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11-13-2013, 02:41 PM
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#1
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 259
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A Major Epiphany
Have been planning on retiring after receiving my bonus in March, 2014, but had an exceptionally lousy day at work - following an extraordinarily crappy week. So bad, in fact, I was close to telling them "Good bye, and thanks for all the fish" at the end of the day.
Since the new management arrived six months ago, my notional concept of leaving next Spring has become a firm decision. I've been counting "Months 'til Freedom" for a while (4 and counting), but today I sat down to count "Weeks 'til Freedom" and had a major epiphany - I have not been subtracting vacation days, holidays, and sick days (I seldom used sick days, but that is going to change, pronto).
What started out at 16 work weeks remaining (which is barely tolerable) magically became 6.03 actual weeks of being in the office.
Six weeks....okay, I can handle that.
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11-13-2013, 03:50 PM
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,345
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EllisWyatt
Six weeks....okay, I can handle that.
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That sure makes it better. One can handle almost anything workwise if the end date is known.
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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11-13-2013, 04:12 PM
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#3
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 85
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Depending on the type of work and if your constitution would allow it.. give them the requisite notice, emotionally disengage and coast to the end. You should be able to cash out vacation and sick days.
Living well is the best form of revenge.. and you may pleasantly find that job is not the four letter word, but it is the w0rk!
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11-13-2013, 04:34 PM
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#4
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Dryer sheet aficionado
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Ocala
Posts: 49
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Don't tell them you are going to retire before the bonus is in your account. My company had an extremely bad habit of reducing or eliminating bonuses for those that announced their pending retirement prior to payday.
__________________
Doug
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11-13-2013, 04:57 PM
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#5
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 185
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Great news Ellis. 6.03 seems pretty doable.
__________________
This is no social crisis, just another tricky day for you...
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11-13-2013, 05:05 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 1,688
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GT1 Doug
Don't tell them you are going to retire before the bonus is in your account. My company had an extremely bad habit of reducing or eliminating bonuses for those that announced their pending retirement prior to payday.
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+1
If there is any element of discretion involved at all, then don't let anyone know until the day after the bonus has hit your account.
__________________
Budgeting is a skill practised by people who are bad at politics.
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11-13-2013, 05:05 PM
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#7
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 259
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I don't plan on even giving them a HINT that I'm leaving until the bonus hits the bank. In the dictionary, under the term "penurious", it says "see XYZMegacorp".
Under normal circumstances (ie., as recently as 6 months ago) I would give significant notice in order for them to find a replacement. The new president (who I report to) is not trustworthy enough, and is vindictive enough, that I strongly believe it would be a mistake. Soooo.... they get the minimum 2 weeks notice.
The hardest part of the next couple months will be smiling and nodding convincingly at the appropriate times.
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11-13-2013, 05:17 PM
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#8
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 16,602
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The 6 weeks is doable. The .03 is going to be rough
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11-13-2013, 05:48 PM
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#9
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 7,746
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EllisWyatt
I don't plan on even giving them a HINT that I'm leaving until the bonus hits the bank. In the dictionary, under the term "penurious", it says "see XYZMegacorp".
Under normal circumstances (ie., as recently as 6 months ago) I would give significant notice in order for them to find a replacement. The new president (who I report to) is not trustworthy enough, and is vindictive enough, that I strongly believe it would be a mistake. Soooo.... they get the minimum 2 weeks notice.
The hardest part of the next couple months will be smiling and nodding convincingly at the appropriate times.
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Wise plan of action. You got to know when to hold em, and know when to... cash in the chips and get out of the casino!
__________________
Retired in 2013 at age 33. Keeping busy reading, blogging, relaxing, gaming, and enjoying the outdoors with my wife and 3 kids (8, 13, and 15).
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11-13-2013, 06:44 PM
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#10
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,366
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I'd worry about the bonus if you were going to work only 6 out of 16 weeks. You might not look very productive.
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11-13-2013, 06:58 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,914
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Stay there.
When new management is installed, it often takes them 6 months to figure things out and come up with a new, improved, better, plan that has their fingerprints on it.
Perhaps you will be fortunate enough to get the bonus and a severance package if you can wait them out.
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11-13-2013, 09:01 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,657
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GT1 Doug
Don't tell them you are going to retire before the bonus is in your account. My company had an extremely bad habit of reducing or eliminating bonuses for those that announced their pending retirement prior to payday.
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This has been standard practice everywhere I've worked, even in the friendliest "we're all like family" places. Never will I hint I'm leaving until the bonus is in my account.
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11-13-2013, 10:16 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,374
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Animorph
I'd worry about the bonus if you were going to work only 6 out of 16 weeks. You might not look very productive.
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Sort of what I was thinking. While you can probably squeeze a vacation in and reduce the 16 weeks to 13 or so I don't see how you can get it down to 6.03 weeks without them getting a sense that you are leaving and killing your bonus.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
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11-14-2013, 09:40 AM
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#14
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 259
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Good points.
I'd thought about the looking productive issue, and that was part of my epiphany ... bonuses are determined by Jan1 to Jan1 performance. I have already significantly exceeded the performance criteria this year; Jan1, 2014-March 2014 are next year’s cycle.
The company is an overseas based company whose culture is vacation-friendly. The rotational staff regularly take several weeks of vacation at a time; I will just be following suit. A week and a half for Thanksgiving, a week for Christmas+a week for New Years….
Sick days are more problematic... and if I don’t take them, I can’t cash them out. Still thinking on that.
As for severance.....ain't gonna happen. Not in the corporate culture, and no redundancy -part of the issue.
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11-14-2013, 09:54 AM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 4,337
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Quote:
Originally Posted by traineeinvestor
+1
If there is any element of discretion involved at all, then don't let anyone know until the day after the bonus has hit your account.
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+1
I don't get bonuses like the old days but I still get a small one. I don't know what might happen if I announce anything before then. Mine will hit in late December. I've decided that is the decision time.
__________________
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane -- Marcus Aurelius
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11-14-2013, 09:59 AM
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#16
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: San Diego
Posts: 313
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I hope you called in sick today!
Mental health should be just as important as physical health. If you were that stressed yesterday, you deserve a day off today.
__________________
Office Space
Bob Porter: Looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately.
Peter Gibbons: I wouldn't say I've been *missing* it, Bob.
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11-14-2013, 10:05 AM
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#17
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Houston
Posts: 4,337
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EllisWyatt
Good points.
The company is an overseas based company whose culture is vacation-friendly. The rotational staff regularly take several weeks of vacation at a time; I will just be following suit. A week and a half for Thanksgiving, a week for Christmas+a week for New Years….
Sick days are more problematic... and if I don’t take them, I can’t cash them out. Still thinking on that.
As for severance.....ain't gonna happen. Not in the corporate culture, and no redundancy -part of the issue.
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Being "sick" comes with its own problems. You can't take more than a few days at a time and you can't do it too often. This is especially true if you have a good attendance record. This will just call attention to yourself.
__________________
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane -- Marcus Aurelius
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11-14-2013, 10:30 AM
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#18
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 259
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+1
I've always had a good attendance record, so that is the one thing I'm going to have to be careful of.
I plan on having thorough physical and dental checkups, and any work that needs to be done while I am still under the current health insurance, prior to pulling the plug. Considering I live 350 miles from where I work, an hour appointment equals 1 day of sick leave, so that may work out and not raise any eyebrows.
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11-14-2013, 10:58 AM
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#19
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 259
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The hard part will be that I have a great staff, and we all are friends as well as co-workers. I'm not as worried about tipping my hand as I am about causing undue concern among some very good people.
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11-14-2013, 01:57 PM
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#20
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Leesburg, VA
Posts: 904
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pb4uski
Sort of what I was thinking. While you can probably squeeze a vacation in and reduce the 16 weeks to 13 or so I don't see how you can get it down to 6.03 weeks without them getting a sense that you are leaving and killing your bonus.
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I agree with this sentiment. I also agree that you should not say anything until you have cash in hand.
Mike D.
__________________
I just want to celebrate another day of livin'
I just want to celebrate another day of life
- R. Earth
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