Take on Telecommuting from Brevard 1 Day/Week to ATL (Orlando: hotel, live)

[1insider]

Delta flies from Melbourne for a little more.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by 1insider

Delta flies from Melbourne for a little more.

Good point.

[tfc3rid]

Originally Posted by 1insider

Delta flies from Melbourne for a little more.

True but sometimes Southwest will have RT MCO-ATL for about $120 with 3+ week advance purchase. DL never gets that low for MLB departures...

Anyway, this is just an idea I'm kicking around. My wife and I love the beach/laidback lifestyle but also are fortunate enough to have jobs that encourage remote work (hers is 100%)... If my Agency had an office in Orlando, it would make life easier but it doesn't.

I don't have any clients, all of my work is portable and aside from the increase in cost from that additional travel is potentially offset by tax breaks and lack of need to drive to work every day or drive to a metro station 3 days a week like I have to now.

I love hearing your feedback. Brevard is an area we like and it's certainly under consideration along with Austin, TX, Raleigh, NC, etc... But the last thing I want to do right now is look for another job...

[1insider]

Originally Posted by tfc3rid

True but sometimes Southwest will have RT MCO-ATL for about $120 with 3+ week advance purchase. DL never gets that low for MLB departures...

True that. I'm willing to occasionally pay more for the convenience of flying to and from Melbourne. Fifteen minute drive and no lines is priceless. Then there is the option of having someone drop me off so no parking fee. I wouldn't do it every week but it's nice knowing it's there when I want it.

[tfc3rid]

Originally Posted by 1insider

True that. I'm willing to occasionally pay more for the convenience of flying to and from Melbourne. Fifteen minute drive and no lines is priceless. Then there is the option of having someone drop me off so no parking fee. I wouldn't do it every week but it's nice knowing it's there when I want it.

True.

[jghorton]

If you can 'telework' from home 4-days per week, why not 5? Many folks simply use telecommunications or some type of Skype program when their 'face' is required in the office. Perhaps there is something you simply cannot do on a remote basis (?), but, why not pursue the option of working around that? Of course, there is always the 'comfort factor' of other office workers and supervisors to consider, but, that is usually not a real limitation. Even so, you could offer to commute when it was absolutely necessary ... and still reduce the once-a-week burden.

Ironically, it takes almost as long to drive across Atlanta in traffic, as it does to fly from Melbourne to Atlanta, which could double your commute time, unless your work is somewhere near the Atlanta Airport.

Finally, another issue is this: While Melbourne/Florida might be considered 'paradise', if one is actually working ('telework'), one is still 'tethered' to their computer. Of course, one can always 'telework' on their balcony overlooking the ocean, which I did for many years, while living/working in Satellite Beach.

[tfc3rid]

Originally Posted by jghorton

If you can 'telework' from home 4-days per week, why not 5? Many folks simply use telecommunications or some type of Skype program when their 'face' is required in the office. Perhaps there is something you simply cannot do on a remote basis (?), but, why not pursue the option of working around that? Of course, there is always the 'comfort factor' of other office workers and supervisors to consider, but, that is usually not a real limitation. Even so, you could offer to commute when it was absolutely necessary ... and still reduce the once-a-week burden.

Ironically, it takes almost as long to drive across Atlanta in traffic, as it does to fly from Melbourne to Atlanta, which could double your commute time, unless your work is somewhere near the Atlanta Airport.

Finally, another issue is this: While Melbourne/Florida might be considered 'paradise', if one is actually working ('telework'), one is still 'tethered' to their computer. Of course, one can always 'telework' on their balcony overlooking the ocean, which I did for many years, while living/working in Satellite Beach.

Excellent questions... Our newest agreement has a provision for full time telework as being allowable but no one is yet attempting that... Most folks I work with are going to 4 days per week or 8 days per pay period... I guess technically, that could imply 2 days in one week and full time telework in the next week of the period.

Our office at the Federal Center is located right off the Five Points Transit station in ATL, so a 20 minute MARTA ride from the airport. MARTA costs are paid for by the government.

I telework 2 days a week now right from home and the scenery is less than thrilling...

[essdeebee]

If it is where you want to be permanently then I would go for it -- but only if the travelling situation would not be long term. If it can be transitional, so you can get settled in to the area and look for a local job without giving up your current job, that is pretty ideal. Or short term until total telecommuting is possible.
Hey, if it is 8 telework/2 in office days per 2 weeks, could you fly up every other week for 2 days in the office, instead of flying every week? For me, that would make it MUCH easier to stomach for a longer period.
Go for it! We're heading down in the next month, and I don't think we'll miss ATL at all!

[tfc3rid]

Originally Posted by essdeebee

If it is where you want to be permanently then I would go for it -- but only if the travelling situation would not be long term. If it can be transitional, so you can get settled in to the area and look for a local job without giving up your current job, that is pretty ideal. Or short term until total telecommuting is possible.
Hey, if it is 8 telework/2 in office days per 2 weeks, could you fly up every other week for 2 days in the office, instead of flying every week? For me, that would make it MUCH easier to stomach for a longer period.
Go for it! We're heading down in the next month, and I don't think we'll miss ATL at all!

Yes, we count telework days by pay period. So technically, I could do 2 days in one week and be teleworking the rest of the pay period.

[SanyBelle]

I live near 520 and US1 and fly through ATL almost weekly. It only takes about an hour for me to get to the gate from my door, but I park in the terminal top parking lot at MCO. In the summer, you want to fly early in the mornings to avoid the PM thunderstorms in both ATL and MCO.

MLB is a great little airport, but the problem is if I want to get home at night, the latest flight coming in from ATL leaves too early for me to make a connection from my clients (MSY, BNA, etc.) If you are starting from ATL, it might make sense to use MLB. But if there are cancelled flights, you have a problem since there are so few ATL-MLB and return flights.

I'd say Do It!!