In this age of mobility and transferability, it no longer makes sense to peg
benefits to seniority.  More and more companies, in the museum world and
elsewhere, are turning to temporary workers, contract employees, etc. to
lower payrolls -- usually a company's greatest expense.  Rather than hire
someone in a permanent position, they will hire people short-term on an
as-needed basis.  I do not intend to start a debate on the pros and cons of
this practice.  However, from the point-of-view of the worker, it becomes
very difficult to find an employer willing to keep you on for 15 or 20 years
or more and accumulate these higher levels of benefits.  Rather, we string
together three or four different jobs at different companies during this
time -- and start over at zero seniority each time.

My own experience is a case in point.  I had worked at another museum for
seven years.  We all got 10 holidays, 2 personal days, and 12 sick days per
year.  Additionally, by the time I left I was earning 15 vacation days.
(They started you at 2 weeks and bumped you up to 3 after 5 years.)  So I
was entitled to 39 days off.  (Whether I took them is a different thread.)
Then I changed jobs and came to the Shedd.  Here, I received the same
package as any new employee: 6 holidays and 18 PTO days (a combination of 5
vacation, 12 sick, and one personal day, to be used interchangeably).  This
comes to a total of 24 days, representing a loss of more than 38%.

It's my own fault for not looking into this more closely when I accepted the
new position.  However, when my contract here ends and I next find myself
negotiating for a position, I shall make sure that the "time off" allowance
is appropriate for someone with more than ten years' experience.

In other words, vacation time is part of your compensation; it needs to be
negotiated just as salary does.

Eugene Dillenburg
Lead Developer, Philippine Coral Reef Exhibit
John G. Shedd Aquarium
1200 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, Ill.  60605

V) 312 / 692-3136
F) 312 / 939 - 8001
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"I've worked long and hard to get this pompous."  -- Riley,  Buffy the
Vampire Slayer, 10/26/99

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