Replies

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Feb 26, 2004 05:45am | #1

   How long will the job last?  Probably not long, so you'll want to keep your US home.  So ask for reasonable living accomodations, round trip airfare, your US salary plus cost of living allowance plus exchange rate plus any special taxes (will you pay taxes in the US and Ireland?).  You might check with the US state department to see if they have any cost of living guidelines.  And a vehicle allowance, cuz it would be tough to take your current ride with you.

   Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

   The craftsman formerly known as elCid

   
   

   ---

   Edited 2/25/2004 9:46:27 PM ET by Ed Hilton

2. 
   NickNukeEm | Feb 26, 2004 06:03am | #2

   If possible, and the stint is temporary, stipulate a company paid 'visit' home of some frequency.  I've been offered a number of temporary jobs across the country and always made sure that there was some provision for company paid leave, typically monthly, depending on the distance from home.

   With you being in Ireland, they might not be too receptive to footing for your air fare home, but it's worth a shot.

   I never met a tool I didn't like!
1. 
   JeffBuck | Feb 26, 2004 06:31am | #3

   depending where in the states "home" is ...

   airfare from Ireland can be cheaper than flying coast to coast here!

   Always amazed me when we could fly to London cheaper than I could visit my brother in LA .....

   JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

        Artistry in Carpentry                

3. 
   Piffin | Feb 26, 2004 06:44am | #4

   I would think that in addition to the salary and per diem expenses and the travel arrangements, that some sort of a re-entry compensation should be the norm. It can take some time to re-adjust to current economic conditions here and to re-establish one's credentials agfter beinfg abroad.

   One of my cutomewrs was an electrical engineer with Ford aerospace technologies in Japan. He received total perdiem living expenses in addition to his normal salary and travel arrangements. The perdiem was in rrelation to thje exchange rate in a way that hppened to benefit him.

   I don't know whaty exactly that meant, but I would assume you want to consider exchange rates for currency in this deal.

   He kept his hoime in San francisco while it appreciated, rented it out to cover the payments, enjoyed his life in Nipon, sold the houise for a magnificent profit, and paid me to build a wonderful house heree, and retired to live happily ever after.

   ;)

    

    

   Welcome to the
   Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
    where ...
   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   swdd | Feb 26, 2004 04:11pm | #5

   Thanks for all this information. I understand the base pay + exchange rate + travel time w/ flight expenses (we live in Boston, flights are very cheap) but what about perdiem, how do you rate this? I will check out the State Department to see if they have any info. on that. The job will last from 1 to 3 years. Another thing I have to consider is that I leave my customer base behind and when I come back I must start from scratch again ( Well, maybe I can get my wife to move to the Adirondacks). When we come back I have to make sure that we can live comfortable enough until we're back on our feet again.

   Thanks again

   Scott

1. 
   stonefever | Feb 27, 2004 05:27am | #6

   Have you ever been to Ireland before?

   You may not want to come back.

2. 
   xMikeSmith | Feb 27, 2004 05:56am | #7

   scott.... cost of living is higher in Ireland than Boston...  and year round housing is dear.. once the high season starts (about June 1 thru October 15) rates go up , travel costs go up, and those narrow roads get jammed

   best that you get settled before tourist season...Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   Recko | Feb 27, 2004 06:20pm | #8

   Hey Mike,

   Cost of living higher in Ireland than Boston?  Really?  Do you know what a house goes for around here?

   The State average is roughly 365K, but that includes the "poorer" sections out past Worcester.  I would venture to guess the Metro Boston average is pushing 500K.

   (I know you recently visited there and I'm assuming you picked up some real estate guides, but is it really more expensive than here??)"My mother failed to see the irony in calling me a sonofabitch" - Jack Nicholsen

1. 
   xMikeSmith | Feb 27, 2004 08:47pm | #9

   i was in southwest cork.... or maybe it was paradise.. who knows

   i live in one of the highest real estate areas in NE...  and i was shocked at the prices in that part of Ireland..... and ... they don't stay on the market

   so.. my superficial take is that yes... they were more expensive that here.. but that was from a two week visit..Mike Smith   Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

2. 
   swdd | Feb 28, 2004 05:05am | #12

   Yes Doug, especially if you compare population density between Boston and another area. I was in Tralee, a big town, a very small city,and RE prices comparably or more expensive than Boston.

   Scott

   Edited 2/27/2004 9:23:14 PM ET by SWDD

2. 
   swdd | Feb 28, 2004 05:04am | #11

   You're right Mike

   We were there 3 weeks ago and real estate was incredible. We will definitely have to add that to our list. Same with groceries, gas, cars, etc. Ireland is the fastest growing economy in Europe. It's funny, I was talking to a guy there and he said that a problem they have now is dealing with all the immigrants. For centuries the Irish have migrated all over the world, now they must deal with the same emotions that other countries have dealt with in the past. I hope this goes through, I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

   Scott

4. 
   Mongo | Feb 27, 2004 09:47pm | #10

   A friend of mine is now working over in London for a US company with offices over there. An 18-24 month assignment.

   His agreement with his employer? In a nushell...he gets his 100% of his US salary deposited to his US account. Housing...he's in an apartment over there. I believe there was an option where he could take a housing allowance, something like $1500 a month, and find a place on his own, with him either pocketing or paying for the difference between the rent and the $1500 allowance. Or they would have arranged housing for him. He chose the former to get a location he wanted. Per diem: He gets the "meals only" per diem at the rate spec'd for government workers traveling abroad in London.

   You'll love Ireland. Although they're in a mini-uproar over the recent "no-smoking in the pubs" law. Ashtrays have now become collectors items over there.

1. 
   swdd | Feb 28, 2004 05:17am | #13

   Thanks Mongo

   That sounds good, a rental allowance. But what about compensation for living away from home? There is a value there, would per diem account for that?

   Scott

1. 
   Mongo | Feb 28, 2004 09:43am | #14

   Per diem is broken down into lodging and meal expenses. He doesn't get any lodging due to their $1500 deal. He does, however, get meals.

   I just checked the website for per diem (meals only) in Dublin. Here are the PER DAY values for February of the past three years:

   2002: $86

   2003: $101

   2004: $140

   If, for example, you were getting this on top of your existing salary, as my friend in London is doing, the meals allowance by iteslf...for one person...would be $140 x 30 days, or $4200 a month.

   Look closely at the increase in rates over the past three years. The majority of the increase is not due to inflation, it's due to the devaluation of the dollar. That'd be one heckuva rate to lock in today, though most employers use the State Department figures, and those figures are adjusted each month.

   Most of the white collar worker friends I know that have transferred overseas have a similar arrangment to the one I described in my previous post. They keep their US salary, and for going overseas they get a housing allowance, a meals allowance, and that's pretty much it.

   Realize that right now, the dollar is very weak against the euro, and that makes Europe expensive. That's why it's important to peg any compensations to an exchange rate...although with the dollar being what it is now, maybe $1.29 to the euro...it's likely that the dollar will only get stronger, and that will be in your favor.

   I hope that makes sense.

1. 
   john | Feb 28, 2004 02:13pm | #15

   Ireland's economy has benefited immensely from membership if the European Union. How long those benefits will continue after the eastern european nations join later this year remains to be seen. I used to love the place, even went to school there for a while, the influx of european money has helped the economy but not the people

   John

1. 
   swdd | Mar 02, 2004 01:10am | #16

   Thanks everybody for all your help

   Scott