Part time?

[knelli]

OK, so I am a Structural Engineer in with my PE, NCEES registration and registered in5 states and have 6 years of experience. My husband is also an engineer; he is a division manager for a road construction firm. We have been thinking about starting a family and both of us would like me to go part time to spend time with our children and be able to have a happier family life. He makes enough that I wouldn’t have to work, but I don’t want to throw away my career , lose my skills or give up all adult contact.

I did talk to my supervisor about this. He said he has been waiting for the conversation for a while and that they don’t have a “Kay” policy yet (I’m the first female professional they have hired). I have worked at home with my previous job (EIT with another firm), have a color scanner high speed internet and AutoCAD capabilities at home. I’d really like to go to about 20 hrs a week, our workload is so varied I’d love to just work when the projects need it! I would work more if the project needs it.

They offered me an office with a door last week but said (well, if you’re not going to be here full time….. So are the guilt trips starting already??

What are your thoughts about a part time engineer? Did I choose the wrong profession? Any advice if they turn me down? Do you think it is too much to ask? Do you know anyone in the same situation?

 

[squishles10]

I would like to know this answer as well. I'm very far off from that time, but it has come up in conversation. I imagine it depends on the company- the one I'm at now would probably do it, it's small and projects could easily be moved home. Im not sure if I would want to work from home, or just be part-time. Probably go to the office, so I could get away from toddlers a few hours a day, but either way would work I suppose.

 

[snickerd3]

We are also starting to think about family, same scenario we could live off the hubbys paycheck, but don't want to lose the contact/skills. Working for the state I am entitled to 3 months maternity leave (1 month paid). I can take a total of a year off or working parttime (including the original 3 months) with a guarantee of a job when I return. I'd really like to be home for all the first year milestones, but it will probably be 6 months off then back working parttime (when insurance becomes totally my expense) until the year period is over. Although what I do can be done from anywhere...working from home is not a option because of union issues, why should you get to work from home when others can't.

 

[rudy]

They offered me an office with a door last week but said (well, if you’re not going to be here full time….. So are the guilt trips starting already?? What are your thoughts about a part time engineer? Did I choose the wrong profession? Any advice if they turn me down? Do you think it is too much to ask? Do you know anyone in the same situation?

Do not feel guilty about working part time. If it were the other way around, you can bet that they wouldn't feel guilty. I know this sounds harsh, especially since you have just requested part time hours. It sounds like they are considering part time since they mentioned you not being there full time.

Part time engineering is a great way to balance out work and family. I was fortunate in that I was hired to work the afternoon/night shift when I first started working. I did not see this as a blessing, but soon discovered it was when the children came. As my seniority increased, and as my kids got older, I moved to regular daytime hours. Now, I work a shifted schedule that allows me to go in early and get off at 2pm.

It looks like you chose the right profession, given that you have the ability to work from home. I work in research/manufacturing where I need to be on-site at least half of the day. So working from home all the time is not an option. However, a few hours working from home, on some occasions, is plausible.

Before they turn you down, be prepared. This is the best advice I got, when I requested my new schedule. Before talking to my boss, I created 3 spreadsheets with 3 different work schedules in case he turned down my first schedule. I also went prepared with reasons on how my new schedule would be beneficial to the company (i.e. engineering coverage during off hours). As far as working part time, maybe you could come up with a few schedules in case he turns down the first one. The benefits of working part time would be improved morale and reduced calling-in-sick. I'm sure there are other benefits.

The first boss, I presented my idea to only allowed me to shift my schedule by 1 hour. My next boss allowed me to shift it by 3 hours. I've been at the same company, same department, for over 10 years. In my situation, it depended on my boss.

It is not too much too ask. It is fair. You work part time; they pay you part time. My company now has a flexible work schedule policy. However, it is not well-advertised. But we do have one. One can find out by simply asking. What I am saying is that your company is probably considering a part time policy, but you may need to ask.

 

[EM_PS]

knelli - you most certainly did not choose the wrong profession. You're a licensed structural engineer! in case you need reminding, that rocks! In today's tech-enchanced environment, sounds like you're already perfectly poised to be crazy productive as a part-timer. There's also the ability to go into business as a consultant: plan reviews, permitting applications, infrastructure assessments - write your own ticket! There's a civil i know doing this type of thing, out of his own home, mainly hydro / drainage plan prep or reviews. He mentioned the ultimate goal of perhaps forming a consortium practice of like-minded PE's / PS's, as is often practiced among doctors and/or lawyers. IMO, that would be a great thing to be a part of, especially in a more limited involvement, as you're facing.

 

[Guest]

What are your thoughts about a part time engineer? Did I choose the wrong profession? Any advice if they turn me down? Do you think it is too much to ask? Do you know anyone in the same situation?

I know MANY women in general that face this same dilmena, not just female engineers. Most of the women I know who are working/child care balances are nurses. Nursing offers a broad range of flexibility and employment options but working vs. staying at home is still a very, very delicate balance. When it is all said and done, I don't really think there is a right answer.

From what I have seen, the real problem is balancing how many limitations are you willing to accept with the interaction with your child. I think it also depends on how you see your role within the family - child care taker, wage earner, on-going professional development, etc. and how you feel that the transition of that role will affect other aspects of your life/marriage.

Having children is an awesome experience but it comes with a fair amount of stress as well - how responsive you/your husband/your support network are to handling those stressors is going to be a stronger sign how things fare. I would spend a fair amount of time on those considerations before you start expanding on job/career options.

:2cents:

JR

 

[Dleg]

I think it sounds great. If you can get your emplyer to agree with it, and your family finances work out with it, then go for it and don't feel guilty at all. It's the best of both worlds.

My wife is not an engineer, but she is a professional and doesn't want to lose her career, either. If she had the opportunity to do what you were considering, and if I could make enough money to make up for it, we'd go for that arrangement in a heart beat.

 

[Road Guy]

A good friend of mine did something similar, she went to part time after the baby and it worked out okay, after about 6 months I think she was readt to go back to full time.

She was very sharp, had her license, and above all that knew what the hell she was doing. In all honesty she told me she did get the feeling from others (not management)that she had become a second class citizen since she was part time, and she later moved to another state and left the company. She didnt move because of this, she wanted to be a "beach girl" but I think its all how management treats the situation. In a large office there will always be someone who makes comments about part time, but to tell the truth she probably did more work in 30 hours than most people did in 40+.

 

[csb]

Okay, I am a mom of a 2.5 year old and this is what happened when I was pregnant:

I went into my boss and program manager (I work for the state) and stated that I wanted to explore the possibility of being part time for the first year. I had gone through a big struggle of quitting or staying, but I just couldn't give up on my experience before I was so close to take the PE exam. They didn't say no, but they let me know it wasn't their first choice. We ended up checking with HR, who made the switch sound like it was going to take an act of Congress to get it done. So, instead, we managed to come up with this plan.

1. I was off from September 24 until January 8th on full maternity leave (it's unpaid and I had to use all of my sick and vacation leave to still have money)

2. From January 8-about June I worked three 10 hour days in the office and did the other 10 at home.

3. From about June to August I worked four ten hour days

4. August I went back full time.

It ended up working out great for us. My son didn't go to day care until he was almost a year old and I got to spend lots of time with him. I kinda wish I still had the same hours as the three days a week, because I feel badly some days when he cries to come to work with me. I wonder if I'm missing out on these years I'll never get back...I wonder if he'd be a different kid if I stayed home with him...I wonder when things happen, like me failing the PE, if it was all worth it. My son is fine, but even now I keep thinking about other jobs I could have so that there would be more time with him and I start worrying that in a few years he'll be off to school and who will pick him up at 3 and do I try to get some other career between now and then and on and on. I think it's standard mommy guilt...and if I was home all the time I'd be wondering what was going on at work. Sometimes it's a no-win.

there's my 45 cents on it all

 

[wilheldp_PE]

It sounds like a woman with your credentials could make a handsome living by starting up a structural drawing checking/stamping company. That way, you could work from home, only choose to accept work when you have the time/energy to do it, and set your own hours and wages. I know that my company makes use of such PE "free-lancers" to check our drawings in other states/regions, and from what I hear we pay them, it can be quite lucrative.

Of course, there are drawbacks such as loss of health insurance (assuming your husband isn't carrying you on his policy), and self-employment taxes, etc.

 

[TXengrChickPE]

my boss is allowing me to go back part time... for up to 2 weeks. After that, I have to be full-time. I don't like it... but I want to work. I wanted to work 25hrs/week for the summer and then go back full-time in the fall, but HR said that they don't hire part-time employees. My immediate boss would have been willing to make it work, but he said that I had to clear it w/ HR and they weren't even willing to discuss it.

It sounds like a woman with your credentials could make a handsome living by starting up a structural drawing checking/stamping company. That way, you could work from home, only choose to accept work when you have the time/energy to do it, and set your own hours and wages. I know that my company makes use of such PE "free-lancers" to check our drawings in other states/regions, and from what I hear we pay them, it can be quite lucrative.

Do you know how this works? Do the "free-lancers" have to carry malpractice insurance or something? So far, I'm only licensed in TX... but I'd be willing to get other states. I think my concern would be how much time it would take to "learn" the project before I'd be comfortable stamping something.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

Do you know how this works? Do the "free-lancers" have to carry malpractice insurance or something? So far, I'm only licensed in TX... but I'd be willing to get other states. I think my concern would be how much time it would take to "learn" the project before I'd be comfortable stamping something.

Nope...have no idea how it works. I'm not sure if there is a law dictating how much insurance you have to carry, but how much of your personal wealth you risk is probably directly related to how much you insurance you take. There also might be a "trick" in how you set up the business that will shield your personal assets from malpractice lawsuits.

 

[rudy]

Probably the best thing is to incorporate.

 

[Dleg]

LLC, I am told, is the way to go. I know a couple of guys who do that and don't even carry insurance - they say their companies and assets are so small, they are willing to just risk losing it all and bankrupting the company. The LLC shields their personal wealth.

I don't know if that's really wise or not.

 

[wilheldp_PE]

LLC, I am told, is the way to go. I know a couple of guys who do that and don't even carry insurance - they say their companies and assets are so small, they are willing to just risk losing it all and bankrupting the company. The LLC shields their personal wealth.
I don't know if that's really wise or not.

That's what I was thinking when I made the post. You just have to pay yourself a salary equal to all of the profits of the company. Once the money hits your bank account, it becomes shielded from lawsuits. You do have to be careful on your taxes though. If you end up deducting business expenses on your personal taxes, that might open the door to some problems. I also think that there are small business taxes, so you'll have to keep some money in the company bank account.

 

[Dleg]

^Yeah, you have to be pretty careful. I have a tax attorney friend who filled me in on some of the details. In short, you have to run the corporation like a real corporation. Pay yourself a salary, hold all meetings required, etc. Because if you don't, you run the risk of being found running a "sham corporation", and then all your personal wealth is once again fair game.

 

[MA_PE]

It sounds like a woman with your credentials could make a handsome living by starting up a structural drawing checking/stamping company. That way, you could work from home, only choose to accept work when you have the time/energy to do it, and set your own hours and wages. I know that my company makes use of such PE "free-lancers" to check our drawings in other states/regions, and from what I hear we pay them, it can be quite lucrative.

More and more states require that work stamped by a PE be either done by the PE or under his or her sirect supervision. These statutes should be researched before undertaking such a task. For example the follosing is from the State of Connecticut regulations

"The engineer or land surveyor shall not affix his or her seal to any plan, map,

survey, sketch, drawing, specification, or other document not prepared personally

or under his or her supervisory control.

A licenee may seal, or sign and seal, documents not prepared by the licensee or

by an employee under the licensee's supervisory control, provided the licensee shall

prepare, and retain for a period of not less than six years, a thorough written

evaluation of the professional services represented by the docume nts, including but

not limited to, drawings, specifications, reports, design calculations and references

to applicable codes and standards. Such written evaluation shall clearly identify the

project and the documents to which it relates, the sources of the documents and the

name of the person or organization for which the written evaluation was conducted

and the date of the evaluation; and the seal and signature of the licensee shall also

be affixed thereto."