At the drop of a hat!!
By tinamwhite
@tinamwhite (3252)
United States
June 26, 2007 10:39am CST
Do you have the type of job that requires you to frequently or occasionally go out of town at the drop of a hat??
Do they pay you extra income for the privilege of you being ready to go 24 hours a day?
?My oldest son works as a piper in a manufacturing company that makes special order air conditioners...they build very small units and gigantic units (the size of my house 2200sq ft).....he has worked there for many years..
Friday when he went to work they informed him that he would have to go to Ohio to work on a unit....he would leave Monday and be gone for a week...
He is the father of 4 small children and married to a woman who's top priority is rarely the children...so this creates a problem for him...
This made me wonder how many others are jerked away from their life by their employers to go out of town like this...
Another member here talked about her spouse being sent out of town without even being able to come home first...he was just expected to jump on an airplane and be gone for several days....
Have you ever experienced something like this?? Does your employer expect this type of activity from you?
As an employee, do you feel that an employer has a right to ask you to totally disrupt our life without any thought about these things?
Please do share your thoughts...
2 people like this
7 responses
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I work as a caregiver and i am expected to drop what i am doing and go to any surrounding area to take care of a patient. I have a very ill father that i have to take care of but they can't seem to understand that.They expect me to come when they beckon yet won't pay overtime which according to the supreme court is alright.no wonder caregivers are always on short supply!
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I worked for 10 yrs. as a nurse...they truly do not appreciate the personal sacrifices that we, caregivers devote to our patients and our jobs...letting the important things at home basicaly sit on hold until we are able to return to them...
I know how difficult it is, my friend...you always have your hands more than full...
1 person likes this
@66jerseygirl (3877)
• United States
26 Jun 07
I know it-and so do you. they treat the people in the healthcare field like crap and wonder why there is such a shortage
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
29 Jun 07
Although I'm a stay at home mom, I'm very familiar with the inconsistent schedules that employers often place on their employees. My spouse used to work in an industry that required him to relocate very often. It was necessary in order to keep his job and income. After awhile we had to completely quit, because we wanted to start a family and knew that the inconsistency would be bad for our child. I do wish that employers thought more about the health and well being of their employees before they thoughtlessly asked them to go out of town. Theywould certainly have happier employees, I imagine.
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I agree that there are very few employers who are conscientious about the demands that they make on their staff...I know that they are paying then...but courtesy goes along way in the way of employee morale.....
@wolfie34 (26770)
• United Kingdom
26 Jun 07
That really must put a tremendous strain on your eldest son's relationship my friend, I think there should be a clause in the contract that if you have a family then where you are placed in work should be limited, it's not fair that you are whisked away way out of commutable distance. I guess the money makes up for it but money cannot mend relationships. I haven't been in this position to be honest but for me it wouldn't matter because I have no commitments.
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
26 Jun 07
As I have figured it...based on what he told me....the only increase in pay is that he gets paid for driving time on Monday and Friday...regular pay for the hours he works each day......his motel room and meals are also paid for....
What worries me and him both is how he kids will fare with him gone....their mother is not attentive and will ship them off to anyone who will take them rather than actually taking care of them....
I appreciate you sharing with me, as always, my dearest friend....
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
28 Jun 07
No I didn't have a job like that as I could not because I had the Children but I did travel a lot as I was an Area Manager
I only ever worked away once for 2 weeks but my Son was 17 then and my Daughter 14 and that was just before my Separation from my Ex Husband
But I would never have taken a job like that when the Kids where small
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
30 Jun 07
My son is a very hard worker...he of couse, wants the best he can give his family so I think that he goes because he can live vey fugally while gone and then has extra money when he gets home...
I talked to him today...he got home...he called his children every night while he was gone...he missed them so much....I am proud of the "father" he is....warms my heart...
@Anniedup (3651)
• Richards Bay, South Africa
27 Jun 07
Years ago when I worked for Avis Car Hire, I was part of the 'squad' team. It worked like this; it is a team of people that goes all over the country to stand in where there is a shortage of staff. Avis didn't make use of 'casuals', because of their policy not to let untrained people, come in contact with the public. I did it 6 months in a year, it is fun, and very stimulating. Your work environment keeps changing. Sometimes you would be in one town for 5 days then in another for 10 and so forth it all depends on the shortage of staff. If you were married you weren't allowed to join the team, for obvious reasons. The other attraction was off cause the money, they paid the 'squads' very well. Things changed so dramatically in my country over the past years, Avis doesn't do it anymore. If I'm not mistaken nurses have also a similar system don't they, do you know? I think they rotate between hospitals, but just in the same town.
My husband has a huge transport company and he has to go out of town alot, I'm so use to it, and it gives me a bit of breathing space! lol!
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
27 Jun 07
Yes, nurses frequently have what is called a "nursing pool" this is where you can pick extra shifts as fill in or rotate floors like one week on OBGYN, then one in ER...it does help to break the monotony....sometimes they do rotate between hospitals as well....
I would not like my spouse being gone like that but my daughter would love it...so I guess different people handle things better sometimes....LOL
Thanks, Annie....
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
27 Jun 07
I have never really worked a job where I had to leave my children for any real length of time. I think that before someone takes a position with a company all of these things should be worked out so that the employee knows what is expected of them. I have worked a few jobs before that would require me to work longer shifts or travel to the next town over on short notice. I accepted these jobs knowing that this was expected of me.
1 person likes this
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
29 Jun 07
I know that when he began this job it was not a requiement...but as he as climbed the proverbial ladder it is becoming a fairly regular thing with his company....
I do not think he would have taken the job if he had known it would becme expected of him...
@aprilgrl (4460)
• United States
26 Jun 07
oh that has happened to my husband once where he works they were out of town and said they had to stay over night but he didn't want to so what he did he left when they are finish and getting ready to go to the hotel with the crews but they didn't stop him so he came home and said he has to leave early in the morning to get there it was 3 hour drive I thought why didn't you stay over there so I asked him he said he wanted to be with his family and can't stay away from us, oh isn't that sweet. what a caring husband. He made it back alright and all the men thought wow you did it!
1 person likes this
@tinamwhite (3252)
• United States
26 Jun 07
That really is sweet!!!...You are lucky to have such a man in your life, my friend...
Unfortunantely, my son and 2 other men drove for 14 hours yesterday to arrive at their destination....he got up this morning to work on the defective unit and will spend all day on Fiday driving as well....
Thanks for sharing with me....
