Is your firm generous with travel arrangements? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I work in a satellite office of my firm and everytime I go to our firm HQ for some firm event, HR books me on an early morning flight. I mean, like dawn. This requires me to get to the airport/train station when it's still dark out (think 4-5am). This requires me to wake up at 3-4am.

Today I requested to arrive the night before, and to have a hotel booked for me. My request was declined, and I was told they only book early morning travel for events on the day of.

I get I'm only a Jr associate, but this seems a bit ridiculous to me. Is anyone else's firm similarly not flexible w/r/t travel arrangements?

[lolwat]

That's not lack of flexibility. It's an extra $200 or whatever a hotel would cost just for your convenience -- and if they started doing that for you, they'd have to do it for every other associate who attends firm HQ events.

[Anonymous User]

OP here. I get that. But there actually aren't that many of us not working out of HQ.

Every time I visit HQ I'm a zombie because I stay up late working, then I have to wake up at 3-4 to get on my train/plane on time. I was curious to know if this is par for the course.

[rpupkin]

What kind of "events" are you talking about?

[Anonymous User]

I don't wanna go into detail at risk of outing my firm, but let's just say non-billable.

[rpupkin]

I don't wanna go into detail at risk of outing my firm, but let's just say non-billable.

I'm asking because it's relevant. Are these events that you're required to attend?

[Anonymous User]

I don't wanna go into detail at risk of outing my firm, but let's just say non-billable.

I'm asking because it's relevant. Are these events that you're required to attend?

Required and non-billable.

A reason why I ask is that my S/O works for a large consulting firm and they cover hotels the evening before in these kinds of situations.

[rpupkin]

I don't wanna go into detail at risk of outing my firm, but let's just say non-billable.

I'm asking because it's relevant. Are these events that you're required to attend?

Required and non-billable.

Got it. Then I'd say your firm falls on the cheap side of things.

[blurbz]

My firm books hotels as the default and provides same-day as an option for people who don't want to be away from home for that long.

[Anonymous User]

They are fine with booking flights for the day before and a hotel, but you will get put on the cheapest flight available at the time you book your ticket.

So if your event starts on a Tuesday, you can fly out Monday, but you might be on the 6:00am flight on Monday.

[JGMotorsport]

We can bill at 1/2 rate and all costs are covered.

[Devlin]

Your firm is being cheap.

[dixiecupdrinking]

Your firm is being cheap.

[Pokemon]

Stop going and cite hr not willing to give you accommodation as a reason.

[RaceJudicata]

I assume your firm would still hold it against you if you failed to show up because your flight was delayed.

[rpupkin]

Stop going and cite hr not willing to give you accommodation as a reason.

Don't do this.

[favabeansoup]

My firm is cheap like this too. I don't travel that much though so don't really care. Pretty much anyone lower than senior associates just gets whatever travel they hand off to you.

Traveling with a partner though, that's nice. generally I get better flights/seating/etc. in that case.

[rpupkin]

My firm is cheap like this too. I don't travel that much though so don't really care. Pretty much anyone lower than senior associates just gets whatever travel they hand off to you.

Traveling with a partner though, that's nice. generally I get better flights/seating/etc. in that case.

This is not uncommon. My firm is more generous than OP's firm but I don't think OP's situation is unusual. Just roll with it, OP.