Must travel for work - Is it ok ask boss to pay cost of extra child care?

[Anonymous]

I have three kids (including 16 mo. old twins). While on overseas trip, I will need to hire extra babysitting help. With twin babies, it is very difficult for one parent to do meals, dishes, baths, laundry, get 6 yr old to school, etc. Would this be an acceptable ask? If so, any thoughts as to how to approach it?

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding? What kind of job do you have? Is travel part of the job?

You aren't even a single mom. You want your boss to foot the bill so your spouse can get help??

Child care is your responsibility not your boss's.

[Anonymous]

Ask and then let us know how long it takes your boss to fire you for such a ridiculous request.

[Anonymous]

No. Your job requirements are the job requirements. If you can't meet the requirements, then you need to find a new job.

[Anonymous]

LOL!

[Anonymous]

Hahaha. Good one.

[Anonymous]

Do you work for a for profit company, and do you make your company tons of money? If so, your request might fly, but I wouldn't approach it the way you have suggested here. Ask for a bonus instead.

[Anonymous]

When I traveled for work years ago, if we needed to spend the weekend at the location, we were given a set amount to cover incidentals associated with being away from home for 2 weeks.

If you are expected to travel for your work, these costs are built into your salary.

If you are not expected to travel and this was a 1 time emergency, I would ask for reimbursement for incidentals. You would have had a stronger point discussing it before the trip.

[Anonymous]

You can't ask for money, you can ask not to go on the trip.

[Anonymous]

No it's not ok. I traveled a lot when my kids were younger. Usually DH picked up the slack but there were definitely extra costs for some trips. That's my problem, not my employers. Flip it around, would your DH ask for child care costs if he had a work trip?

[Anonymous]

Sorry, princess. The PPs are right.

Further, if you even presumed to ask for something this ridiculous, and you were my employee, I would never forget it. And I don't mean that in a positive way.

[Anonymous]

No, your request isn't appropriate. How you manage your personal life while meeting the requirements/expectations of your job are not of interest to your employer. I say this as someone who has two young kids and will be taking two domestic trips and three international trips in the next 5 weeks. It will be tough on my family but thre are certain things I need to do to be effective at my job and these trips are part of that. If it ever becomes too much for our family I will seek another job. In the meantime my husband and I are making plans so that things are as easy for him as possible.

[Anonymous]

I typically stay in a cheaper hotel and don't eat out as much so I can keep more per diem money in my pocket. I use it to pay for the added daycare/ pet hotel fees that my traveling causes.

I would not ask your boss that!

[Anonymous]

When my CEO decided on Friday at 4 pm that I had to be in Florida on Monday at 8 am, my office covered a ticket for my toddler and a local nanny.

My husband and I both travel frequently for work and have always been able to stagger our trips. This was the one time we couldn't, due to the last minute nature of the trip. If I asked for this accommodation for our annual conference, I am sure I would be laughed at and told no.

[Anonymous]

No, definitely not if you want to keep your job? Can you hire a neighborhood teen for a few hours a night? Extra $30 a day?