Getting Time Off

[chris_w]

With all the talk of extended road trips, it is making me jealous. I work in somewhat of a corporate world and don’t get as much time off to play as I would like. I know it is my choice to become a climbing bum or not. I would like to find that happy place between work and play. I am planning on asking to get more time off (unpaid) to hit some of the road trips that I have wanted to do.

I’m sure that others have the same issue with the 9-5 job. Have any of you worked out an agreement with your company for more time off for adventure? And how much time did you ask for? What is that magical number? Were there any creative ways you worked it out (work more in winter,….)

I am thinking the magical number fo me is 8-10 weeks a year (mostly unpaid). I like to take 1 week in red rocks in the spring, 1 week in Yosemite in the fall, 2 weeks road trip in the summer (Tetons, Canadian Rockies, Colorado). That would leave time for a 1 month expedition (Denali, South America). That leaves 2 additional weeks to use anywhere. Maybe 1 week visiting the family, that is kind of an adventure.

Any thoughts or comments (flamming) would be great.

Chris

[Cpt.Caveman]

That is a bummer you cannot get the time off you want. Let me tell I can understand.

For 3 years I worked as a box throwing slave in a Grocery Warehouse in Reno Nevada. I worked graveyard and got 2 weeks vacation a year. Needless to say climbing was all but pointless. I even worked weekends and had different days off every week.

I suggest you do take the time off you want if you can manage it. If you dont like winter climbing as much then hell ya summer is cool to take off. Some day I will go to Red Rocks...

[b-rock]

I've worked out a 4x10 schedule that leaves each Friday off for min-weekend trips. Also have on a couple of occassions taken a month off, unpaid. I guess I'm pretty lucky that my employer just wants me around and is willing to put up with that stuff. I would like to work something out that was more defined - my paid vacation + say, three weeks a year off, unpaid, with plenty of notice beforehand. Also, they seem to be more willing to let me go for a consolidated chunk of time rather than a handful of days here and there. Now if only teaching paid well enough...

[jon]

Maybe you guys should find a boss that climbs, skis, sail boat races, etc. and takes 6-7 weeks of vacation a year.

[Alpine_Tom]

In my experience it’s the bosses who take lots of time off who expect their employees to work extra to pick up the slack.

[Dru]

Get a job robbing banks. Work= 15 minutes. Time off = 6 months or more with a good score. (Average heist = $10,000).

Statistically most BR's are not caught until their 10th heist. So you should be able to knock off 7 or 8 with no problem.

Occupationally the biggest problem is the dye packs. So always put the money they give you in a plastic bag and soak it in bleach afterwards to get the dye out.

[chelle]

Hey Dru - I think this was already tired by a couple of climbing bums. I recall reading something in one of the climbing rags about some guy who told everyone he had a trust fund, but the guy got killed during his last heist.

Chris - I had a deal with my previous employer where I got up to 5 weeks of unpaid vacation with 18 weeks notice every 12 to 16 months, which basically allowed me to take a chunk of time off for an expedition. It basically had to all be taken at once. This was negotiated as part of my hiring package. I'm not sure in this market environment that I could negotiate such a sweet deal. Good luck!

[freeclimb9]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:[QB]Statistically most BR's are not caught until their 10th heist. So you should be able to knock off 7 or 8 with no problem.[QB]

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FYI, 85% of bank robbers are caught. Statistically, it's safer to rob smaller stores and gas stations. Bad karma all around, though.

[Doug]

Originally posted by Dru:[QB]Get a job robbing banks. Work= 15 minutes. Time off = 6 months or more with a good score. (Average heist = $10,000).

Is that $10,000 Canadian? If so, wouldn't go very far here....

[dkemp]

I did make such an arrangement. We negotiated my salary down and my time off up. I get 9 weeks a year, but dont get paid what my collegues do. Thats okay, I need the 9 weeks.

I think if each of us brings it up at the job interview we can make it happen. We gotta break out of this workin' 50 weeks a year crap. Ridiculous.

[b-rock]

d-kemp word! Yes, I think that many (not all...) employers are happy to make such arrangements - time off at the expense of salary or other benefits.

[erik]

soundz like i am lucky.....my boss will give me all the time off that i ever ask for....though i my problem is paying off the last two times i decieided to make that decision......oh wait i am my boss, now i just have to conveince myself to give myself more paid vacation.....

[Heinouscling]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

Get a job robbing banks. Work= 15 minutes. Time off = 6 months or more with a good score. (Average heist = $10,000).

Statistically most BR's are not caught until their 10th heist. So you should be able to knock off 7 or 8 with no problem.

Occupationally the biggest problem is the dye packs. So always put the money they give you in a plastic bag and soak it in bleach afterwards to get the dye out.

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Oh, like the movie "Point Break" except the bank robbers are climbers instead of surfers?

-Heinous

[Heinouscling]

quote:

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Originally posted by dkemp:

I did make such an arrangement. We negotiated my salary down and my time off up. I get 9 weeks a year, but dont get paid what my collegues do. Thats okay, I need the 9 weeks.

I think if each of us brings it up at the job interview we can make it happen. We gotta break out of this workin' 50 weeks a year crap. Ridiculous.

---

I tried this during a couple of interviews and I always got the "Corporate Policy" spiel. You know, "time off" is not negotiable because the amount per employee is determined by corporate policy, which is written on stone.

Guess I will have to increase my hiring worth somehow.

-Heinous

[offwidthclimber]

quote:

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Originally posted by Doug:

Originally posted by Dru:[QB]Get a job robbing banks. Work= 15 minutes. Time off = 6 months or more with a good score. (Average heist = $10,000).

Is that $10,000 Canadian? If so, wouldn't go very far here....

dude, that would cover about a case of kokanee here in the states, right?

gotta get a couple heists a day at that rate!

[TimL]

I just started a new job a couple of weeks ago and forgot to talk about the time off issue during the interview. Knowing that I couldn't wait very long to voice time off intentions, I marched into the boss and asked him if 2-3 weeks was OK?

First questions out of his mouth:

"Is this for climbing"

Me: "yes"

Boss: "Where?"

Me: "Alaska or Yosemite"

Boss: "What are you going to climb"

Me: "Something in the Ruth or something on El Cap"

Boss: "Just 2 weeks"

Me: "2 maybe 3"

Boss: "Shouldn't be problem. Let me know the dates."

All I got to say is thank god my boss is cool and has been climbing for the past 20 years. Now the only thing I need to know is how to talk my teachers into letting me take my spring finals early. When I figure that out I'll start a new thread.

[glen]

Study geology. I spend a few weeks a year in Yosemite working and I don't have to take time off to do it. Granted I have to work while I'm there (including hiking, finding 'exposed' rock...), but I also get to take time to do what I want.

Before I that I just got a job in the park. Bag a peak after work, and make sure you get a 4-10 shift. 3 months a year in the mountains (applications for NPS due on the 23rd).

As with all things in life, "Think outside the cubicle."