SultanOfSwing

I like the rain, myself. It rains here too though so it's not a big deal, but I never understand why rain is considered a negative aspect of the British Isles. It's a temperate, maritime climate, you kind of have to expect it to be wet

CoolHandFluke

Try working outside in the rain 10 hours each day then we will talk mate !!! lol

chawkins99

Depends on the company. Some will allow it but it's often frowned on. Also depends on your job and your importance to the company.

It's why the vast majority of American tourists in the UK are retired.

SultanOfSwing

There's still very little you can do about it. If you think working conditions (weather excepted) are going to be better in the US, you're going to be rather disappointed.

CoolHandFluke

my thinking is that life would be a lot more rewarding being in California, I wouldn't want to get away on vacay as much as I do here...

Octang Frye

Like passing out/a touch of the vapors/female hysteria/fainting couch swooning? If so, I apologize. Don't usually cause people to have a visceral reaction.
Will tone it down. Was just trying to tell OP the grass isn't always rosier.

CoolHandFluke

id like to experience it myself instead of other peoples opinions.

Rete

My husband didn't want to live in NY because of the winters and moved to Mississippi to get away from the winter and the few snowstorms we have yearly. He preferred living apart from me for five years, rather than wait for me to reach retirement age, to satisfy his craving for warmer weather only to find himself a victim of a tornado, not once, but twice, and bone chilling weather in the winter sometimes in the teens.

California: fire, mud slides, earthquakes, heat, humidity and not everyone can afford a home or a home with a pool. No one place in the US and/or the UK is an ideal weather location to live in. Not those living in Georgia like Robtuck who apparently likes to sit on his deck in 90+ heat with a humidity index of 105 or those living in Florida where the sidewalks might melt in the summertime, or those in New England where they have spectacular falls.

If you are moving solely for better weather, I fear you and your family will be sorely disappointed.

Jerseygirl

Get used to 5 or 10 days holiday per year...but you may get lucky. Employers generally don’t have to give you notice to terminate employment. You will also have copays, deductibles and premiums to pay for healthcare.

CoolHandFluke

no, its more than that, I love the people, everything just seems bigger and better rete, and different I guess, maybe I would want to come home after a while, who knows, but id just love the opportunity to trial the life..

christmasoompa

Much better down south though! You get most of the grey skies, thanks.

I thought you were a business owner, not a construction worker? Your visa advice will be very different if you're actually a builder yourself.

SultanOfSwing

Best that it's not a surprise though, don't you think? I'm not telling you not to move here, I love California, just be aware that different isn't always better, that road leads to culture shock and disappointment.

As long as you are aware of the major differences - like health insurance, laughably shite vacation allowances, virtually no employee rights beyond very basic stuff you'll be grand. Try to look at it as an additive experience though, not that the US will replace the UK, but it will widen your outlook. Of course, if you're moving here for work and it's with an international company, you may be insulated from some of the more crappy aspects of employers compared with Europe.

CoolHandFluke

surely you get time off at Christmas too?

Jerseygirl

Yes Christmas Day.

SultanOfSwing

You get Christmas Day off. Unless you work retail for a store that's open year-round, of course. Usually getting more days than that is rare (unless you work at a school) and often unpaid if you don't use vacation time.

Working on Christmas Eve won't be alien to anyone who used to work in most jobs in the UK if the floating 3 days didn't fall on the 24th, of course.