Author Topic: Epic FU money stories  (Read 2794833 times)

marty998

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3800 on: May 26, 2021, 08:53:03 PM »
Settlements usually have a non-disparagement clause so you have to be careful what you say.

Here's hoping that our anonymous forum provides just enough wiggle room for the story to be told!

In the spirit of Dickens, character names can be expressive, even while in our forum, they obscure identities. Soon we will learn the secret tale behind this generation's Jarndyce v Jarndyce. Right???
Well, that was an interesting rabbit hole. Thanks!

Only in law can telling the truth wind you up in more trouble.

Estate battles are epic. Can’t divulge too many details but I once worked at a small accounting practice whose ongoing viability was underwritten by a certain estate. The fees charged made up a significant proportion of what one could consider to be the “4%” generated from the estate.

The firm also had on board as a client the lawyer responsible for defending the estate in court, and he would have eaten up the remainder of the 4%.

Conceivably, this is still continuing a couple of decades on, and could go on in perpetuity as the estate had a long track record of generating investment returns significantly in excess of 4%.

badger1988

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3801 on: May 26, 2021, 09:19:53 PM »
More of a "no thanks" story than "FU" story, but I thought I'd post here because having a big stash and not desiring to inflate my lifestyle is what makes answers to questions like these pretty easy for me:

I work as an engineer in product development for a large corporation. The manufacturing side of our business unit has been swamped with demand, and hasn't been able to hire skilled labor quickly enough to meet it. So, today I get a call from my manager out of the blue offering me the opportunity to work an additional 20hrs/wk through the end of August as a machinist. The idea is that I could do something like 6x10hr days: M-Th in my normal engineering function, and F-Sa as a machinist making equivalent of time and a half my normal salary. I did the math, and it would have worked out to about $24,000 worth of overtime. It could be a fun change of pace, but from a work-life balance I'd much rather have my summer free this year and tack a few months of normal work onto the end of my career. So, it was an easy "no thanks" for me.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3802 on: May 28, 2021, 01:48:43 PM »
While we're waiting on something actually Epic and/or FU, I'll share our most recent story.

Wife was offered a job contingent on her getting a bachelor's degree. Turns out they couldn't actually offer that, so she was offered a different position with a verbal promise that the original job would be hers when she did get the degree. She'd have to work nights in the interim, which she hates, but figured it'd be for a year max.

A year passes, she graduates, they post the job listing, and her manager explains that there have been a few other applicants. Basically, prepping my wife for the possibility that she might not get the position. Few days later, wife puts in a PTO request to start burning up the weeks she's accumulated, states she wants to go to days when she gets back, AND asks her manager to fill out a referral form for her because she's started applying to other jobs. She got the official offer (for the originally promised position) within the week.

FlytilFIRE

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3803 on: May 28, 2021, 03:12:35 PM »
Bravo, 5.
Well played by your partner.

SwordGuy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3804 on: May 28, 2021, 03:14:50 PM »
While we're waiting on something actually Epic and/or FU, I'll share our most recent story.

Wife was offered a job contingent on her getting a bachelor's degree. Turns out they couldn't actually offer that, so she was offered a different position with a verbal promise that the original job would be hers when she did get the degree. She'd have to work nights in the interim, which she hates, but figured it'd be for a year max.

A year passes, she graduates, they post the job listing, and her manager explains that there have been a few other applicants. Basically, prepping my wife for the possibility that she might not get the position. Few days later, wife puts in a PTO request to start burning up the weeks she's accumulated, states she wants to go to days when she gets back, AND asks her manager to fill out a referral form for her because she's started applying to other jobs. She got the official offer (for the originally promised position) within the week.

Sounds pretty darn epic to me!

Wolfpack Mustachian

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3805 on: May 29, 2021, 04:54:04 AM »
While we're waiting on something actually Epic and/or FU, I'll share our most recent story.

Wife was offered a job contingent on her getting a bachelor's degree. Turns out they couldn't actually offer that, so she was offered a different position with a verbal promise that the original job would be hers when she did get the degree. She'd have to work nights in the interim, which she hates, but figured it'd be for a year max.

A year passes, she graduates, they post the job listing, and her manager explains that there have been a few other applicants. Basically, prepping my wife for the possibility that she might not get the position. Few days later, wife puts in a PTO request to start burning up the weeks she's accumulated, states she wants to go to days when she gets back, AND asks her manager to fill out a referral form for her because she's started applying to other jobs. She got the official offer (for the originally promised position) within the week.

Absolutely. This totally fits and is really the best case in my opinion. FU money stories tend to end with jobs over and bridges being burned. These can be exciting and are the best popcorn stories often :-). However, as a non-confrontational person, I'd personally much prefer something where you just say, this is how it is (because you have the sense of freedom to do it regardless of the consequences), and the company fixes the problem (that they should have done already) and makes the situation better. Rock on for her!

alcon835

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3806 on: May 29, 2021, 07:29:56 AM »
While we're waiting on something actually Epic and/or FU, I'll share our most recent story.

Wife was offered a job contingent on her getting a bachelor's degree. Turns out they couldn't actually offer that, so she was offered a different position with a verbal promise that the original job would be hers when she did get the degree. She'd have to work nights in the interim, which she hates, but figured it'd be for a year max.

A year passes, she graduates, they post the job listing, and her manager explains that there have been a few other applicants. Basically, prepping my wife for the possibility that she might not get the position. Few days later, wife puts in a PTO request to start burning up the weeks she's accumulated, states she wants to go to days when she gets back, AND asks her manager to fill out a referral form for her because she's started applying to other jobs. She got the official offer (for the originally promised position) within the week.

Absolutely. This totally fits and is really the best case in my opinion. FU money stories tend to end with jobs over and bridges being burned. These can be exciting and are the best popcorn stories often :-). However, as a non-confrontational person, I'd personally much prefer something where you just say, this is how it is (because you have the sense of freedom to do it regardless of the consequences), and the company fixes the problem (that they should have done already) and makes the situation better. Rock on for her!

100% agreed! The best kind of FU story is when financial freedom gives you the ability to demand the right thing and see it done. Watching the world burn is fun and all (as long as I'm not standing amongst the flames!), but the better stories are the ones where something wrong is made right.

Thank you for the excellent FU story! Here's hoping it rattles a few more memories from the many, many lurkers :D

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3807 on: May 29, 2021, 07:43:16 AM »
Thanks for the positive feedback! I viewed it as on the low-end of epic and since I'm obviously biased, figured it'd probably be just below the line; i.e. "nearly" epic. Maybe my definition of epic is a bit high, or it's just been a slow week.

It is definitely nice to know you have options.

SereneOne

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3808 on: May 30, 2021, 07:19:53 AM »
Didn't think I'd have anything to add to this thread again but while we're waiting for epic stories I thought I'd share my getting a raise story.

I've been doing some extra work with my old boss at $3k per year. She had a specific skill and she was teaching me so that if anything happened to her I knew what needed to be done. I had been assisting her for about 4 years at this rate which is fine. I was learning.

Long story short, old boss left and new boss came in this year and asked if I was going to continue doing said skill. I said I wasn't going to do it for $3k (I used the gratitude sandwich so it was alot nicer than just me saying "No"). He asked me how much? I said $16k. He said ok. Win win.

Side note he said "Ok" so quickly I wonder if I should have gone higher. $16k is fair but it's fun to wonder. :D

Smokystache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3809 on: May 30, 2021, 08:29:44 AM »
Didn't think I'd have anything to add to this thread again but while we're waiting for epic stories I thought I'd share my getting a raise story.

I've been doing some extra work with my old boss at $3k per year. She had a specific skill and she was teaching me so that if anything happened to her I knew what needed to be done. I had been assisting her for about 4 years at this rate which is fine. I was learning.

Long story short, old boss left and new boss came in this year and asked if I was going to continue doing said skill. I said I wasn't going to do it for $3k (I used the gratitude sandwich so it was alot nicer than just me saying "No"). He asked me how much? I said $16k. He said ok. Win win.

Side note he said "Ok" so quickly I wonder if I should have gone higher. $16k is fair but it's fun to wonder. :D

433% raise with 5 seconds of negotiation easily qualifies as epic.

alcon835

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3810 on: May 30, 2021, 08:44:18 AM »
Side note he said "Ok" so quickly I wonder if I should have gone higher. $16k is fair but it's fun to wonder. :D

That tends to haunt me too...lol.

lemanfan

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3811 on: May 31, 2021, 01:05:23 AM »
Side note he said "Ok" so quickly I wonder if I should have gone higher. $16k is fair but it's fun to wonder. :D

That's a real negotiation lesson there, thought in classes.  Don't say "yes" too quickly, leaving the other party wondering if they should be unhappy with the results even if they reach their goals.

And just one of the reasons in face to face negotiations where it pays off to just be quiet for five seconds before saying yes.  :)

FIPurpose

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3812 on: May 31, 2021, 07:07:25 AM »
At my current job, they have given me every raise I've ever asked for or very close to it. Almost everytime, it's no fuss "yep, ok".

Makes me question myself, but I think more likely, the manager just wants to keep me, and there's a range in which he knows they can pay.

I think when a manager wants to keep you, they don't want to leave the impression that you're close to "the line where you're no longer worth it". Keep them happy and satisfied do that they don't look around.

There probably is a number that would be too much (could be that if you said $17k, he said the top he could do is $16k). I've known from managers where if someone said a figure at the top of the range they're allowed to go, they don't fight it and let the person have the top of the range. (Plenty of managers hate negotiating too!)

BoonDogle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3813 on: June 01, 2021, 10:26:04 AM »
My Epic FU story is just in its infancy as I have yet to leave.  Background : I have been at this company since college (25 years).  It isn’t always an easy transition when one of the owners leaves and I do care about the future of the company and the younger owners who are in the same boat I was in 10 to 20 years ago.  All of my workload will need to be carried by someone else and their workloads are already pretty heavy.  They may need to bring someone else onboard.  So I wanted to give them a say into when I made the move to allow for some transition and to make sure it is seamless (within reason, of course).

About 2 weeks ago I told another owner of the company that I was thinking I would sell my portion of the company and leave in the next year or so.  I mentioned that I would like him to put together a transition plan, let me know what he needs from me before I leave, and the timing that would work best for the company and other owners.  It caught him off guard a bit that I would consider the company’s needs in my decision as I am in my 40s.  I’m not sure anyone my age or younger has given him this kind of news until after they had another job lined up and a date set that they were leaving.  I plan to do something for another year or two after I leave so not quite pulling the ripcord on retirement yet, but just getting away from the stress that is becoming increasingly difficult for me to manage.  I plan to take my time after I leave to look for something that works well for me.  Salary will not be a huge factor in where I go.

That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3814 on: June 01, 2021, 10:32:13 AM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

SwordGuy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3815 on: June 01, 2021, 10:59:04 AM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

Agreed!!!

shelivesthedream

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3816 on: June 01, 2021, 11:55:21 AM »
I've really been enjoying the quietly epic stories lately. No big crash-n-burn flounce, just the financial security to ask politely but firmly for what you want without fear of the consequences - and getting it!

BoonDogle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3817 on: June 01, 2021, 12:20:36 PM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

I think that is possible but if so, I'll set a date and leave.  If they give me a plan that looks reasonable and tell me they need me to stay until it is executed, I'll consider it.  I don't feel like I have given up control of the situation, just looking for their input.  Knowing what I know about the other owners, I think they will follow through with what they said they would do.

BoonDogle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3818 on: June 01, 2021, 12:26:34 PM »
I've really been enjoying the quietly epic stories lately. No big crash-n-burn flounce, just the financial security to ask politely but firmly for what you want without fear of the consequences - and getting it!

Thanks SLTD.  I have worked with and trained many of the younger owners.  I know they are right where I was 10, 15, or 20 years ago.  I look forward to staying in touch with them afterwards.  I'd enjoy working with them going forward, but I can no longer deal with some of the stresses of the job and clients that I work with.  So it is time to go (or at least the beginning of the process).

scottish

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3819 on: June 01, 2021, 03:04:10 PM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

Agreed!!!

For sure.   After all, you may come to your senses and change your mind.    Like that horse might learn to sing!

BuffaloStache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3820 on: June 08, 2021, 09:10:49 AM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

Agreed!!!

For sure.   After all, you may come to your senses and change your mind.    Like that horse might learn to sing!

A week is even generous in my experience! No joke, when I left my old job my management told me who my replacements would be 2 business days before my departure... and I had given 4 weeks notice. Fortunately I had already identified (mostly the same) replacements and trained many of them, but that's only because I cared about the people I worked with and didn't want to burn any bridges. When my management gave me the list, I merely pointed them to the people that I had already trained... Wasn't my problem anymore.

AerynLee

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3821 on: June 08, 2021, 11:32:29 AM »
That is where we are to date.  Still waiting on a plan from the group.  Will probably be a big topic at our next meeting I'm sure.

Nice.  In my experience, no matter how much notice you give, they wait until the last week to start doing anything about it.

Agreed!!!

For sure.   After all, you may come to your senses and change your mind.    Like that horse might learn to sing!

A week is even generous in my experience! No joke, when I left my old job my management told me who my replacements would be 2 business days before my departure... and I had given 4 weeks notice. Fortunately I had already identified (mostly the same) replacements and trained many of them, but that's only because I cared about the people I worked with and didn't want to burn any bridges. When my management gave me the list, I merely pointed them to the people that I had already trained... Wasn't my problem anymore.
I gave two months notice leaving my last job and they didn't even advertise the position until three months after I left. In the subsequent two and a half years I have seen them post that position seven times for a team of three people. They're on their third generation because no one will stay now

SwordGuy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3822 on: June 08, 2021, 12:42:07 PM »
I gave two months notice leaving my last job and they didn't even advertise the position until three months after I left. In the subsequent two and a half years I have seen them post that position seven times for a team of three people. They're on their third generation because no one will stay now

And yet they NEVER learn...

Lady SA

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3823 on: June 08, 2021, 01:32:07 PM »
No exciting bridge-burning, rage-quitting story here, just someone who had the FU-money-confidence to prioritize my time over a paycheck.

I'm having a baby in July (yay!). My company is a big corporation but has a generous (for for the US) parental leave policy: STD paid at 100%, plus an additional 4 weeks at 100% pay for bonding. This coincidentally gets you to 10-12 weeks fully paid of the 12 weeks of FMLA job protected (but not guaranteed to be paid at all) leave. 12 weeks/3 months of maternity leave is pretty standard for the US, but usually most of that is unpaid for most folks. So all in all, my company is pretty solid.

I, however, said F that. I WILL stay home for 6 months with my new baby, and paying me or not during that time is no nevermind to me. Thankfully, my immediate leader was on board with an extended (unpaid, obviously) leave from the get-go, but I was fully prepared to play hardball with him if he wasn't.

This request threw HR for a loop, though. In my huge, long-running company, apparently no one (????) has ever asked for an extended parental leave? My idea was to just tack on a sabbatical/unpaid personal leave at the end of my maternity leave (both leave types exist and I personally know colleagues who have done both leave types at my company), plus maybe burn some personal vacation I've been hoarding as well. But when I asked for the two leaves adjacently, it was like I had grown 4 extra heads, HR had no idea how to handle it and were hemming and hawing over if it were possible or not.

If I hadn't had FU money, I probably 1) wouldn't have even considered taking a multi-month unpaid leave in the first place and 2) would have dropped it right there when I ran into resistance, and just done the normal maternity leave. But since I did have FU money, I stood firm, basically planned my own leave myself by studying all the policies, and basically forced HR to (reluctantly) go along with my plan. It was a lot more work than I was expecting, and I'm annoyed at the comical red tape I had to wade through and the patchwork policies that I had to string together because we live in the US, but in the end I got the full 6 months that I wanted. I call that a FU success!

BicycleB

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3824 on: June 08, 2021, 01:56:56 PM »
^ I say - epic!!

Leseratte2021

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3825 on: June 08, 2021, 02:37:26 PM »
Well done Lady SA! All the best for you and your baby!

alcon835

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3826 on: June 08, 2021, 03:13:39 PM »
HR had no idea how to handle it and were hemming and hawing over if it were possible or not.

Uh, yes of course it's possible. The question isn't "can we do this" it's more "learn to do your job and put it into the system".

It consistently shocks me that employers think they have some say over us. Everything is negotiable. Nothing is set in stone. HR's "policy" is just that, a policy which can be altered, adjusted, and bent to meet the current person's needs.

And yet, HR departments always seem blindsided by this.

Model96

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3827 on: June 08, 2021, 08:57:32 PM »
I hate to generalise, but it seems that many HR Departments baulk at approving leave that they deem 'excessive' regardless of Company policies.
In 2005 I was able to book a whole year off work using my accrued Annual Leave and Long Service Leave here in Australia. My Manager approved it all and it was not going to cause any staff shortges etc, but HR and senior management still chased me for 'more information' simply because I was getting something they didn't think I deserved😂

alcon835

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3828 on: June 09, 2021, 05:38:03 AM »
I hate to generalise, but it seems that many HR Departments baulk at approving leave that they deem 'excessive' regardless of Company policies.
In 2005 I was able to book a whole year off work using my accrued Annual Leave and Long Service Leave here in Australia. My Manager approved it all and it was not going to cause any staff shortges etc, but HR and senior management still chased me for 'more information' simply because I was getting something they didn't think I deserved😂

Again, just insanity. There are so many false presuppositions there, it boggles the mind.

Psychstache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3829 on: June 09, 2021, 07:28:24 AM »
HR had no idea how to handle it and were hemming and hawing over if it were possible or not.

Uh, yes of course it's possible. The question isn't "can we do this" it's more "learn to do your job and put it into the system".

It consistently shocks me that employers think they have some say over us. Everything is negotiable. Nothing is set in stone. HR's "policy" is just that, a policy which can be altered, adjusted, and bent to meet the current person's needs.

And yet, HR departments always seem blindsided by this.

HR is the most poorly named department in the world because they are not resourceful and barely human.

NumberJohnny5

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3830 on: June 09, 2021, 10:32:49 AM »
I hate to generalise, but it seems that many HR Departments baulk at approving leave that they deem 'excessive' regardless of Company policies.
In 2005 I was able to book a whole year off work using my accrued Annual Leave and Long Service Leave here in Australia. My Manager approved it all and it was not going to cause any staff shortges etc, but HR and senior management still chased me for 'more information' simply because I was getting something they didn't think I deserved😂

#1. The idea of taking an entire year off and still having a job to go back to is unheard of here in the States. We lived in Australia when our third was born, and there was absolutely no pushback when my wife wanted to take the whole year off. In fact, it was fairly common to take a second year off. Just a bit of nice culture shock.

#2. When our first was born, we lived in Tennessee, which (surprise) allowed her to take up to FOUR MONTHS off for the birth of a child. FMLA gives 12 weeks, which seemed to be the most that anyone actually took. No one actually tried to take off more than that (plenty took less, obviously). My wife just said she wanted the full four months that Tennessee said she could have, and they eventually relented and let her have 16 weeks. For those who understand that most months are longer than four weeks, you can already tell that she was shortchanged. They also said it had to start from the date that she delivered. If the baby came a week early, then leave started a week early. She scheduled vacation time the week before he was due, but then she delivered that week so...yeah, that's when leave started. They made sure she knew that they knew, because they sent some flowers or something, I forget what it was (sounds like a nice enough gesture, except she didn't phone anyone to say she delivered...meaning someone was checking hospital records and at the very least saw her name pop up as a patient; it's possible they didn't actually go into the records, so we didn't turn it into a big deal...I should note that she worked as a nurse and delivered at a hospital in the same system, but still a different hospital in a different city). They were just so very very adamant that she didn't get a single day more than they thought was absolutely necessary to give. And no...she didn't deliver during a very busy time when they were short staffed. We didn't have FU money at the time, but still gave more pushback than they were used to.

Zamboni

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3831 on: June 09, 2021, 09:30:19 PM »
I think the biggest factor sometimes in not wanting to grant long leaves or atypical work hours is jealousy, plain and simple.

I had a job many years ago where I negotiated a four 8-hr-day work week schedule before accepting the position. I felt it was important to have the time with my young children, and the pay wasn't super high, so 32 hours seemed reasonable based upon the salary level the could give me compared to previous positions I had held.

There was a women in an HR function who made it very clear over and over that she resented my 4 day schedule. She told me straight up within the first month that she didn't think the boss should have allowed it. But, bottom line, she was just jealous, because she could have had the same schedule if she just asked for it, but she was not willing/able to take the pay cut that an 80% work week would have entailed. So petty. So inflexible. Ugh. Lol, I should have remarked to her off-hand in an unrelated conversation that petty inflexibility has been shown to be a sign of low intelligence. I need to work on my aristocratic snark.

NorthernIkigai

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3832 on: June 10, 2021, 02:44:54 AM »
I hate to generalise, but it seems that many HR Departments baulk at approving leave that they deem 'excessive' regardless of Company policies.
In 2005 I was able to book a whole year off work using my accrued Annual Leave and Long Service Leave here in Australia. My Manager approved it all and it was not going to cause any staff shortges etc, but HR and senior management still chased me for 'more information' simply because I was getting something they didn't think I deserved😂

I wonder what kind of "more information" anyone is looking for in these kinds of situations. What did they really expect you to say, and why did they think it was any of their business? (Assuming you didn't work with anything super secret and they were afraid you'd take your intel and set up a competing business or start working for a competitor... In which case you could also have just quit and done that anyway.)

I'm planning to take a year off at some point (but from autumn to autumn rather than a calendar year, partly for tax reasons), and I am certainly thinking about what I will say to people when they ask out of curiosity or just in the form of small talk. But I don't expect anyone to chase me specifically to get more information. Time off is just time off.

RyanAtTanagra

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3833 on: June 10, 2021, 10:44:52 AM »
I think the biggest factor sometimes in not wanting to grant long leaves or atypical work hours is jealousy, plain and simple.

I had a job many years ago where I negotiated a four 8-hr-day work week schedule before accepting the position. I felt it was important to have the time with my young children, and the pay wasn't super high, so 32 hours seemed reasonable based upon the salary level the could give me compared to previous positions I had held.

There was a women in an HR function who made it very clear over and over that she resented my 4 day schedule. She told me straight up within the first month that she didn't think the boss should have allowed it. But, bottom line, she was just jealous, because she could have had the same schedule if she just asked for it, but she was not willing/able to take the pay cut that an 80% work week would have entailed. So petty. So inflexible. Ugh. Lol, I should have remarked to her off-hand in an unrelated conversation that petty inflexibility has been shown to be a sign of low intelligence. I need to work on my aristocratic snark.

It's a very dumb thing to get angry at.  It's not even making an exception for you.  Anyone could do it if they tried.  People just can't afford/don't want to take a 20% pay cut.  But then they get jealous of not having a 20% shorter work week?  I was expecting some snark when I went to 32hrs at work, and prepared what to say.  "I've been living on a sailboat for the past 5 years to cut expenses and save money.  You could do it too if you want to be able to take a 20% pay cut".  But no one really said anything.  Everyone at work is too reasonable.  Very boring.

Wolfpack Mustachian

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3834 on: June 10, 2021, 10:58:33 AM »
I think the biggest factor sometimes in not wanting to grant long leaves or atypical work hours is jealousy, plain and simple.

I had a job many years ago where I negotiated a four 8-hr-day work week schedule before accepting the position. I felt it was important to have the time with my young children, and the pay wasn't super high, so 32 hours seemed reasonable based upon the salary level the could give me compared to previous positions I had held.

There was a women in an HR function who made it very clear over and over that she resented my 4 day schedule. She told me straight up within the first month that she didn't think the boss should have allowed it. But, bottom line, she was just jealous, because she could have had the same schedule if she just asked for it, but she was not willing/able to take the pay cut that an 80% work week would have entailed. So petty. So inflexible. Ugh. Lol, I should have remarked to her off-hand in an unrelated conversation that petty inflexibility has been shown to be a sign of low intelligence. I need to work on my aristocratic snark.

It's a very dumb thing to get angry at.  It's not even making an exception for you.  Anyone could do it if they tried.  People just can't afford/don't want to take a 20% pay cut.  But then they get jealous of not having a 20% shorter work week?  I was expecting some snark when I went to 32hrs at work, and prepared what to say.  "I've been living on a sailboat for the past 5 years to cut expenses and save money.  You could do it too if you want to be able to take a 20% pay cut".  But no one really said anything.  Everyone at work is too reasonable.  Very boring.

Boring can be really nice, though....

mm1970

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3835 on: June 10, 2021, 03:11:59 PM »
I think the biggest factor sometimes in not wanting to grant long leaves or atypical work hours is jealousy, plain and simple.

I had a job many years ago where I negotiated a four 8-hr-day work week schedule before accepting the position. I felt it was important to have the time with my young children, and the pay wasn't super high, so 32 hours seemed reasonable based upon the salary level the could give me compared to previous positions I had held.

There was a women in an HR function who made it very clear over and over that she resented my 4 day schedule. She told me straight up within the first month that she didn't think the boss should have allowed it. But, bottom line, she was just jealous, because she could have had the same schedule if she just asked for it, but she was not willing/able to take the pay cut that an 80% work week would have entailed. So petty. So inflexible. Ugh. Lol, I should have remarked to her off-hand in an unrelated conversation that petty inflexibility has been shown to be a sign of low intelligence. I need to work on my aristocratic snark.

It's a very dumb thing to get angry at.  It's not even making an exception for you.  Anyone could do it if they tried.  People just can't afford/don't want to take a 20% pay cut.  But then they get jealous of not having a 20% shorter work week?  I was expecting some snark when I went to 32hrs at work, and prepared what to say.  "I've been living on a sailboat for the past 5 years to cut expenses and save money.  You could do it too if you want to be able to take a 20% pay cut".  But no one really said anything.  Everyone at work is too reasonable.  Very boring.
Yup.  I've done this twice, when I had my kids.  With company #1 and kid #1 they paid me hourly when I made the switch to 75%, though I was an exempt employee.  It was great, because if I had a long week and worked 35 hr, I got paid for exactly what I worked.

With company #2, they continued to keep me exempt, so I opted for 80% instead of 75% because I just KNEW 30 hr was not going to happen, it would be 32 most weeks. 

Well, fast forward years later, and a coworker wants to ease into retirement, so she asks me how the whole thing worked as far as pay and benefits go (basically, you have to be 75% to keep bennies).  So, they didn't LOVE that (she wanted 25 h a week, not 30), but did 30 h anyway.

Another coworker was BITTER.  He complained, multiple times, about her only working 30h a week and the rest of us work 50-60.  I just said "you can make the same switch for lower pay.  And by the way, she is still exempt, so her pay is 75% even if she works 40 h a week."  He was also nearing retirement (about 5 yr older than her).

okonumiyaki

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3836 on: June 11, 2021, 12:09:14 AM »
Re long holidays - I worked for a firm that insisted that you had to take a 'long leave' minimum two weeks every year.

It was for anti-fraud purposes - they had been burned by a manager whose corruption was only discovered when he had gone to hospital for a long while - until then he had been a hero, never taking any time off (apart from a few days here and there) and so had always been able to cover his tracks...

MrMoogle

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3837 on: June 11, 2021, 10:48:17 AM »
My company is pretty awesome with that kind of stuff.  They will hold your job for you for the first 364 days for maternity leave (if that's what you request).  I'm not sure about the pay as I've never looked it up.  I know they offer paternity leave too, but I don't have the details of that.  A woman I worked with had a baby, took the year off.  Came back for a year and had another baby.  Repeated once more and she became a stay at home mom.  They also allowed her to come back part time after the first baby.  They didn't bat an eye when I requested part time. 

partgypsy

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3838 on: June 11, 2021, 01:59:13 PM »
I can't remember if I told this story before, but worked in the medical center of a well known university. I was a three year post doc, with rules with 40 days a month (Al/sl). I submitted leave sheets the entire time and used about a 2 weeks a year. . When I became a research associate in the same lab, about a year later became pregnant. I lost all my sl and Al changing my position. The hospital had 0 paid weeks for family or parental leave.  While I was allowed to take time off without losing my job, definitely got pushback from my boss, with my paychecks about 30-50% my normal paycheck during my leave time. With my 2nd child, I was now working for the government. Someone in my department told me I should put myself on the donate leave list, for my leave after giving birth. When I went to submit the paperwork, HR told me that wasn't allowed, as childbirth was not a recognized medical condition. So I'm like, ok and didn't think anything of it. I was able to take advance leave in this case, long since paid back. Since then I had seen a number of requests to donate annual leave time to staff who were expecting (you can only donate your annual leave, not your sick leave for this), so way interpreted, not consistent. Suffice to say, I am thankful both my pregnancies and births were relatively uneventful as parental leave policies in the us kind of suck and not make it easy to be a working mom. Hopefully they have gotten better.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2021, 02:13:07 PM by partgypsy »

Model96

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3839 on: June 12, 2021, 06:46:40 AM »
I hate to generalise, but it seems that many HR Departments baulk at approving leave that they deem 'excessive' regardless of Company policies.
In 2005 I was able to book a whole year off work using my accrued Annual Leave and Long Service Leave here in Australia. My Manager approved it all and it was not going to cause any staff shortges etc, but HR and senior management still chased me for 'more information' simply because I was getting something they didn't think I deserved😂

I wonder what kind of "more information" anyone is looking for in these kinds of situations. What did they really expect you to say, and why did they think it was any of their business? (Assuming you didn't work with anything super secret and they were afraid you'd take your intel and set up a competing business or start working for a competitor... In which case you could also have just quit and done that anyway.)

I'm planning to take a year off at some point (but from autumn to autumn rather than a calendar year, partly for tax reasons), and I am certainly thinking about what I will say to people when they ask out of curiosity or just in the form of small talk. But I don't expect anyone to chase me specifically to get more information. Time off is just time off.

It was easy to ignore them, none of them tried to speak face to face with me.
I just told everyone I was on annual leave, only my wife and kids knew for how long!

JLee

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3840 on: June 16, 2021, 10:30:18 AM »
Re long holidays - I worked for a firm that insisted that you had to take a 'long leave' minimum two weeks every year.

It was for anti-fraud purposes - they had been burned by a manager whose corruption was only discovered when he had gone to hospital for a long while - until then he had been a hero, never taking any time off (apart from a few days here and there) and so had always been able to cover his tracks...

I had to do that when I worked for a bank (one or two weeks' consecutive time off was mandatory).

Meanwhile at my current job I can't get more than a long weekend until at least August....with 4.5 weeks PTO still yet to use for this year.  :(

LennStar

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3841 on: June 17, 2021, 10:58:01 AM »
Again I am aghast at how awful it is here in goddamn Socialism with our 20 minimum days holidays, not counting sick days and 9+3 month of parental leave.

btw. Even while being pregnant is not a medical condition for sick leave etc., having a several pound parasite inside you is.

gooki

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3842 on: June 18, 2021, 01:55:44 AM »
My wife exercised our fuck you money to perfection this week.

She applied for a senior business partner role at her current employer.  It's a promotion in paper and dollars only as she's been doing the senior role for sometime already just without the recognition/reward. My wife's well respected by the managers she coaches, a great mentor to the younger staff in their team, and trusted by her team mates

She went through the whole interview process with her reporting manager (not one of the ones she coaches) and a couple of other staff, waited a couple of weeks, and was then told nope, no senior position for you, were hiring someone external. So she asked for reasons, and got vague stuff like the other candidate has worked with unions, when in my wife's interview her manager skipped over that question entirely. To rub salt in the wound her manager goes maybe you'd be interested in this job at xyz company. And my wife's like. Hell no. I applied for the job I'm already doing, and did you know that other job at company xyz is open because the last person in that role killed themself.

So my wife's angry as fuck but stays professional, and wraps that meeting up, and schedules one for a couple of days time when she's cooled down.

So next meeting, my wife's tries to get some real answers about why she wasn't hired. Brings up that they skipped they union question in her interview and her manager flips out and changes the subject to 'projects" and why my wife's name isn't on any of her managers projects (never mind that my wife just lead largest organisational change, or that other people are already leading those projects).

So my wife calmly gets up, and says something along the lines of, I can see you're not in a good space, if you're not able to have a constructive conversation with me I'll be leaving, and we can do this another time.

Her manager calms down and agrees to be constructive. It doesn't last long and my wife has to get up again and bring her manager back in line. Her manager starts apologizing because this is starting to look pretty bad. So my wife point blank asks if there's a problem with her performance. Her manager responds with no. So it becomes pretty clear through the rest of the meeting that it's personal, but her manager is to bat shit crazy to be honest and just say it.

My wife takes the next day as a mental health day, and drafts her resignation.

This Friday she handed the resignation letter to her manager. The managers response was 'oh? Do you have somewhere else to go?' and my wife cool as ice says 'no, I'm happy to go', spins round and exits the room.

So proud of my wife. Not just just because she left a place that doesn't support her, but because she was the bigger person the whole time.
« Last Edit: June 18, 2021, 02:13:45 AM by gooki »

LennStar

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3843 on: June 18, 2021, 03:57:24 AM »
Nice!
But I would have liked the "okay, then I stop doing the work of the position I am not officially in" and see what happened then.

DeepEllumStache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3844 on: June 18, 2021, 11:43:13 AM »
My wife takes the next day as a mental health day, and drafts her resignation.

This Friday she handed the resignation letter to her manager. The managers response was 'oh? Do you have somewhere else to go?' and my wife cool as ice says 'no, I'm happy to go', spins round and exits the room.

That was gloriously epic!

okits

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3845 on: June 18, 2021, 01:06:21 PM »
Congratulations to your badass wife (and to you, @gooki ! This stuff doesn't happen in a vacuum.)

Not just just because she left a place that doesn't support her

Err, a place that was actively exploiting her and obstructing her.  She is well rid of that kind of environment, I'm happy for you both!

FIRE 20/20

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3846 on: June 19, 2021, 11:40:55 AM »
...I was a three year post doc, with rules with 40 days a month (Al/sl)...

Can you clarify this part?  I don't understand "40 days a month" or (Al/sl). 

Fru-Gal

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3847 on: July 07, 2021, 04:20:22 PM »
Because I have FU money, am trying to be more assertive.

I have valuable and unique skills that are widely recognized in the company. At the same time, I have no authority or assistance. I have a ton of autonomy. Problem is a Mark Twain-like thing that happens where my successes become attractive to poachers.

How to deal with this? Like, the one thing that keeps me going is my autonomy with my projects (which are collaborative, made even more difficult because I have no titular authority so I have to be diplomatic as fuck).

New guy just got hired days ago. Boss says, "Take your great ideas, and go work with him." Collaboratively, but with an implication that maybe I'll soon work *for* this guy.

I know it happens to men too, but as a woman in a male-dominated field, am so tired of being put under someone new -- who may or may not last and is often an idiot. (Yes of course I go in with an open mind, not a bad attitude, etc. etc.)

Asked my boss for a team to report to me and funding to grow the project. Response: "Sure! Talk to that new guy [whom I've never even met, not even in my department, but ostensibly similar skills to mine] and come up with a plan." I mean WTF????

Are my decades of experience and well documented years of results (highest in company) really meaningless in comparison to some "new guy" with a fancy title?

former player

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3848 on: July 07, 2021, 04:39:25 PM »
Yes.

Can you go look for a new job with more pay and status?

swashbucklinstache

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Re: Epic FU money stories
« Reply #3849 on: July 07, 2021, 05:00:20 PM »
I am starting to tire of repeatedly being put in a position where the truth is "no one knows, because my great-grandboss can't answer a simple question in 10 months" to a politically connected internal client of his, who already knows that's the answer but benefits from me being the one to say it out loud. I think I'll let my boss know that tomorrow and re-verbalize that I've bit my tongue for the last time on the matter and he should engage in serious CYA now if he hasn't already.

It's been almost two weeks! Anything new? Maybe you're not updating the forum because you're off on a beach somewhere enjoying your FU money ;-)
Sadly I'm getting 2-3 'requests' a day and didn't want to just spam the thread everyday!

The latest reading between the lines is that I think the great-grandboss is going to declare my boss accountable for these roles to not deal with it. For me that means that since it will then be a direct line up from me, as opposed to now where my "uncle" is accountable, it is more of a "reassignment" than a "we're interested in you taking on this stretch role if you're interested" deal. That should mean it is a little harder to say FU to my immediate boss than the faceless C suit, and doubly so because I'm senior enough in a fluid enough industry that this isn't really an inappropriate/uncommon sort of thing. (Consulting job descriptions are basically "get it done, level appropriately").

I proactively nipped that in the bud with my boss and made it clear that I do not care who is accountable for the role, my questions still stand. In the meantime I continue to take on the pieces that are interesting to me and either ignore, say no to, or do the others as slowly as possible.

The bigger piece is that, unfortunately, my main project work ends 6/30. We're a billable industry where you eat what you kill and I don't yet have anything lined up. So the closer we creep to that day the closer we get to me not really being able to say no, because I'd then be saying "instead of doing this role I would prefer to instead do nothing and still get paid for it." So I'm talking with my boss this week to try to find other project opportunities. If I get defaulted into the role I will still push for $$ up front and will make it very clear that I'm unhappy with being backdoored into things if we get there. It sucks, because this is a role that could be fun (strategy and process creation) and have outsized returns (growth) if a happy and motivated employee does it and "kept the lights on" returns if they're not.

I've also spent the weekend getting my resume in shape. My industry, tech/data, is on fire right now. I could credibly apply to senior individual contributor roles at better companies, senior analytics or product manager roles at peer companies, or associate/director of analytics positions at smaller companies. I got pinged last week by a big tech recruiter for a data science position that would double my total comp. We're talking this week. I'm not competitive really and they hand out interviews like candy but you only need one to say yes...

For context, I'm at 835k which is a 2.9% WR for my current expenses (24k avg. the last 8 years). My FIRE plans are atypical though, as they're either "I have no idea, I'm only 32, let's not lock us in to < 40k a year before life events" or "spend a few years AirBnbing in city centers where housing alone takes you to 4.5% WR, plus some seed money gifted for others' retirement, so maybe 1.3-1.6mm?" I'm saving 115k a year, so it would be ideal if this company would just stay reasonable for the next 1-3 years...
Well. 6/30 came and went and I have new "other" project so status quo was humming along. BUT, unrelated, today they walked the great grandboss out (hourly billable company = immediately removed at that level). Says the plan is for his C suit boss to cover until a hire is made, which is much less than ideal since that person knows nothing about what we do as a non-tech person... Person that's been trying to get me to do their job said interim boss was going to be meeting with us and we should talk about the future of these roles so we can shape them how we want them to be a.k.a. one more avenue to try and shove the work off his plate. Pretty sure I'm going to say if you want me in this role that is an immediate 50% base pay increase, and keep interviewing in the background all the while.