NukeWorker Forum
Career Path => Nuclear Operator => Topic started by: mtr1514 on Feb 22, 2010, 12:39
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What kind of relocation assistance are NLO's receiving if they relocate for a new facility. I currently do not work for a nuclear power plant but have been interviewing. However my current job offers to pay all realtor fees of the house your selling, pays all home insurance and home interest for up to six months or until you home sells, and does a complete move of home furnishings and all vehicles. Are these some things nuclear plants are offering as well on a case by case or bartering position?
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With the economy most utilities aren't even offering Managers location benefits.
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Broadzilla, thanks for the post. I would hope to get something more than the stipend they offered but maybe not. I'll have to see and report back.
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In 1990 when I got out of the Navy, DTE moved me, put me up in a hotel for 30 days, and rented me a car until mine showed up. They actually rented the car for 30 days then extended it another 30 when mine didn't show up on time.
Keep in mind the odds are over 500 people applied for your NLO job and they probably have about 10 to 15 on standby for those who refuse the job offer. You don't have any skills or quals so you have nothing to bargain with. They'll simply go on to the next guy.
Mike
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Way back in Dec. 2008 DTE put me up in a hotel with a rental car for the interview. I also got a $5000 "sign-on" bonus in lieu of relocation due to the Navy moving me. This was for a NLO position.
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This is what I have to report thus far:
If it's a union job, they cannot give you a relocation package. They are limited by union rules and they can only offer a cash stipend to help on the moving expenses. I tested and interview last week and this week I was offered the position of auxiliary operator at a union plant with a $5K stipend. The recruiter said he will attempt to authorize more but I'm not really counting on much. I'm sure they will just move on to the next candidate. I think its my best interest to go with a non union plant and get more of a relocation package. I have two invitations lined up towards the end of March/ early April so I will be patient.
The hiring process in the nuke field is definitely a learning curve and I'm just rolling with the punches. This is one topic I haven't found a thread directly covering it.
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This is what I have to report thus far:
If it's a union job, they cannot give you a relocation package. They are limited by union rules and they can only offer a cash stipend to help on the moving expenses. I tested and interview last week and this week I was offered the position of auxiliary operator at a union plant with a $5K stipend. The recruiter said he will attempt to authorize more but I'm not really counting on much. I'm sure they will just move on to the next candidate. I think its my best interest to go with a non union plant and get more of a relocation package. I have two invitations lined up towards the end of March/ early April so I will be patient.
The hiring process in the nuke field is definitely a learning curve and I'm just rolling with the punches. This is one topic I haven't found a thread directly covering it.
Take this with a grain of salt - right now there are way more applicants than jobs - even in the nuke field. Turning down a job because of a lack of relocation package may not be a great idea in today's economy. My company, 2nd largest nuclear operator in the country, isn't hiring outside people right now unless there is a critical need. I think this is pretty typical in the industry.
Union vs Non-Union will probably have no effect on a relo package. They may have told you the union is the reason they can't offer you a huge package, but chances are they wouldn't offer much more to new management employees either. For example, I just changed jobs in the nuke field (commercial to commercial) as an Engineer III, and was offered a similar stipend for relo, and I have nothing to do with the union.
My advice to you is not to choose your place of employment - especially in this economy - based solely on relocation money. Look at the job location, work atmosphere, total salary + benefits package, etc. Relocation is a 1-time deal, that you honestly can't expect anywhere right now.
Just give it a thought...
Good luck!
-Brian
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What kind of relocation assistance are NLO's receiving if they relocate for a new facility. I currently do not work for a nuclear power plant but have been interviewing. However my current job offers to pay all realtor fees of the house your selling, pays all home insurance and home interest for up to six months or until you home sells, and does a complete move of home furnishings and all vehicles. Are these some things nuclear plants are offering as well on a case by case or bartering position?
At the Lawrence Livermore Lab I was expressly told, "We do not give moving assistance to hourly workers," like if I was McDonalds or something. I found it cheaper to not move, but buy everything locally now I have two houses, one I do not live in fully furnished and gathering dust. It is amazing what a bad economy spawns. Can't sell my house either only because nobody can get a loan even though I have a lot of equity.
To say you are getting a good deal is an understatement.
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I'll second what Benwah033 said, don't choose where you hire in based on relocation package. I'd be surprised if you would get a better relocation package from anyone. I'm actually surprised that you've been offered one at all based on the economy and the number of available applicants. That's the same offer my company has made as a sign-on bonus for journeymen linemen at times the last few years. I wouldn't count on the offer going up from anyone else, union or non-union.
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I work for the biggest nuke and I got 3000 towards reimbursable expenses. The newest crop was hired locally to save money.
If oferred NLO, take it.
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I would not worry about relocation at all in this economy. You have to look at the job long term and figure out what you are losing in relocation versus what you are making in pay and benefits for years to come. I have been living in a hotel 2500 miles from where my house is for the last 6 months and my house just sold. The extra cost of renting extended stay hotel was a wash with the extra pay I make at the new job. Doing the move economically as possible is probably costing me 25k, but the better benefits and pay will pay that back in 18 to 24 months possibly less....look at the long term paybacks nd suck it up now....especially as there are 6.4 people for every job opening
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Agreed, don't take the job because of the relocation. I'll check tonight when I'm at work, but I'm fairly certain that Progress Energy still offers relo. Keep snooping around here, though. I know we JUST hired 3 new NLO's (one of which snoops around here) and could probably tell you what they got.
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Agreed, don't take the job because of the relocation. I'll check tonight when I'm at work, but I'm fairly certain that Progress Energy still offers relo. Keep snooping around here, though. I know we JUST hired 3 new NLO's (one of which snoops around here) and could probably tell you what they got.
It was 5k about a year ago...not sure about now.
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This is the offer I received for a NLO position: one months pay (based on 40 hr workweek) for moving expenses, and 6 months rent/house payments or 6k whichever comes first. It definitely seems like a better deal than what alot of other companies offer based on my other offers and what I've read on this forum.
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Well my advice is to hold out for a better offer. You are super highly skilled and probably way over-qualified for anything other than Senior Reactor Operator (see different thread). Look, you either want to work there or you don't - the little money you might give up now, while it might feel like passing a kidney stone, is nothing in the long term. Quit worrying about the "little money" and the differences... you just get in there and show them what you can do and the money will follow.
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Well my advice is to hold out for a better offer. You are super highly skilled and probably way over-qualified for anything other than Senior Reactor Operator (see different thread). Look, you either want to work there or you don't - the little money you might give up now, while it might feel like passing a kidney stone, is nothing in the long term. Quit worrying about the "little money" and the differences... you just get in there and show them what you can do and the money will follow.
BS, he's not overqualified to be an AUO. He's qualified at this point to be a janitor.
I do agree, do NOT turn down a good job over a relocation plan. If you like the area take the job. That's the #1 criteria for me. If you can't find an area where you can enjoy yourself away from work then there's no use being there. You'll spend less than half your time at work, and if you're not happy away from work you'll implode. Some things are worth FAR more than money or a relocation program. No amount of money in the world would keep me anyplace where I'm miserable. Before anyone says yeah sure Mike, there are plenty of individuals wo post here that at one time worked with me and they'll tell you I left a very well paying job at a place where I "had it made" because I was miserable.
BTW DTE has always been excellent about relocation and I'm glad to see if you take a Navy Move they'll give you a bonus. More Utilities than ever are using the 50-60 mile rule, ie to get hired you must already be living within 60 miles of the plant in question. I know TVA uses it for most union positions. Cuts down considerably on costs.
Mike
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I'll assume you know I was being facetious BZ. While he's not qualified to be anything more than a janitor the NLO position will give him the opportunity to be something more. He will have to earn it though.
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Some plants go through two or three hiring cycles before filling a new NLO class.
Not to hijack the thread, but is this due to a candidates dissatisfaction with the plant, the caliber of candidates, or cutting costs by transfering inhouse positions?
As far as topic goes, the opportunity to get IN the industry is well worth many short term sacrifices in the long run.
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This is what I have to report thus far:
If it's a union job, they cannot give you a relocation package. They are limited by union rules and they can only offer a cash stipend to help on the moving expenses. I tested and interview last week and this week I was offered the position of auxiliary operator at a union plant with a $5K stipend. The recruiter said he will attempt to authorize more but I'm not really counting on much. I'm sure they will just move on to the next candidate. I think its my best interest to go with a non union plant and get more of a relocation package. I have two invitations lined up towards the end of March/ early April so I will be patient.
The hiring process in the nuke field is definitely a learning curve and I'm just rolling with the punches. This is one topic I haven't found a thread directly covering it.
My job is a union job....
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Figured this thread could use some current information.
I'm a new hire and haven't started yet. After talking with the relocation service company, she informed me of some pretty great relo benefits.
I will be getting a tax free payment of $4000 (deposited to my bank account for moving expenses at my own discretion), a paid for van line to move my stuff and one vehicle, and getting a payment equal to one month's salary for miscellaneous expenses.
I do not know yet if the van line will be deducted from my second payment or not. All in all, the lump sum and a van line is more than enough as far as I'm concerned.
Also, it would be good to note that this is a non-union plant.
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Never heard of that before for an NLO.
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Just curious, but where are you heading?
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While it may not help in the short term, relocation is a tax write-off. When I relocated in 2011 I received some relocation money from my new employer. It wasn't enough to hire out the move so I rented a truck and did it myself, with the help of some good friends. I kept records of everything spent and wrote off the difference. Granted I hired on at the end of the calendar year so that made it easier to finance the difference myself.
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DTE had full relocation
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DTE had full relocation
How long ago?
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DTE had full relocation
How long ago?
well, if it's buried in the recesses of rerun's memory:
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Up until at least 2002 or so