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An offer is coming

November 7th, 2017 at 02:22 am

Last week I emailed my boss, asking if we could schedule a meeting to talk. I wanted to tell him that after getting a more precise idea of how expensive my health insurance would be, worst case scenario, on the healthcare exchange in 2018, that if he didn't feel there was a (perm) place for me there, I would have to begin a job search asap since my COBRA runs out in February. (I already have, as you know.)

The little speech I had planned was intended to put a bit of pressure on them since he had left things very open-ended as far as my contract assignment duration, and he didn't know about my health insurance situation.

He didn't respond to my email last week so today I popped my head in the door and asked if he'd gotten the message. (He's very busy and I suspected he just hadn't seen it.)

That was in fact the case and he just said let's talk about it now. Gulp. I didn't get a chance to say I'm going to be looking for another job because when I told him i needed health insurance, he said, well, there are only a few perm employees here and so they never felt the need; they may have to reconsider that, he said. But in lieu of health insurance, what they've done for others is pay about half their insurance costs, meaning, around $4,000. He said he would talk to the company owner and make me an offer, although he also said he wanted me to experience a little of their "busy" season, which should be starting any day now. Basically between now and January.

I also talked to him about the challenging work environment, ie, the noise and distractions. I asked if i could work at home at least part of the time for that reason. He said he would not say no outright, but that he was reluctant to let me since he feels everyone needs to talk to each other, etc., and it's easier to do when everyone's there. He did say I could move my desk to share with a different person than the one I'm with now, who has a booming voice and never tries to lower it when people come in to talk. Sometimes I just have to stop what I'm doing and wait til they're done talking. I said, I can get away with that now becus we're not super busy, but I'm wondering how it'll work when work picks up. (That drew his attention.) In a roughly 12 x 12 room with someone like that 4 feet behind you, it's impossible to concentrate.

I honestly don't think changing to another small room right next door is going to make much difference,a nd I told him so. All the people yell back and forth to each other in the 4 upstairs offices. My boss kind of agreed, but said let's try it first and then if that doesn't work, we may have to think about putting you downstairs with so and so. (Downstairs would probably be quieter.)

So I was really counting on some kind of work at home arrangement to make me feel this job was doable. So I'm very disappointed about that. I'm very concerned about the long hours, but one thing in the back of my mind is that if I really hate it, I can stick it out for just a year or so and then move on. In the past i would have said i could just RETIRE in a year or so but with the cost of health insurance, I don't know.

I'll be quite interested, of course, to see what kind of offer they make me, and you'll be the first to know. They described my job as "Editor/Proofreader." I'm going to ask the title be just "Editor," becus editors do it all while proofers do only proofing, and I'm really doing a lot more than proofing.

I don't think my employer knows what hourly rate the recruiting agency is paying me, and am wondering if they will call them to find out. It would give them something to go on when determining a salary range. But what I'm making now ($32/hr) would be on the very high end for a proofreader, but very low for an editor.

Poor Luther would spend so much time alone if I take this job, with Waldo gone.

2 Responses to “An offer is coming”

  1. Dido Says:
    1510098136

    I'm glad that your assertiveness is having some payoff, and sorry it won't be all that you would like. Good luck!

  2. rob62521 Says:
    1510165401

    Glad you at least had a chance to talk to him.

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