I usually avoid dousing myself with local everyday news but with each country visited and those currently being researched, I make an effort to keep up with current events -- Election in Myanmar, response to bombing in Ankara, fuel crisis in Kathmandu, haze in Indonesia, uprising in Palestine/Israel, flooding in southern France, pollution control in Delhi. Unfortunately not all happy.
On the home front, D is starting a new position and will have 2 1/2 weeks off prior. This position came out of the blue as he was approached with the opportunity. This previous employer was a good one and was the company D was downsized out of about 5 years ago.
Having never experienced returning to a previous company, D didn't know that the process would be more involved than if he were a new hire because it is interpreted that the company is hiring him back because it had "made a mistake" in letting him go in the first place...so extra checks were needed... I am so glad I don't have much to do with the corporate world!
Yes, it was a big decision on one level, to walk away from a defined benefit pension plan back to a defined contribution one. But he is ready and if this move places D in a better place emotionally as well as professionally, I'm more than happy to make up the difference financially. I am way beyond caring about the minutiae of numbers right now. We have to take steps to improve things for D, even if they are incremental and tiny.
What this work position does offer, is a role almost identical to the niche role he was offered when we were investigating a move out west, without the massive amount of traveling. This is a smart move career-wise and if it works out, will put him in a great position for contract work later on within Canada and globally.
Financially the salary is higher, but not high enough to offset the loss of the full pension plan. Extended benefits are comparable. D was able to negotiate the real gain (in my mind) in the form of more time off and work flexibility.
Canadian companies are not known for its generous time off. So even though this is a senior position and D had worked there before (3 years), he did not get any credit for it and the initial offer reflected it. Needless to say, he turned it down and started applying to other companies.
Long story short, they did come back and the result is 4 3/4 wk (don't ask) plus one additional week off without pay each year. Guess who fought for that one? It is important that it was included clearly in the contract. Also, with eventual work from home 2 - 3 days a week and the ability to work remote from up north and out west during ski and summer seasons. For a corporate gig, this is as good as it can get for D.
I have to admit that I'm not hanging too high a hope here. For sure I want him to do well and get satisfaction from this role but I have become jaded from all of this so am managing my expectations appropriately. Just don't want any more drama. D doesn't want to be the bearer of the bad either as he's also had enough.
He will be spending the time off between jobs up north. I'll get to be there for 1 week of it, enjoying the fall.
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