Ethical pickle

wdwghettogirl
wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
edited December 21 in Chit-Chat
So, I'm in a 2 part pickle, and I'd appreciate advice/opinions from everyone who cares to give any.

Here's some "back story" (if you wanna call it that): I work at a University Bookstore. I recently transferred from the main campus location to one of our branch campus stores. We only have about 1500 students as apposed to about 15, 000 on the main campus. Running our little store is just me (Assistant Manager), and Trudy (Branch Manager). There are 2 busy times of the year we call "Rush" (start of Fall semester, and start of Spring semester) when we bring on some seasonal part time help, usually students. In our tiny store, we only bring on 2 or 3 (main campus hires dozens).

So... here's pickle #1: I registered for my first Disney Half Marathon (in Jan)... happens to fall on the weekend of the first week of Spring Rush... meaning I have to leave Trudy alone during one of the busiest times of the year and hope that our part timers class schedules won't conflict too much so she has some back up. I signed up for the race back when I still worked on the main campus, before any talk of transferring. So it wasn't going to be a big deal for me to be gone for a week or so. But now, it's just the 2 of us to do pretty much everything. We've asked for help/advice from our boss man on the main campus, but he's not being too responsive to our inquiries. So, I'm torn between not wanting to abandon poor Trudy for more than I have to, therefore cutting my FL trip to only a couple of days (pretty much race & come home), and wanting to make it worth the time/money I'm spending to get down there (seeing friends, going to the parks, etc). That's a long way to go, and a lot of money spent just for a race!

Pickle #2: I set a goal to do the Coast to Coast Challenge in 2013, but there are only 2 races to choose from at Disneyland... one is in Jan, exactly 1 week after my WDW race, and the other... well, it just happens to fall on the weekend of Fall rush. *sigh* So, I have 3 options:
1) Do I give up on my goal for 2013 to accommodate my job?
2) Do I inconvenience everyone in one big chunk and do both parks races in Jan?
Or, 3) Do I leave Trudy high and dry during both rush seasons??

HELP!

Replies

  • liog
    liog Posts: 347 Member
    I would not run two half marathons with only a week between them. As long as you won't lose your job, do the race in January and the one in the Fall. Make it up to Trudy somehow. Maybe she gets some extra days off when you get back, like you take her shifts or something. Can someone from the Main Campus fill in for you while you are gone?

    I'm planning on the Princess Half in February and the Disneyland Half next year.

    Good luck whatever you decide!
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
    I would not run two half marathons with only a week between them. As long as you won't lose your job, do the race in January and the one in the Fall. Make it up to Trudy somehow. Maybe she gets some extra days off when you get back, like you take her shifts or something. Can someone from the Main Campus fill in for you while you are gone?

    I'm planning on the Princess Half in February and the Disneyland Half next year.

    Good luck whatever you decide!

    That's one of the questions I asked our boss man... if they could spare someone to come down for a few days. But, like I mentioned, he's not being much help. I never got an answer to that suggestion. I'll keep bugging him... but we'll see.

    Good luck on your Princess and DL Half!
  • shaelataylor
    shaelataylor Posts: 224 Member
    personally i think id do one race and not the other. it seems like a good compromise. it sounds like youve already talked to trudy so she knows this is a race you had planned for a while and that you feel badly about leaving her a bit short handed. i wouldnt cut your trip short. if youre spending the money, its important to see the things you want. this isnt a career youre building for yourself from the sounds of it, so i wouldnt worry tooooo much about missing a busy time once. :)
  • juliekin
    juliekin Posts: 139 Member
    Not a pickle. It's your boss's job to approve your vacation time and to make sure that staffing is up to snuff. If he has approved the time off, then he needs to take care of the issue. A gentle inquiry/reminder would be in order here. I wouldn't do the second one and would look into any others you could do. Or you could again remind him in the fall of the situation, but I think the time off may not be approved...
  • divinebird
    divinebird Posts: 81 Member
    I'd choose one or the other, personally. I work for an education program and we'd fire someone who was gone during BOTH semesters at the height of our busy times. It's one thing to have scheduled a vacation before you were hired--that happens and I would overlook it for once. But two? Each during Rush week? That would be excessive. From a boss's perspective, I wouldn't care what your reason is for needing the time off. I'd only be concerned that you are asking for time off when I need you most.

    So, I vote you choose only one. Sorry!
  • DataBased
    DataBased Posts: 513 Member
    I don't know how realistic this may be, but do you have any friends who still work at the main campus who may have some vacation time coming up? If the big center''s manager won't help you make it happen, maybe you can make a private arrangement on your own with former co-workers??? Maybe you could pay them to fill in during your absence, effectively helping them get paid twice for their time - as they'll be getting their vacation pay in addition to the cash they'll earn for filling in?

    How does Trudy feel - have you spoken with her about it?
  • AlwaysInMotion
    AlwaysInMotion Posts: 409 Member
    Just trying to think this through in my head... and I don't wanna give bad advice.

    My thinking is that if you request vacation leave during the either "rush" period, you'll risk damaging your career prospects and/or your relationship with your coworkers. I guess your 2 big questions are: 1) how badly do you want to run these events this year, and 2) how much are you willing to risk this job?

    The situation may not be that bad, but it's something to consider. You could also ask the branch manager for her thoughts before making your decision. Obviously more notice is better if additional help is needed in your absence. I hope you can go, but I also wouldn't want you to face any ugly surprises after returning to work.
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
    I've talked to Trudy about my Jan race in FL that I had already registered for... I haven't even brought up my goal of doing a CA race the same year.

    Seems like the majority vote I give up my goal of the Coast to Coast next year. I think I could handle 2 halves a week apart... but having never run one before, I can't say for certain. The thought of giving up on a goal like this is kind of heart breaking for me... I'm really going to be stressing about this. :frown:
  • AlwaysInMotion
    AlwaysInMotion Posts: 409 Member
    I guess look at the bright side - you are still getting the chance to participate in some very challenging events every year! You may just need to postpone (not cancel!) some of your loftier goals for the time when you're in a career that affords you a bit more flexibility for vacations and such. I've had to reschedule major vacations & events b/c of work demands, and it sucks. But I also appreciate that my job (and the regular paycheck and the health benefits, etc.) enables me to be able to afford to do these things. If I lost my job, then all the vacations and races and such would end abruptly. My ranking on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs would change in an instant.

    You've still got many, MANY opportunities ahead of you. That's something to look forward to, right?
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    personally i think id do one race and not the other. it seems like a good compromise. it sounds like you've already talked to trudy so she knows this is a race you had planned for a while and that you feel badly about leaving her a bit short handed. i wouldn't cut your trip short. if you're spending the money, its important to see the things you want. this isn't a career you're building for yourself from the sounds of it, so i wouldn't worry tooooo much about missing a busy time once. :)

    This sounds like a really good compromise. I would definitely sit down and talk to your boss about it and make sure that you are on the same page. It sounds fair that she should let you go if it was planned before you were transferred... As for the second race, I think wait till next year...
  • DisneyMommy
    DisneyMommy Posts: 281 Member
    You seriously don't want my input here. LOL, I would do both. Either the 1/2 and Tink or the 1/2 and DL 1/2. Nothing wrong w/doing the Jan races one week apart. I do Goofy and turn around and do Tink the following week. It really isn't going to hurt. I think someone said that it's your boss who approves your vacation time and it's their responsibility to make sure your store has coverage. I agree with this. I know that sounds harsh to Trudy and all but it's your life too. You have goals. No reason to put them off if your boss gives you the time off to pursue them. :)
  • wdwghettogirl
    wdwghettogirl Posts: 559 Member
    I appreciate input from all viewpoints. I know you're a Disney running machine, so I get where you're coming from. I wanna be like that, too. I wish I lived as close to one of the parks as you do. I'm leaning toward squeezing in both races in Jan, but we'll have to see what boss man finally gives the OK on. *fingers crossed* Trudy supports my run, so she's encouraging me not to shorten my trip. So if I can get that whole week approved, I'll be jet setting across the country to run on both coasts within a week of each other. :smile: We shall see...
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