A temporary move to the US - not sure quite where to put this!

[HairyMaclary]

I'm not sure this really fits in living overseas - I might try another topic as well but you lot have been very helpful in the past and I thought you might know! DH has been asked to take over a colleagues job in the US for 'a couple of months'. He was first asked today - he will say yes but we have differing ideas about what he needs to do next. I say he needs to ask for a temporary contract that includes all living expenses and a trip home in the middle (we have a SN DS). He says that he just says yes and goes and that everything will be sorted that, they will pay all his expense claims and that it's not the time to ask a struggling company to pay him extra.

Is he right? He says I am money grabbing - I just think that he will be walked over and they will think he is a soft touch. No one else would take anything over at short notice and not ask for recompense. Financially we are quite tight here - I don't want to end up paying for him to be away.

What do you all think? Thanks!

IME of temporary overseas work/assignments/projects (DH and close relatives are Consultants and Accountants) there is never any need for any sort of additional contract, his terms of employment are covered by his current contract.

My SIL has covered maternity leave for a colleague in Japan and for a different reasons in Sth Africa. My DH has travelled extensively in the past for long periods of time in Europe (as have I) and always the employer covers accommodation and daily expenses. Basically your DH will be living expense-free while overseas. He can if you want, decide to use this to pay for childcare help so that his absence does not penalise you ie. I had a Mothers Help when DH travelled a lot since he wasn't around to help out at home. It sounds like this is what is worrying you - that you're left holding the baby, so to speak?

He should ensure that the company will pay for whatever number of flybacks during the time he's away that he wants it depends on how far away he I guess. My Dh currently works in the ME and he comes back every month, or we go out to him.

No, you're not being money grabbing, but its fair of you to ask your DH to take your home situation into consideration for while he's away and reassure you that you will still be supported in whatever ways you ask.

Thanks for this - Dh travels a lot anyway for up to a fortnight but it's usually for meetings etc. This I feel is changing his job description significantly and therefore not covered by his contract. I worry that he will end up in a precarious position with no safeguard for any expenses etc that he will incur. However its good to hear your point of view and I am feeling slightly more at ease!

I'm not so much worried about 'being left holding the baby' as being financially stuck!

I think it would be fair to ask to confirm that all his expenses will be covered (somewhere to live, car hire, medical cover, flights on a regular basis), and that there will be a definate end date before he goes. Otherwise its easy to get into an arguement about food bills - they might say he'd be buying it anyway etc