[pct-l] 1st post / what to tell the boss....

[Ron Cluster]

I started my job in March 2008. My situation is a bit unique because my boss
used to be part owner of where my former job was. He left that company to
buy a different company in the same town a little over 2 years ago. Last
March I decided to accept his offer to work for him again. I had worked for
him at the previous company since 1982.

So, now that you have the background....

When we met to discuss me moving over to his new company, I told him of our
plan to hike the PCT in 2009 (a little over a year out at that point in
time). I was up front with him about the fact that I would not be available
from basically April 1 through early October. And it wasn't a case of asking
permission, he knew this was our plan regardless of the job. I wasn't snotty
about it or anything, just laid it out. This was what we were going to do.
And, I already knew this, but that's when I found out again that I work for
a remarkable person. His response...."I can work with that!". So, I will
have my job waiting for me when we get back. We were going anyway but that
sure made it a bit less stressful.

Julie runs her own daycare business at home so that was just a matter of
informing our daycare families that she would be closed for those months.

We both hit 50 last year and the joints aren't moving as easily as they used
to. Waiting until retirement to do this trek might mean we wouldn't be
physically able to do it. We didn't want this to be one of those things that
we "wish we would have done" so we're doing it now. (There's a good PCT
motto.....DO IT NOW....)

Andy, chances are that your boss thinks pretty highly of you if he is giving
you a raise in these times. You obviously know your boss better than I, but
I would talk to him personally about this trip and what it means to you.
Show him you are committed to doing this trip and help to put a plan in
place to cover your duties while you are away. Hopefully you will discover
that your boss is as understanding of this type of thing as mine is.

Good luck!

Ron & Julie Cluster
Eugene, OR


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Andrew Jones
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 5:35 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] 1st post / what to tell the boss....

Greetings all!

This is my first post - I've been lurking for a few months - my wife and I
are planning to thru in '09 - and really enjoyed the discussion on gear,
planning, etc. I've got a question/topic that I hope will help change the
subject from eating poison oak/ivy, which has to be the dumbest thing I've
ever heard.

So my boss comes to me today, with the most impeccable timing, gives me a
raise, and informally offers me a promotion - literally two weeks before I
am going to tell him I'm through hiking the PCT and he should never expect
to see me again after March. (I'm not down with the whole leave of absence
thing - we're just as likely to move across the country as to come back to
where we're living now.) So what has everyone else told their employers in
the past, or this year, when it came time to deliver the news? I mean, I
guess I'll tell him the truth - but what kind of reactions/responses/well
wishings/anger has everyone gotten? Just curious.

Andy
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