First Day of Sabbatical

[fitz]

One of the best perks the company I work for gives us is a 6 week sabbatical once every 4 years. Today is the first day of my second sabbatical.

There is only one rule...I am not allowed to work. They dont even want me to log into the network or check my work email. Its supposed to be total R & R.

OK.

JpGrl and I are headed to Scotland and Ireland for two weeks on Friday. When I return, it'll be working in the yard and taking long naps.

 

[fitz]

One of the best perks the company I work for gives us is a 6 week sabbatical once every 4 years. Today is the first day of my second sabbatical.

There is only one rule...I am not allowed to work. They dont even want me to log into the network or check my work email. Its supposed to be total R & R.

OK.

JpGrl and I are headed to Scotland and Ireland for two weeks on Friday. When I return, it'll be working in the yard and taking long naps.

 

[Bullet Bob]

So, let me be the first to ask - are they hiring?

 

[fitz]

Unfortunatley, no. Hiring freeze went into effect about 9 months ago and we've lost 10% of the workforce since then. The company is a large software manufacturer and we are quite solid (for now) and pretty much own the market for what we do. However, another round of lay-offs are imminent as they try to cut expenses and improve the bottom line. No unnecessary travel, free drinks are cut back to free coffee only, they took my #3 computer on friday, so now I have 2 (poor me!). And, we are forced to take 100% of this years alotted vacation days on their schedule

.

Everyone is nervous that sabbaticals may be the next thing to go.

 

[Bullet Bob]

I hope my job stays solid, too.

Say hey to my relatives in Ireland for me. I don't know any of them, but if you pick out the dimmest looking ones, there's a good chance. . .

 

[Bassamatic]

Wow.

Is that sabbatical paid? Is it in addition to your regular vacation plan or does it replace it?

 

[fitz]

That would be a paid sabbatical.

And it doesn't impact vacation pay, thats separate. So I get paid just as if I was going to work every day these 6 weeks. Nice huh?

The reason they do this is because software development is pretty intense, very high stress. Its as mentally demanding as a job doing hard manual labor is physically demanding. Its easy to get burned out.

 

[rags]

Sounds like a great company. Especially given the current climate. rags