Quality of Life ... regarding employment

[mickeysgal]

Benefits is what keeps most people at a job they hate. I work with someone who is recently divorced & she no longer has health Insurance and is pretty scared about the future.

Absolutely agree. Its the benefits - specifically health insurance - that keeps people in the jobs that they have and may not necessarily like. You just can't go without insurance. Whats that saying? "Most people are one major illness away from bankrupcy?"

 

[crz4mm2]

DH changed jobs about 5 years ago. He gave up his own business to go back to work for someone else. LOTS less $$$$ LOTS. BUT, he has next to NO stress and that is worth soooo much more. We had lots of adjustments to make, but it is soooooo worth it.
I would say if you can make do on what he will make in the new position then do it. It will mean so much to your family to have him back and he will be much happier (it sounds like!).
Money truly isn't everything!

 

[C.Ann]

Where there's a will, there's a way.. As long as your benefits don't suffer (particularly health insurance) you can ALWAYS find a way to live on less money..

Being together as a family should be your number one priority.. Whenever a question like this comes up it reminds me of a line from a poem I read years and years ago:

"Lifetimes are changed, some cancelled out - all in that minute, that seemed not to count.."

I say go for it!

 

[mamajoan]

LOTS of blue collar folks work like that. It's called mandatory overtime.

WOW thank you for all of the support~ and sharing of your lives!!

My DH is Blue Collar... and MANDATORY OVERTIME is the reason for this unbelievable schedule.

Many people.. many... work two jobs to make ends meet. I am glad he is employed and is able to make a living wage. We have been fortunate to have the ability to have a strong sense to save money and make good investments. We moved to Illinois because the cost of living is less than California.
However the winter utility bill forecast has me scared to death......

DH and I had a long discussion last night. He is going to negotiate with the new company to see if they will come up on their starting salary and waive the 90 day waiting period for insurance benefits (COBRA is $$$$$-but at least it is available) It was nice to see him smile as he talked about the possibility of having the weekends off)

So that is the scoop.

Thanks.. gotta love the DIS!

 

[disneymom3]

Regarding Cobra, you can play the insurance game as I call it. You can go for 63 days without medical ins and group coverage cannot turn down any preexisting conditions. Then you can get a quickie cheap policy for the overlap--Blue Cross has one called Instacare. IF something medical does come up in that first 60 days, you can pay the Cobra amount that you would have owed as you usually have the first 60 days to make the payment.

If this doesn't make sense, PM me and I will reexplain. I have done this more than once and our son has preexisting conditions. I am quite sure this is federal law, not state.

 

[arminnie]

Benefits is what keeps most people at a job they hate.

I worked at a company where you could take early retirement (and keep health benefits) when you reached 50 with 10 years of service. Also at the 50/10 mark the cash value of the retirement benefits lump sum more than tripled because of the formula they used.

Nearly every employee there could tell you to the day when they would reach that magic 50/10 combo.

When I was nearing the 10 year mark I used to joke that they could beat me, and I would have to stay, and I meant it. I didn't leave when I hit 10 years (I'd already hit 50), but it was so nice to know that I could.

By the time I turned 40, I used to tell people that I had one and only one career aspiration:
NOT TO HATE TO GO TO WORK IN THE MORNING

Really that is more important than anything. That horrible stress of hating a job literally can kill you.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Good luck to your dh & you. You got great advice here, and I agree.

I think once you guys make that step you'll find it's not as hard as you fear.

 

[barkley]

WOW thank you for all of the support~ and sharing of your lives!!

My DH is Blue Collar... and MANDATORY OVERTIME is the reason for this unbelievable schedule.

Many people.. many... work two jobs to make ends meet. I am glad he is employed and is able to make a living wage. We have been fortunate to have the ability to have a strong sense to save money and make good investments. We moved to Illinois because the cost of living is less than California.
However the winter utility bill forecast has me scared to death......

DH and I had a long discussion last night. He is going to negotiate with the new company to see if they will come up on their starting salary and waive the 90 day waiting period for insurance benefits (COBRA is $$$$$-but at least it is available) It was nice to see him smile as he talked about the possibility of having the weekends off)

So that is the scoop.

Thanks.. gotta love the DIS!

hey we are in california now-what part did you escape from? we want so badly to do this!!!! is there any chance your dh can take a leave of absence from his current employer? if so he may be able to continue benefits as an "active employee". my dh did this with a job change. he took a leave and used x number of vacation accruals per month to stay in "active pay status" and therefore be eligible for the employee cost of medi benefits.

we are VERY fortunate in that when i retired early due to a medical disabilty i had the option (WHICH I JUMPED ON) of carrying all of our medi benefits under my retiree status. our medi covers us (and the kiddies until age 25 if they are dependants) no matter where we move in the u.s..

watch out when he negotiates, some employers (esp. some union affiliates) will offer a larger starting salary but will balance it out by pushing out the next eligibility date for a raise by months or years.

how do you like your new state vs. california? we are looking at all options and would love to hear your experiences in a new state.

 

[stemikger]

Originally quoted by momof2inpa
LOTS of blue collar folks work like that. It's called mandatory overtime.

I'm a bluecollar guy myself. But if you are not working illegally in this country there is something called labor laws. I have worked in jobs with mandatory o.t., but if you know your labor laws there is a limit how many days someone can work without a number of days off and this goes over those laws.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the o.p.'s husband is doing it because he likes the money. However, there are other jobs out there where you will not have to work like that, but the pay may be less. I have taken that route myself and am glad I did.

 

[mamajoan]

JMHO
barkley.. we are originally from Illinois.. left 25 years ago.. Marine Corps, then Civilian life kept us in California. We spent the last 12 years up in the Bay area.. San Jose.. then moved to Rural Hollister... loved it all except the cost of living was getting insane.. But the salary scale in CA.. is higher than the Midwest.. We returned this when Dh's company had an opening at a Midwest plant. It was a wild ride.. try a search on my name around June..
That being said we live in the MetroEast of St. Louis.. that is the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. I love that the cost of a house is HALF the price of the Bay area. Car and home insurance is about 2/3 what we paid in CA. People are very friendly, we live in a racially diverse area that is close to Scott Air Force Base. I am VERY pleased with the school system, altho Illinois itself is not highly ranked, our school district is very good.
There seems to be a HUGE number of Churches and Lawyers here.. Banks and Taverns (not Clubs) are also numerous. It is Autumn now.. and it is GORGEOUS! Food is served in huge quantities and it costs much less to go out for a great dinner. We are 20 minutes from St. Louis so we are close to theathers, river casinos, metro night life, professional sports, festivals and art galleries. and Girl.. these people do not know BAD commute traffic! LOL.. sure it slows down during commute.. but there is no extra hour added to your commute due to traffic jams. There are many rivers and lakes which to enjoy. Money just seems to go a little farther here.

Now.. for the flip side.. No Pacific Ocean..... the roads are horrid.. great googlie mooglies! There is construction everywhere that doesn't seem to improve the rough, ragged,bumpy roads. Finding an avocado, fresh lettuce, and California style produce is more than difficult. LOTS of CHEESE, MEAT and BACON! STARBUCKS.. few and far btwn. I live in one of the nation's Highest areas for litigation (ah the vast amt of Lawyers...) It is hot, hot and HUMID in the summer and COLD in the winter.. and My HIGH utility bills prove it. Real Estate taxes in this county are higher than CA. It is somewhat conservitive.. but not too uptight. We have run into some bold, negative racial attitudes .. and we don't go looking for them . People smoke more here.. and there is smoking in restaurants! I was spoiled in CA...

The work ethic here is strong. In general people are very kind and generous to others.
am I happy here... yes. Would I ever move back to CA. if I could afford a house? Yes, if I could get the rest of our family and friends to move out west too.
It was hard to take the Midwest Farm outta the girl when we left 25 years ago.. it is now hard to remove the California girl... but you know what...
I think I have been darn fortunate to experience so many different people in my life. It makes my life more interesting that is for sure.

Best wishes on your next adventure!

 

[mamajoan]

I'm a bluecollar guy myself. But if you are not working illegally in this country there is something called labor laws. I have worked in jobs with mandatory o.t., but if you know your labor laws there is a limit how many days someone can work without a number of days off and this goes over those laws.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the o.p.'s husband is doing it because he likes the money. However, there are other jobs out there where you will not have to work like that, but the pay may be less. I have taken that route myself and am glad I did.

DUDE... really now.. his job pays the bills. and yes, we are aware of labor laws, right to work states, poor union representation, etc. etc.

He is a man with a strong, conscious work ethic and family values so this past few years have been tough. Moving here, being lied to by the company rep.. has been very difficult to deal with~financially and emotionally.

Does he like being away this much from his wife and kids?.. no.
Does he like being able to pay the bills and not have credit debt? YES


WE are checking into some of the options mentioned above regarding Cobra,leave of absence, complete disclosure by the new company.
Thanks for the ideas. It helps to talk amoungst ourselves and get feedback. It helps my thought process.