee blew out. We were so close!
I've a feeling that you might come to resent having to take the full time job long before you'd reap the big benefits from it. Maybe when your child is able to stay alone or go to after school camp, then you can revisit it?
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 23:23:18 GMT
60 miles one way, so about 120 round trip. but only 1 or 2 days a week, so it's less than my old commute of 50 miles RT everyday..and the toll makes it a quick commute. Old commute no toll road.
We been talking about the hours and toll. Business just needs to get more busy, which it is at this point. My thoughts are if the other job offers me a job, I can go to my current job and let them know what they are offering and see if they offer something back to me.
There are only 4 of us and they all carry their own insurance. And it is expensive...
I don't think I would resent the new job, it the type of job I kinda always wanted to do.. The thing I am worried about the most are the hours. If it was normal hours or close to it, I would take it in a heartbeat. I could even work around the holidays/weekend.
uggggg.. ... but then again, it may not even pan out.
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scrapngranny
Pearl Clutcher
Only slightly senile
Posts: 4,826 
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Post by scrapngranny on Jun 8, 2016 23:47:15 GMT
Personally, I couldn't deal with the rotating schedule and the overnight hours and my family. It would be a scheduling nightmare. The drive would just add to the negatives, but you may not feel that way.
The best of luck with whatever you decide to do.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 17:22:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2016 0:31:04 GMT
Another perspective -
If you are offered the swing shift job would it be possible to work both jobs for a month or more to see how you like it? Considering the kind of flexibility you have with your part-time job you can probably get the tasks completed quite quickly while making a decision on whether you want to stay with the swing-shift job.
If the swing shift job doesn't work you still have the part-time job to fall back on and some extra $$ in your bank account.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 9, 2016 1:31:40 GMT
Personally, I couldn't deal with the rotating schedule and the overnight hours and my family. It would be a scheduling nightmare. The drive would just add to the negatives, but you may not feel that way. The best of luck with whatever you decide to do. The drive to this job is less than 5 minutes. It's like 3 miles.  |
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Post by jamielynn on Jun 9, 2016 3:17:01 GMT
Unless you needed more wage, and benefits I'd stick with what is working.
I too have a flexible job, no nights, weekends or holidays but occasional OT. Ideally I'd work more in the 28-32 range than FT.
That said I really value the flexibility and benefits (tons of PTO, Hugh company match on 401k, cheap dental and life for our family) so I work a bit more than I'd like. Those things have a high value to my family as opposed to lesser hours or a higher wage changing jobs.
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Post by smokeynspike on Jun 9, 2016 4:32:40 GMT
I would love the flexibility of the first job and look to supplement my income with another part-time job before I would sign up for the second job you mentioned. The hours sound horrendous and would infringe on my family time, let alone make me be tired and crabby. The money/benefits just wouldn't be worth the inflexibility for me.
Melissa
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zella
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,884
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Post by zella on Jun 9, 2016 5:12:18 GMT
I just get a feeling that you really don't want to leave your current position, that you are trying to convince yourself that the government FT job is a better option.
If I'm right about that, then that's your answer. Stick with what you have now, because it makes you happy and it's working. Sure things could be better, you'd like to have more money, but there's so much positive in the current job.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 7, 2024 17:22:53 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2016 5:54:33 GMT
My DD was faced with a very similar decision earlier this year. She had a job 5 minutes from her house and the hours were very flexible. She loved it, but the pay wasn't great and the potential to to move up was non-existent.
She got an offer with another company that involved a long commute, crappy shift hours that change every 3 months and pretty much no flexibility. (She has 3 kids, ages 10, 2 and 1 so that was a huge concern.) The pay and benefits were better, but more importantly the potential for advancement and eventually working from home was huge.
In the end, she had to take stock of where she'd be in 5 years staying at the old job versus where she'd be taking the new one. She chose the future the new job could potentially give her.
While her previous job had lots of bennies in the form of flexibility and a short commute, it wasn't going to help her family long-term. That is what I think you need to consider - your long-term goals. If this new job will get you there and the current job won't, that's something to give serious thought to.
Good luck with your decision. These things are never easy.
L
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johnnysmom
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,684
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:33 GMT
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Post by johnnysmom on Jun 9, 2016 11:11:22 GMT
I would love the flexibility of the first job and look to supplement my income with another part-time job before I would sign up for the second job you mentioned. The hours sound horrendous and would infringe on my family time, let alone make me be tired and crabby. The money/benefits just wouldn't be worth the inflexibility for me. Melissa That's my thought as well. Night shift is one thing, swing shift is a whole new ball game (my experience is from when I was a kid and we always had to move our schedule around to accommodate dads ever changing work/sleep schedule, mom sah so someone was always there but we had to be quiet/couldn't have friends over, holidays changed, dinner times changed, etc). I think I'd sooner be a Walmart greeter PT than deal with swing shift and nights. |
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