h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So many of you have lived with me whinging and whining about my job. I've now been there 17 years...

And here's the thing: i now have the chance to take redundancy *and I've turned it down* - in the short term. The company is moving to Frankfurt and I'm going with them as a weekly commuter. So there are a few things:

1) for the first time since I was 19 i get to live alone. All alone. with only me to blame for not tidying the kitchen or making a mess in the bathroom.



2) if I decide within 12 months that it's not working for me, I can take the redundancy anyway



but I'm still going to be doing the same job at the same company with (a lot of) the same people. So I'll still be moaning about it...

I hope you've got 2) in writing? With signatures?

all in writing and currently being checked by my union

That is a mixture of bad news and good news. The bad: the long separation from your family. How is on the subject of you being away 4 nights a week? Are the Gruesomes still both at home?


The good news: You're in for a cushy time if you take the chance to back out. In 1999 I was allowed to leave a job or carry on and try out the new location for up to six months and then leave, when the firm was taken over and the office moved a considerable way away - a 68 km commute. I took the second option because although I quite liked the drive, the time spent on it was very wearing, especially as I did it for six dark, cold winter months. On the plus side, I was in the "right" - had a generous severance agreement and unemployment pay after a certain period once I had quit, and joined h2g2, as being at home, I was on the internet quite a bit! German employment laws rock!

Yes the Gruesomes are still at home - #1 has just settled her apprenticeship to start in the Autumn term. #2 is looking for a uni place to start at the same time.

agrees with me that it's the best thing - I really cannot add the stress of job hunting onto everything I have now.

The wording of the redundancy contract is so that they can claim unemployment benefit from day 1. I'm checking if that will apply to me.

well - I signed the contract today to go to Frankfurt. So that's that.

It feels weird because I know that i will be leaving the company now within the next 18 months.