OT: Quitting the Rat Race

[mimitabby]

Ok Im assuming Americans dont have Long Service Leave?? That is a shame In Australia after you work for a company for 10 years you are entitled to 3 months paid leave. For every year after 10 you receive another week of paid leave. My husband has worked with his present employer for 20 years so could take 6 months leave on full pay or opt to take a year on half pay.

We hope down the track to use this leave so my husband can relax and enjoy a non scheduled life and perhaps we can travel a little. We would also like to investigate less populated parts of Australia with the idea of maybe living there down the track.

I hope you manage to find a solution that works for you. As Yellow said you have to try.

No, we don't have anything like that. Most of us work for companies, that if they give you vacation (normally not more than 1 month a year) they take it away if you don't use it in the next 2 years, so you can't even save it up!

[wabisabi]

It may be a long shot, but worth a try: what about applying for a sabbatical? There may not be a formal program, but it might be something to explore. You never know. You could save up some $ and see if you can get a year off; maybe something like Trekhawk is talking about. There are some companies that offer this, or are open to it. If it is just the time, it might be worth it to the company. It's a way to keep good workers from getting burned out. You might start a trend!

I didn't mean to suggest that working for oneself is a piece of cake, by any means. I have just noticed over time (and there is some research to support this) that women are less willing to put up with the vagaries of the corporate world (which I think is a good thing). For example, I have a sister who lives in a rural area and does editing for a couple of publishers. The work can be variable, and she does a lot of other money-making things. There are also a number of local voluntary simplicity groups in many areas that can serve as a support group; I think the website associated with the Dominguez book lists some. Duane Elgin's book is also good, and has support groups.

[li10up]

It may be a long shot, but worth a try: what about applying for a sabbatical? There may not be a formal program, but it might be something to explore. You never know. You could save up some $ and see if you can get a year off; maybe something like Trekhawk is talking about. There are some companies that offer this, or are open to it. If it is just the time, it might be worth it to the company. It's a way to keep good workers from getting burned out. You might start a trend!

A sabbatical would be great! I approached the boss last year about that...after hinting time and again that I want to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. He told me that if he could let me off for 6 months then apparently they don't need me. And I wonder why the morale in the office has gone down hill over the last few years (since he took over).

[wabisabi]

Oh, that's too bad. I am (was!) all too familiar with that kind of short sighted attitude; it's almost impossible it seems to have our whole selves honored in too many of our workplaces.

[margo49]

. it's almost impossible it seems to have our whole selves honored in too many of our workplaces.

that is so well-phrased or as my (late) Dad would have said
" You spat a bib-full "

[Trekhawk]

No, we don't have anything like that. Most of us work for companies, that if they give you vacation (normally not more than 1 month a year) they take it away if you don't use it in the next 2 years, so you can't even save it up!

Yep I know what you mean about your normal leave each year. Its the same in Australia most people get around 4 weeks paid leave a year and in most cases are not allowed to save it up. This is where Long Service Leave is nice but I must say that getting the time at work to take it can be a problem. A lot of people in Australia work there whole life and never take their Long Service Leave they just get paid out for it when they retire. It can work out to be a rather large sum of money for people that have worked for years but it really defeats the whole purpose behind LSL which was to allow people to take a break from work and recharge and perhaps reconnect with the world outside of work.