a greed dilemna...

[bishop]

for those who don't know, i'm about to move from jersey to boston to start grad school this fall. this means that i'm quitting my job...

i have 8 vacation days remaining here.. when people resign, there's a certain formula they use where you receive a cash compensation for unused vacation days. according to the formula, i would only receive 1 day's worth of pay since i've used so many days thus far.

the greed dilemna's this.. if i choose 8/13 to be my last day, i'll get paid for the first 2 weeks in august plus this one vacation day. if i choose 8/20 to be my last day and take off a bunch of days next week, i'll be paid for a total of 3 weeks (although i wouldn't get that remaining vacation day paid for). i.e. if i use days next week, i'll be able to squeeze out a couple bucks extra here (between $450-800 depending on how many days i take off next week).

if i give my notice tomorrow and go the less profitable route, i'll be able to move to boston sooner and i'll have more time to settle in, but i'll get less money. if i go the other route, i'll move later it will be more of a rush between work-move-school, but i'll be able to snag more money..

any opinions?

[Nono]

Ah yes, the old dilemma. No suggestions I'm afraid, since the grass is always greener (greeder?) on the other side: if you take the money you'll regret the lost time, and vice versa.

After working about one weekend out of three for a dozen years (and using the proceeds to learn to fly, travel to interesting places, and a lot of other things I'd probably never have done otherwise) I recently stopped since I was badly missing the time for much more mundane pursuits.

Hell, it's a question of balance, and that requires constant correction.

[bishop]

i might have an angle.. gonna involve some cutthroat negotiation, which i'm looking forward to..

here's the prospective plan:

my last day will still be aug. 13. i'm going to negotiate with the boss and vp that in exchange for my full support in these last two weeks, i want to be approved for a paid vacation during the third week of august. they get two weeks of dedicated support and in exchange, i'll get an extra week's pay. win-win for everyone. and, obviously, i'd get all of this done verbally, then in writing so that it's binding.

but, if they don't feel like being generous (as they have from the time of my hire to the present).. then i would use my vacation days during my last two weeks - we have special sick days and i have 3-4 remaining.. if they want to screw me, i can call in sick a couple days and reduce the help that i would've otherwise given them. i'm thinking that i'd call in every other day just to break continuity. the only thing i have to check out is whether/not the company can charge me for using those sick days. i don't think they can, but i'm having someone check out the policy for me just in case.

i'm not concerned about pissing them off. i have no intention of looking to them for a job in the future, and i have many other references in that company - people that i have worked with/for but don't work with/for anymore. those relationships would remain solid and the people i'm leaving would dissolve.

[Compugasm]

Interesting moral dilemma, what would John Edwards do?

[bishop]

don't be an ass. :)