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I just found out that in my job I will from time to time have to travel - this is for bid meetings with potential clients. This isn't something that I've ever had to do in my position at two previous companies, so I didn't even think to ask about it at the interview; management did this at the other companies. But, my manager at this company is a first time manager and does what she wants...
Anyway, I live alone and have a dog, and my company understandably doesn't reimburse for dog boarding expenses ... I have to potentially travel next month, in March, and I don't know how many times after that yet. The dog boarding will be my expense every time, and I don't have any free solution.
Maybe it sounds silly but I'm upset that I have to shell out my own money for these expenses when they're only being incurred for business reasons (this isn't tax deductible, heh). If they wanted me to travel every other month they should have said so in the interview. I don't feel like paying to go to these stupid meetings.
I guess it depends on how bad you want to keep the job. I can understand being upset about them. It really seems like they should have said something during the interviews and/or when they offered the job. I can relate, I'm a single mom so if a new job just sprung on me that I would have to travel I would have to figure out what to do with my son and I have a dog too. I don't get reimbersed for child care.
But it is what it is so what can you do about it now, nothing really other than quit or tell them you can't go and risk them letting you go? Are you ready for those options.
Dog boarding is expensive, here are some ideas:
1. talk to your friends. There might be someone that would love to have your dog for a week a few times a year. You could offer to pay them 3/4 or 1/2 of what a dog boarding place would be. I pet sit all the time for friends and family!
2. Find a college student or a vet tech to stay at your house while you are away. They can earn an easy $15/day. This too usually works out cheaper than dog boarding and your dog would likely he happier.
Pretty much everyone who travels for work ends up spending some of their own money making the experience possible. Money for cat sitters, house sitters, child care, better luggage, lightweight blankets, duplicate sets of toiletries for all the things you forget to take with you, airline clubs so you have a decent place to hang out waiting for flights, etc.
As an upside, usually your meals are reimbursable, even though oftentimes you aren't eating more often or spending more money to do it, than you would have at home. You could try talking to your boss about a raise, but you might try seeing how it works first. I found travel to be financially advantageous--not paying for 15 meals a week really adds up!
I worked out a deal with a friend who would 'bookend' my trips, coming over after work and staying overnight the first and last day of my trip, in exchange for my well-stocked fridge and my cable and internet service (she had none). For the remaining days I paid a service to stop by for a few minutes. This arrangement saved me money, my friend got a treat from my home's amenities without feeling like she was packing up and moving in with me, and my cat got more companionship than he would have from just professional service.
I understand your sentiment--I think often employers think 'single person = no obligation' but that is completely not true. And unlike a family person, a single person has no one to share those responsibilities with. Being away from home means having your mail held, someone watering the plants, etc. It can be a hassle. But your family/single status shouldn't be a decision either for or against being assigned to travel. The assignment should be based on your abilities to do the job.
Yeah, I'm just so frustrated. We're having a company wide "retreat" in March so I have to go to that - then after my first post my boss decided we should have a departmental "retreat" in February...well, there are no direct flights, so I'd have to board my dog at least two nights in February and maybe three in March. It's just bull because I didn't know there would be travel and wouldn't have taken the job. This doesn't even include the actual client-related travel they want me to do that I first posted about! UGH I am so angry at my supervisor right now I won't sleep tonight. Plus, my dog chews blankets, so when she's boarded she can't have any bedding
All of my friends here have dogs and my dog can be a little destructive so that's just not an option.
This is something I'd quit over, and seeing as my lease is up at the end of April, I better start looking.
Oh, this happened at one place I worked. They hired this guy and the subject of travel never came up. The boss insisted they discussed it at the interview. The employee said they didn't. And it wasn't short trips either - long ones. The employee had no interest in traveling. We figured out the boss just assumed the guy would travel because he was single no kids. They had no choice but to mutually agree the employee would leave the company. He was there less than a month.
I get about $70 per diem (for meals) per day. What I don't spend I get to keep. If I go on a trip for two weeks, and eat well (but not expensive - maybe $20/day), that's $700 extra money that I get to keep. Also, some Hotels offer free breakfast AND dinner. That doesn't detract from your per diem because it's part of the Hotel bill. I use this money to take care of things like pets, etc.
A per diem would be great! I could totally deal with that. We don't have it though, we have to submit receipts for reimbursement. That would be an awesome solution.
If the bid meetings are anything like the ones that I go to, you'll be able to fly in and out on the same day to many of them. I wouldn't get too concerned until you all the facts together.
If the bid meetings are anything like the ones that I go to, you'll be able to fly in and out on the same day to many of them. I wouldn't get too concerned until you all the facts together.
Sometimes they want a run-through the previous evening - the problem is that there really are no direct flights from where I live to where the "retreat" meetings are, and I have to leave extra early a.m. and get back quite late at night, which requires boarding my dog for two days (could be three if the meeting's on a Monday but I can probably find a place w/Sunday dropoff). For the bid meetings, those require me being there early a.m. so I have the same issue.
Last edited by NM posts; 01-08-2010 at 06:53 AM..
Reason: I didn't make sense
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