Can I get career advice from yall?
Posted by IlikeApplesAlot5@reddit | flying | View on Reddit | 43 comments
I’ve been at this pipeline company flying 172s for about 12 months out of a 15 month contact. I got a job as a USAF to fly as a reservist which is 100x better pay than what I get now and many other things.
I told my boss about it and gave them a 3 week notice and they said I’d deeply regret it because I’m breaking my contract early and I’d regret it forever. Does anyone think it’s true? The contact has no meat in it.
My thing is who would turn down the Air Force to fly pipeline
LostRaiders@reddit
I don't have a lot of advice for the flight job aspect, but as a military reservist, you have federal protections when it come to keeping your job while doing mandatory training. There is a ton of things they can't do once you become a military member. You can quickly Google USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reenployment Rights Act) and it'll give you the gist of it. As well the SCRA (Service member Civil Relief Act) can give you other protections while you are in the uniform.
Like another comment said, you should keep this job until you're through the process. There are large gaps of time you won't be getting paid. Why not keep this as a fall back and possibly run until the end of your contract while doing both.
josif1423@reddit
He can hire me…
8lue8erry@reddit
Howdy, OP! I left my 135 after giving 4 weeks notice when we had a $17,500 training contract (now $35,000 IYKYK) and despite the contract having a clause in it that specifically said I could either buy my way out or serve a year as PIC (I did 6mo), I was told by management I was "breaking" the contract. I was specifically told by my chief pilot "aviation is a small world... if you want to leave like this people will know. We will do nothing but people will know."
Anyways I quit that place moved onwards and have had several interviews and jobs since then. All successful. You wanna leave the pipeline and trash planes on the way out? Expect it'll come back to bite you. You wanna leave, give them MORE THAN 2 weeks notice and pay up (at least a little bit)? That is par for the course.
Also as an aside look up the legal concept of "accord & satisfaction" re: paying back your contract. My conscience (YMMV) tells me I should pay them something since that's what I signed. I've wiggled out of paying full price on two separate training contracts/NH bonuses so far. I've paid on both, but only what I deemed was fair to the employer. Best of luck, enjoy reservist flying, and leave that POS employer in the dust!
Working_Football1586@reddit
If they try and screw with you just report it to the USERRA rep and they will deeply regret. I know of one company that got fined 50k for messing with a guy at my old unit.
ElderberryCareful479@reddit
This is exactly is. Under USERRA even the threat can be reported. Are you going off to OTS?
haveanairforceday@reddit
Tell your boss you put the military on hold for now.
Dont actually put the military on hold, but tell them you did. Keep working until the military puts you on full time orders for training.
3 months would be an unusually short delay between being picked up by a unit and starting training. Then when you do start training it will be 2 months at OTS and then back to part time until your UPT starts (likely several months). You will most likely still have plenty of time to finish out this contract with the pipeline company.
But when you do get orders his hands are pretty well tied. Look into USERRA. Your company most likely cannot legally fire you due to your military service
TheGrayMannnn@reddit
And if he gets very lucky, they'll fire him anyway and eventually he'll get a nice bonus check as he's moving onto his next job!
Worldx22@reddit
Better yet he should tell the boss how he was so right and that he already regrets it. A little grease and ego boost for the boss cant hurt.
MyPilotInterview@reddit
This is genius!
sftwareguy@reddit
Read the contract and see if the pipeline company can terminate it at any time or with short notice on their side. If so, so can you.
IlikeApplesAlot5@reddit (OP)
Yes they can. There’s a line in it that says they can terminate at any moment for any reason they see fit
doom_pizza@reddit
Owner sounds like a dildo. Good riddance.
ApoTHICCary@reddit
OP sounds like a dildon’t, so good choice.
Maclunkey4U@reddit
Instructions unclear, got the business owner stuck up my ass now.
Mao_Kwikowski@reddit
Have fun at UPT! You will learn more in that year than you ever thought possible.
Professional_Will241@reddit
Just curious do you know what you’re going to fly?
Semper_Right@reddit
ESGR Ombudsman Director/ESGR National Trainer here.
The fact is, you didn't "break" your contract... You were performing your uniformed service pursuant to your rights under USERRA. What you describe may be direct evidence that your uniformed service was "a motivating factor," or indirect evidence under the Sheehan factors. Regardless, it is rather compelling your uniformed service was a motivating fact or in the decision, which is prohibited discrimination under USERRA. 38 USC 4311; 20 CFR 1002.18-.23. In which case, the ER has the burden to prove that they would have terminated you notwithstanding your uniformed service. 38 USC 4311(c)(1); 20 CFR 1002.22, .23(b).
I suggest contacting ESGR.mil (800.336.4590) and requesting assistance. Otherwise, you can go directly to DoL-VETS and submit a complaint.
I post regularly regarding USERRA issues at r/ESGR_USERRA_Answers
Prof_Slappopotamus@reddit
Lmfao. USERRA is going to have a few things to say to him.
OnionDart@reddit
Pipeline patrol contract? That’s what I call my toilet paper. You’re good.
ApoTHICCary@reddit
“You will be blacklisted from ever working for this company again!”
…cool story, but I have no intention to come back.
Flimsy-Ad-858@reddit
Also, why the fuck does the pipeline company care? It's not 2022, they'd have ten guys walking in the door the next morning to fill that job.
ApoTHICCary@reddit
Something about “how dare YOU leave our shit company with shit pay and shit contract to leave for something that doesn’t suck your soul out? You’ll be replaced TOMORROW!”
I recall leaving a chain pharmacy back in college for hospital compounding and they send me some rancid shit about how doing such would hurt my future.
Yeah, uh, it didn’t. But damn they love cheap labor that stays in their place like a good dog would.
Few-Panda7558@reddit
Everybody should have this goal. Once I leave, I don’t go back.
KCPilot17@reddit
Are you actually going to get orders in the next 3 months? When did you get hired?
Regardless, just drop military leave and you're good. Depending on the language of the contract they could make you come back for those last 3 months after your orders are up. Depends how other leaves of service are calculated in your company/contract, but you have to get the most favorable under USERRA.
IlikeApplesAlot5@reddit (OP)
I got hired back in December. I just didn’t say anything till I had confirmed dates. I don’t leave for OTS till September. I just can’t work at this place anymore. The mx is extremely questionable. I have too much to lose staying here and getting caught up in something. I’m working at my unit as a TR until I outprocess in July to process into the new unit. Then I’ll need to find some random ass job for 1-2 months before OTS
haveanairforceday@reddit
How long are you expecting between OTS and UPT? Its unusual for the unit to put you on full time orders if you have no AFSC at all, typically their available days are tied to specific AFSCs so you might be on part time status for a while in the coming year. You can probably do RUTAs for some of that but that will be limited by the number of UTAs left in the fiscal year
IlikeApplesAlot5@reddit (OP)
I’m currently enlisted. My unit is putting me on orders starting June 4th until I have to out process for OTS
haveanairforceday@reddit
Oh nice. Then yeah, show them the orders and say "sorry about that"
Just a heads up, you might still find yourself in a weird spot between OTS and UPT. I was enlisted for 11 years before got picked up as a pilot in the guard. Between OTS and flight training there was a couple months where they couldnt put me on orders because of how i showed up on the manning document. They had thought they could put me on a temp AGR and just give me random office duties but it turned out those spots were tied to the pilot AFSC that i didnt yet hold
KCPilot17@reddit
The Reserve (specifically the 340th who owns you) delays your OTS dates to give you continuous orders once you start OTS. If there is a break due to other reasons, you'll be on break in training orders.
BL is no factor on the Reserve side.
haveanairforceday@reddit
Oh nice, thats way better than what I had
IlikeApplesAlot5@reddit (OP)
Interesting. Thanks for the heads up.
KCPilot17@reddit
Just stay. You'll be fine. No reason to leave when you need money.
ltcterry@reddit
You’re not giving notice. You’re exercising your rights under USERRA for military service…
flyingforfun3@reddit
You have an opportunity that most folks would kill for. Don’t give up flying for the USAF to fly a 172.
I’d wait till you get orders and keep flying. What is breaking the contract going to cost you?
If you stay and can present your orders, they can’t hold you hostage.
redditburner_5000@reddit
Because they're going to have such a hard time filling the role?
lowlifesurveypilot@reddit
American patrols guy huh
Few-Panda7558@reddit
Is this the Texas company ?
mister_pilot@reddit
Yeah idk why you told them already that you quit. If you have orders, you are protected under USERRA and the clock on your contract might be running while you are in training. But if you don’t and just up and quit, there’s probably no protection.
zone_of-danger@reddit
API?
cfijay@reddit
Eagle Sky Patrol?
Fun_Supermarket1235@reddit
I’d give up my 121 airline job if the usaf would take me haha. I don’t think you should be worried about the pipelines. Someone else will be glad to have that job opening anyway and build time
live_drifter@reddit
You won’t regret it. There’s nothing they can do to hurt your career.
rFlyingTower@reddit
This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:
I’ve been at this pipeline company flying 172s for about 12 months out of a 15 month contact. I got a job as a USAF to fly as a reservist which is 100x better pay than what I get now and many other things.
I told my boss about it and gave them a 3 week notice and they said I’d deeply regret it because I’m breaking my contract early and I’d regret it forever. Does anyone think it’s true? The contact has no meat in it.
My thing is who would turn down the Air Force to fly pipeline
Please downvote this comment until it collapses.
Questions about this comment? Please see this wiki post before contacting the mods.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. If you have any questions, please contact the mods of this subreddit.