Bad times in Texas
May 26th 2009, 7:22 pm
#76
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Toasty in Texas
Posts: 4,240
Re: Multiple posts from OP regarding how bad TX is
There are lots of posts in different sections of the site today from the OP. I have responded responsibly and with respect to their others, but interestingly, I stumbled across this whilst reading another thread:
"Originally Posted by garrettciaran
I moved back in February this year (to the UK), and instantly regretted it, eight months later I am back in the United States."
I know our ideas change, but to be so against one place and then so against another - telling all who will listen not to go one way or the other - seems irresponsible, nearing antagonistic, on the part of the OP.
Ok, am off soapbox.
"Originally Posted by garrettciaran
I moved back in February this year (to the UK), and instantly regretted it, eight months later I am back in the United States."
I know our ideas change, but to be so against one place and then so against another - telling all who will listen not to go one way or the other - seems irresponsible, nearing antagonistic, on the part of the OP.
Ok, am off soapbox.
May 26th 2009, 7:31 pm
#77
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
May 26th 2009, 7:37 pm
#79
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 1,455
Re: Bad times in Texas
Sorry to hear you damaged your knee. Hope it is not too bad and that you settle back in the UK well.
early in this thread now.
May 26th 2009, 7:41 pm
#81
Boston Sep 15th
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: San Francisco, California
Posts: 191
Re: Bad times in Texas
Sorry to hear about you having a tough time.
My very first trip to the USA 10 years ago was a fully financed work trip to CA for three months. There was 20 people hired and sent over for training, thanks to the manufacturing boom in Ireland in the late 90’s
We were put up in really nice apartments with a pool, given a hire car and had expenses of about $500 a week to spend on what we wanted, as well as our salary paid at home. It was a fantastic summer, and naturally I was disgusted when I had to go back and ever since then I wanted to move to the US.
After some research It dawned on me that I was going to need a degree if I ever waned to move here, so at 23 I finally started a computer science degree, and realized that I could come over here on J1’s in my summers.
Of course my experience on my J1 summers was worlds apart from the fun of the original “all expenses paid” trip to CA.
I had a crappy job cleaning cars earning $10 an hour, I had to share a room as I could not afford the rent on my own, ended up having to work 50/60 hours a week. It was horrific. My second summer was not much better and If I am honest I bailed out about half way though. I was earning $7 an hour working 20 hours a week in a big store it was bad, I was broke from day one.
Luckily I managed to finish college and after giving up all hope of moving here finally got a CG, I was very thankful that I had a degree behind me as working in a low paid job over here is really no fun at all.
Personally If I had to choose between a low paid job here and one in Europe I would pick a low paid one in Europe, I think its better set up for a fairer society with welfare coverage and health coverage.
Thankfully as I attended university in Ireland after I moved there from the UK where I went to secondary school I did not have to pay (much) for my degree, about 500 euro a year in admin fees. If I did not have this then I am sure I would not have a job that for the most part I enjoy with a flexible employer, fairly good benefits, good health care cover and so on. I like it here, but my life is not that dissimilar to the one I left behind, especially as I am doing the exact same job here that I was doing at home.
I think that the tight restrictions on visas for the USA create a false demand for them; people can’t ordinarily get a visa which just makes them want one more. I bet if they ran an open working holiday visa system similar to OZ and Canada then people could try out living here and that might help to eliminate the notion that every one in the US loaded and lives in mansions. Of all my friends, about 30ish who did the working holiday visa to OZ, only 3 of them stayed there for good, most people enjoyed the experience but were glad to get home.
Its interesting to see the OP’s point of view though. I guess it does not work out for everyone that comes here.
My very first trip to the USA 10 years ago was a fully financed work trip to CA for three months. There was 20 people hired and sent over for training, thanks to the manufacturing boom in Ireland in the late 90’s
We were put up in really nice apartments with a pool, given a hire car and had expenses of about $500 a week to spend on what we wanted, as well as our salary paid at home. It was a fantastic summer, and naturally I was disgusted when I had to go back and ever since then I wanted to move to the US.
After some research It dawned on me that I was going to need a degree if I ever waned to move here, so at 23 I finally started a computer science degree, and realized that I could come over here on J1’s in my summers.
Of course my experience on my J1 summers was worlds apart from the fun of the original “all expenses paid” trip to CA.
I had a crappy job cleaning cars earning $10 an hour, I had to share a room as I could not afford the rent on my own, ended up having to work 50/60 hours a week. It was horrific. My second summer was not much better and If I am honest I bailed out about half way though. I was earning $7 an hour working 20 hours a week in a big store it was bad, I was broke from day one.
Luckily I managed to finish college and after giving up all hope of moving here finally got a CG, I was very thankful that I had a degree behind me as working in a low paid job over here is really no fun at all.
Personally If I had to choose between a low paid job here and one in Europe I would pick a low paid one in Europe, I think its better set up for a fairer society with welfare coverage and health coverage.
Thankfully as I attended university in Ireland after I moved there from the UK where I went to secondary school I did not have to pay (much) for my degree, about 500 euro a year in admin fees. If I did not have this then I am sure I would not have a job that for the most part I enjoy with a flexible employer, fairly good benefits, good health care cover and so on. I like it here, but my life is not that dissimilar to the one I left behind, especially as I am doing the exact same job here that I was doing at home.
I think that the tight restrictions on visas for the USA create a false demand for them; people can’t ordinarily get a visa which just makes them want one more. I bet if they ran an open working holiday visa system similar to OZ and Canada then people could try out living here and that might help to eliminate the notion that every one in the US loaded and lives in mansions. Of all my friends, about 30ish who did the working holiday visa to OZ, only 3 of them stayed there for good, most people enjoyed the experience but were glad to get home.
Its interesting to see the OP’s point of view though. I guess it does not work out for everyone that comes here.
May 27th 2009, 12:08 am
#82
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Bad times in Texas
This would no longer be legal in the UK:
"From 1 April 2009 all workers have a statutory right to at least 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave (that is at least 28 days' paid holiday if you work five days a week). Your employer could choose to include bank holidays in the 5.6 weeks."
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...ys/DG_10029788
I wonder how many of the US wannabies are aware of vacation entitlement (or the lack of it) in the US, or have even heard of 'at will' and what it means...
"From 1 April 2009 all workers have a statutory right to at least 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave (that is at least 28 days' paid holiday if you work five days a week). Your employer could choose to include bank holidays in the 5.6 weeks."
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employme...ys/DG_10029788
I wonder how many of the US wannabies are aware of vacation entitlement (or the lack of it) in the US, or have even heard of 'at will' and what it means...
Nothing is ever perfect and there is no land of milk and honey......
May 27th 2009, 12:12 am
#83
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Multiple posts from OP regarding how bad TX is
There are lots of posts in different sections of the site today from the OP. I have responded responsibly and with respect to their others, but interestingly, I stumbled across this whilst reading another thread:
"Originally Posted by garrettciaran
I moved back in February this year (to the UK), and instantly regretted it, eight months later I am back in the United States."
I know our ideas change, but to be so against one place and then so against another - telling all who will listen not to go one way or the other - seems irresponsible, nearing antagonistic, on the part of the OP.
Ok, am off soapbox.
"Originally Posted by garrettciaran
I moved back in February this year (to the UK), and instantly regretted it, eight months later I am back in the United States."
I know our ideas change, but to be so against one place and then so against another - telling all who will listen not to go one way or the other - seems irresponsible, nearing antagonistic, on the part of the OP.
Ok, am off soapbox.
May 27th 2009, 12:15 am
#84
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bad times in Texas
All well and good, until you realize you have to book a whole year's leave off at the beginning of the year, or you don't get it. I've had it happen to me and to my husband's aunt who could not attend our wedding 10 years ago because it wasn't a pre-booked holiday. She still works for Tesco and its still the same policy. Same thing for my mil who is a nurse.....she has to book a whole year in advance.
Nothing is ever perfect and there is no land of milk and honey......
Nothing is ever perfect and there is no land of milk and honey......
Maybe it was an excuse 'cos they didn't want to go to your wedding.
May 27th 2009, 12:24 am
#85
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Bad times in Texas
It happens and I'm sure a lot more then you'd ever know. How nice for someone to hand you all those lovely weeks of holiday and then tell you to schedule them or not have the chance to use them.....
May 27th 2009, 12:28 am
#86
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bad times in Texas
I know some companies require employees to take some of their holidays at certain times but I've never heard of a company requiring an employee to take all their holidays at the start of the year...especially 4 weeks or more.
May 27th 2009, 12:43 am
#87
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Bad times in Texas
It *sucks*.
One of our part time gals just quit her dream job because the employer completely abused this, with a twist. She earned the vacation time. She asked to use it and was always turned down for one (?) reasonable reason or another. This year, after 4 years of NO holidays, she told them about a dream opportunity she had and she would be using her accrued vacation to go pursue it. They said 'no'. She said, OK, I will go on my own dime. They told her she could not leave work.
Four years of building their business to international acclaim, and they weasel over a month off in the off season? Fi!
It's definitely our gain, and I know of several incidents with this employer-- I interviewed with them once, so I believe every word. I think they wanted my right arm as a deposit on the job.
I hate it when companies get away with that stuff.
May 27th 2009, 12:46 am
#88
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,023
Re: Bad times in Texas
The infamous 'use it or lose it' policy.
It *sucks*.
One of our part time gals just quit her dream job because the employer completely abused this, with a twist. She earned the vacation time. She asked to use it and was always turned down for one (?) reasonable reason or another. This year, after 4 years of NO holidays, she told them about a dream opportunity she had and she would be using her accrued vacation to go pursue it. They said 'no'. She said, OK, I will go on my own dime. They told her she could not leave work.
Four years of building their business to international acclaim, and they weasel over a month off in the off season? Fi!
It's definitely our gain, and I know of several incidents with this employer-- I interviewed with them once, so I believe every word. I think they wanted my right arm as a deposit on the job.
I hate it when companies get away with that stuff.
It *sucks*.
One of our part time gals just quit her dream job because the employer completely abused this, with a twist. She earned the vacation time. She asked to use it and was always turned down for one (?) reasonable reason or another. This year, after 4 years of NO holidays, she told them about a dream opportunity she had and she would be using her accrued vacation to go pursue it. They said 'no'. She said, OK, I will go on my own dime. They told her she could not leave work.
Four years of building their business to international acclaim, and they weasel over a month off in the off season? Fi!
It's definitely our gain, and I know of several incidents with this employer-- I interviewed with them once, so I believe every word. I think they wanted my right arm as a deposit on the job.
I hate it when companies get away with that stuff.
May 27th 2009, 1:01 am
#89
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
Re: Bad times in Texas
The infamous 'use it or lose it' policy.
It *sucks*.
One of our part time gals just quit her dream job because the employer completely abused this, with a twist. She earned the vacation time. She asked to use it and was always turned down for one (?) reasonable reason or another. This year, after 4 years of NO holidays, she told them about a dream opportunity she had and she would be using her accrued vacation to go pursue it. They said 'no'. She said, OK, I will go on my own dime. They told her she could not leave work.
Four years of building their business to international acclaim, and they weasel over a month off in the off season? Fi!
It's definitely our gain, and I know of several incidents with this employer-- I interviewed with them once, so I believe every word. I think they wanted my right arm as a deposit on the job.
I hate it when companies get away with that stuff.
It *sucks*.
One of our part time gals just quit her dream job because the employer completely abused this, with a twist. She earned the vacation time. She asked to use it and was always turned down for one (?) reasonable reason or another. This year, after 4 years of NO holidays, she told them about a dream opportunity she had and she would be using her accrued vacation to go pursue it. They said 'no'. She said, OK, I will go on my own dime. They told her she could not leave work.
Four years of building their business to international acclaim, and they weasel over a month off in the off season? Fi!
It's definitely our gain, and I know of several incidents with this employer-- I interviewed with them once, so I believe every word. I think they wanted my right arm as a deposit on the job.
I hate it when companies get away with that stuff.
But I know that Sainsburys, Tescos do. And when I briefly worked at a NatWest call centre, they wanted to do this as well. All well and good if you know what you're doing for the whole year. I'm lucky if I can plan next weekend. 
