FI Options

[aim-high]

I mentioned retirement to my boss and wanted to explore what my options were for an easy transition.

Part-time (with benefits) and work from home 2 days per week.

Will have to think about it. It has possibilities.

 

[friar1610]

Have no idea what line of work you're in or what your situation is. I tried with a couple of employers to get to a part-time situation but it never worked out. In watching friends who had successfully negotiated part-time arrangements, it seems they often got dragged back to full-time, at least for extended periods. ("We really need you to step up for this project, etc.")

I have one friend who teaches courses for a federal agency on a contract basis. When he is teaching a class, it's full-time for the duration (3 days, a week, two weeks.) But he can turn down offers of classes to teach and during those periods he isn't working at all. The thing I like about his situation is the classes don't get extended as a project does when it runs into trouble.

Good luck with your attempt!

 

[RunningBum]

Good luck! I worked part-time from home for 3 or 4 years. It was a great transition and easy enough to keep my sanity at work so I had some income and benefits coming in. I worked 4 hrs/day, which actually worked out better for my activities. I became pretty invisible to middle management, which was ok except that megacorp did a ranking system and my boss couldn't do much to get me very high up there. Eventually the director targeted me and moved my fading project overseas, which was fine since I got a small severance. Just be pretty sure you are ready to go. They'll either realize how valuable you are and try to pull you back in as friar says, or push you out at some point.

 

[rodi]

I successfully negotiated part time work in early 2001, when returning from maternity leave from my older son. It was still part of the dot.com engineer shortage when I negotiated it (prior to leaving for maternity leave in late 2000.) That helped. I had a 3 day work week.

When I transfered my job across the country - the new manager definitely wanted full time. We split the difference and I increase up to 80% - 4 days a week. I maintained that from late 2001 till I retired earlier this year.

I had friends who also arranged part time arrangements - less successfully. They all tried to split the day - which made it very easy to get sucked into longer than planned hours. Your 4 hour workday becomes 6 because they want your input in one more meeting, or one more deadline. With my part time status arranged on full day boundaries - it was easier to train co-workers and managers that I just would NOT be there on my days off. They also knew if I did need to be dragged in - I'd be doing so without childcare - so I'd be bringing in toddlers. Do that once - and they learn not to ask as much.

That said - they asked me to resume full time at every review. I basically said I wouldn't unless "keeping my job depended on it". That backed them off.

I wish you luck with the transition. Working part time, for me, was a good balance.

 

[Walt34]

They also knew if I did need to be dragged in - I'd be doing so without childcare - so I'd be bringing in toddlers. Do that once - and they learn not to ask as much.

There has to be a couple of good stories behind that. Do elaborate....