QUICK: Need DH job advice/input

[marynjoe]

Backstory you already know: DH was downsized 5 weeks ago. He's put in over 90 applications, with very few bites. We can't make it on my paycheck and his unemployment.

He just got a call for an interview today. Yay! The job is in his field. But, the job will be a 45% cut in pay compared what he was making. It's just a little above what he was making when he started in the field 13 years ago. It's a contract job through an agency for one year, and could go permanent hire after that. It does offer benefits, and we MUST have medical insurance for me, and we're paying $1000 a month right now for COBRA coverage. I can't afford to ever stop coverage and have a pre-existing gap. (No benefits through my job)

Thoughts:
1. It's a full-time job and will get him working again bringing in money. And insurance!
2. He can always keep looking for another job with a higher rate of pay, right?
3. What if he takes the job and a better offer comes along? Is he in any way tied in to the job for one year? Do they write something in the contract that he must work the full term?
4. If he takes this job at this lower rate of pay, will he ever be able to get his old rate of pay again?

We live very frugally so we can make it on this new pay, although it will be tight. Either way, it's more than is coming in right now.

Any other thoughts, ideas, anything to consider? At this point I'm thinking take whatever comes along, but I wonder if that may end up biting us in the ass by lowering his rate of pay in the future. We're new to this whole unemployment thing and everyone's advice on here has been very helpful. Thank you!!

[sprky79]

I think he'll feel better if he is working, and that will help. Also, he probably is not bound for the entire year, but it will depend on his contract. He should go on the interview.

[underwaterrhymes]

I would take the job, and make sure the contract is at-will.

It may take awhile for him to get back to his old rate of pay, and there are some people who might successfully argue that it does diminish his ability to fight for higher pay in the future, but a job is a job.

[gretchenindisguise]

Take it and keep looking. Yay!

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[Tacocat]

Yes, he should take it. I think him having a job with benefits will relieve a lot of stress for both of you.

[ering1115]

Just make sure he will keep looking for a new job.

My DH was taking a job because the baby was due any day and he needed to. The deal was that he would keep looking..... yeah, that never happened. He is at the end of a 2 yr contract now and will start looking in September.

[Deleted]

if he's offered the job, he should take the damn job.

[Kit]

He needs to take that job and keep looking, but should read that contract in its entirety to make sure that he doesn't need to stay there the full year.

[babygirlpriest]

It sounds like you guys are up against a wall and while this is pretty far from ideal, it means you guys aren't in severe financial difficulties.

Take the job and keep looking. Taking a huge pay cut now (especially if it's only for a short time) doesn't necessarily curse him to starting all over. And unless there's some unusual wording in his contract, he should be able to leave before the year is up.

[Bernadine]

Absolutely, take it and keep looking.

[marynjoe]

Thank you everyone! What if the contract requires him to stay for a full year? Will they negotiate on that? Do you turn it down and hope for something better? Take it anyway?

[Deleted]

The contract can't require him to stay for a full year. It can require him not to work for a competitor, or to pay back advances/bonuses, but it can't make him work there.

But if this is a skilled labor job, a non-compete would be odd.

[Deleted]

I've never heard of a contract being set that neither side could end it early. It might burn a bridge if the hiring manager/company is put in a tough position, but I think most normal employers understand and would still wish him well/not hold it against him.

And with very little interest and a tough job market I would take anything that was better than unemployment.

[thedutchgirl]

If he turns down the interview or job, that may make him not eligible for unemployment.

[marynjoe]

Update!!

He went through 3 interviews and got an offer. Now they're sending him for a drug test, no problem there. He has to stay in the job for at least 30 days. If he does leave after that, has to give 2 weeks notice. It turns out the contract is only for 6 months. There are some negative aspects about the job, outside of the low pay (long commute, high cost for parking, hard hours to work around if you want to get an additional job) but he is going to take it and continue to look for something better. They do offer benefits, but the medical insurance alone is only $125 cheaper than our COBRA coverage!! When we add in dental and vision, we're back to paying $1000 a month like we are now.

But it's a very positive thing and a great start. Thanks everyone!

And on a negative note, he finally got something in the mail from unemployment. We were excited, thinking it was money, but it said his claim was denied. It's all a paperwork issue that we have to straighten out tomorrow.