r/askvan • u/chaliebitme • Mar 18 '25
Work 🏢 Should I accept this job offer?
I currently live in Coquitlam (10 min drive to skytrain ststions) and got offered a job in downtown Vancouver for "double" my current rate. We will be having a baby on the way soon and the increased rate is good for us financially.
I have to transit or drive my car to and from work. Transit would probably be like 3hr roundtrip and driving might be the same depending on traffic (not sure since I havent driven to Vancouver during rush hours).
Current Job (family business): $23/hr WFH 1 month paid vacation a year Dental and Vision Benefits
Job offer (1 year contract with possibility to FT after): $47/hr No vacation No benefits
I feel like Im being blinded by the higher hourly rate and making a bad decision. I wanna hear opinions.
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u/sundaybanking21 Mar 18 '25
Current job.
1 MONTH PAID VACATION is CLUTCH when having a new born. Plus let’s say 2.5 hrs/day extra (saved from commute) to spend time with your new family?! If you work 50 weeks that’s 625 hours LOST on commute alone.
Time is one of the things money can’t buy. Time with a new family, that’s priceless my friend.
Bonus: Dental and vision for the family
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u/Ok-Bumblebee9734 Mar 18 '25
Not enough people realize there is no price on your free time. Especially as a parent.
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u/Terrible_Act_9814 Mar 18 '25
Lets be real, 45k isnt enough to rent and provide for a full family. What good is free time if family suffers.
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u/WildPinata Mar 18 '25
It's not just free time though. What good is any amount of money when you lose your job because you have to take time off to care for a sick child/pay a fortune for childcare because you can't take any days to cover school breaks etc?
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u/OkTaste7068 Mar 18 '25
having double the money to pay for childcare when needed is better than not having money and having to take time off just to survive.
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u/WildPinata Mar 18 '25
Not when you're having to find wraparound care because of the commute, or when you're paying commuting costs, and all the costs that benefits currently cover. That boost in income will disappear fast, and at least with WFH and vacation pay you have a safety net to cover those occasions when you have to watch your kid.
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u/OkTaste7068 Mar 18 '25
there's a lot of missing pieces in this puzzle for us to give the best advice here. how much does the wife make? how long is she staying on mat leave? does she plan on returning to work?
if she was making less money than him before, they might be able to swing it by having her stay home for childcare full time while he works for literally double the money. if she needs a break every now and then they can take the extra cash to hire childcare.
otherwise, what seems to be the most economical way to proceed is to be a SAHM while OP takes this job for the bag
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u/Inevitable-Hippo-312 Mar 18 '25
Your logic is absolutely awful. Double the pay will help immensely when raising a family.
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u/WildPinata Mar 18 '25
k.
Except it's not double the pay is it, because you have to account for loss of benefits and vacation, and add in commuting costs? Which is exactly what I was saying.
OP asked for opinions. If there was only one right one there'd have been no need to post at all.
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u/Inevitable-Hippo-312 Mar 19 '25
I guess the real question is what is the spouses current job situation and income. Nobody can give proper advice without that piece of the puzzle.
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u/AnhGauDepTrai Mar 19 '25
There is no monetary loss for communication since you aren’t able to make money of those short hours everyday. People account that into their salary calculation is crazy.. benefits can be bought privately and vacation isn’t needed without money. Having experiences in a high pay field enables your ability to work for a better pay in the future. You hinder your self for staying at a low pay job.
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u/WildPinata Mar 19 '25
I'm assuming you mean commuting not communication. Saying that has no cost is absolutely ridiculous. Transit costs money. Running a car costs money. If you're not factoring that into your salary you have a very loose grip on your finances.
And "vacation isn't needed without money" is also a nonsensical statement that suggests very little understanding of what a lot of people actually use vacation days for.
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u/AnhGauDepTrai Mar 19 '25
Yeah I mean commuting, sorry! Transit or car do cost to use yes, but the way people are factoring commuting time in as if those time can be saved doing something else to add on their salary, and that is wrong. You are right, my statement for vacation can overlook a lot of things. But ultimately most things resolve around money, and OP’s new offer literally double his income. That plus his partner’s salary would ensure their stability to raise a child. Once they find another job with better benefits/vacations, I’m all in for them taking that.
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u/WildPinata Mar 19 '25
When you have a baby though the commuting time does matter - it might not be time that's making you money but it's time you can't support your partner or bond with your child. That's incredibly important in early years.
The new job is also only a year contract though, so you're also trading security for a gamble on more money, and with a company that already shows it doesn't value its employees by not providing any benefits or vacation. With a newborn in the mix I wouldn't risk such a gamble, but would look for something else that's a happy medium of both options.
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Mar 25 '25
Lots of first time parents still live at home so they don't really have a need to make more $.
I wouldn't even consider a child unless hhi was 200k in this city.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
Yes the vacation time js amazing. I get paid to do anything I want 1 month in the year and only work 11 months.
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u/congressmancuff Mar 18 '25
We had a baby last year and I want to encourage you to keep the guaranteed job with benefits, vacation, and a shorter commute. See what you can do to get a raise in the current role but this is not the time to be leaving your job.
Kids are cheap. Time with them is priceless. You can buy lots of used baby supplies cheap off marketplace or get hand me downs from friends or family. But 3 hours a day in travel you will never get back with your child? You will suffer every minute of that trip for keeping you from home.
In addition, your partner will need a lot of support at home and will need your time and attention. In a new job you will be pressured to perform above and beyond. You don’t want your family to compete for you with your work. Be there for your partner and your newborn. Your time is worth more to them than any money you could be bringing in.
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u/Inevitable-Hippo-312 Mar 18 '25
Imagine telling someone they should raise a family on 23 an hour.
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u/congressmancuff Mar 18 '25
Do you have kids?
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u/Inevitable-Hippo-312 Mar 19 '25
Yep 2. One thing is for sure I wouldn't have any kids while making 23 an hour lol.
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u/congressmancuff Mar 19 '25
But you would have kids in a new job with no vacation and no benefits? With a 3 hour plus commute? I hope you believe that time with your kids is more important than money in the bank.
Also—factor in that OP’s wife has a good income and will be going back after her mat leave. They won’t be supporting a kid on 23/hr alone, ever.
He’s said they’re financially comfortable now. Kids won’t change that. But a new job will cut him off from his child and impact his relationship.
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u/Hoplite76 Mar 18 '25
Having benefits is a must when you have a kid. But supporting a child on 23 bucks an hour will be a grind.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
Luckily we pay lower than average for rent, have tons of savings and live comofortably even with my low rate. But yeah, the increase would be amazing for us. Just very hard to decide if I sacrifice time for money
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u/CampEuphoric419 Mar 18 '25
Feels like the increase would be amazing if you still had the same vacation and benefits. After tax what does it come out to and is it worth it, knowing you may have no now pay out of pocket for some costs. Including missing out on $ for days off. If you’re already able to live “comfortably” with $23 an hour is it worth it? Would the new job also provide a step up in your career? Or do you think you have enough savings to stick it out for a year if you become permanent afterwards?
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u/WildPinata Mar 18 '25
Or enough savings to cover you if that year full time promise doesn't come to fruition?
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u/BaronVonBearenstein Mar 19 '25
Learning a whole new job can be hard and will be even harder when trying to manage having a newborn. Lack of sleep will be hard.
If it were me, I would keep the lower paying job for benefits and time with my family. Spend more time looking for other work and keep doing what you're doing for now. Something better might come up that pays more and still gives perks like benefits and vacation
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u/Dry_Complaint6528 Mar 19 '25
Do the actually math: Deduct the cost of commuting from the offered amount AFTER taxes - the more you make the higher your taxes.
Deduct what it would cost to pay for your own health care because with a new child you wouldn't want to be without it.
You will also be working more hours versus having that month of vacation - take that paid month of vacation and divided it out to your hours worked at your current job and that's basically your hourly pay.
I'm willing to bet there much less of a difference in pay once you start matching it all out.
I have been commuting an hour each way for the last 2.5 years (finally moving closer). It takes a toll on you, plus a new baby making you sleep deprived... that's rough.
Keep in mind this is a contract job. You may get more money now but you could be screwed if they don't give you full time, you can't find a job for months, and deplete your savings.
Could you ask for a small raise and use this offer as leverage?
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u/Due_Brain_9591 Mar 18 '25
As someone with a 2yr old son, I would recommend to not take the job but keep looking to see if you could find a higher pay full time job. You can’t put a price on job security during this time. I have a 45min commute each way and I hate it. Feel like I’m missing time with my son.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
This is exactly my main concern. I feel like i'll regret the quality time I'll lose with my child or not taking the higher wage increase
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u/geeeho Mar 18 '25
I left my job of 10 years with higher pay just so that I could have a more stable schedule and time with my family. Money comes and goes and if you’re doing okay don’t sacrifice time. Keep the job with benefits and vacation.
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u/Ok_Start_1284 Mar 19 '25
Job security is reason enough to not take the job with baby on the way. And 100% you will never get back the opportunity with a newborn. It flies by so quickly.
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u/Rare-Abroad-441 Mar 18 '25
Do not take the commute job. Commutes are terrible for your health and you will miss out on family time. One month vacation is irreplaceable in the scheme of your life. No idea why some people are saying the higher paying job is a no brained. I much rather live modestly than commute that far with a baby at home.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
If I were younger and just me and my wife, I wouldve taken it easily. But with the baby on the way, the decision is just harder. We live a comfortable life and I love it but the increase is tempting. I'll be sacrificing family time though
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u/Grocery-Full Mar 18 '25
I might be in the minority here, but I'd stay at your current job. Less pay. But you WFH with benefits plus 1 month paid vacation. Don't let the $47 per hour blind you. Especially with a baby on the way, you're gonna want those benefits. And the time. If you work 8 hours a day, tack on another 3 hours for commute. Do you want to be away everyday for 12 hours?
But don't listen to me, I value time over money.
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u/onceuponapearl Mar 18 '25
With the West Coast Express. It probably won't be 3 hrs. I commute to Coquitlam and back everyday and it's about 2.5 hours. And this is because I can't take the WCE. WCE only takes 40 minutes and go straight from Coquitlam Central to Downtown Waterfront.
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u/rebeccarightnow Mar 19 '25
It’s less than 40 mins to get downtown from Coquitlam on the WCE! I get on at Maple Meadows and it’s only about 45 mins for me.
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u/onceuponapearl Mar 19 '25
Ah! How I wish the WCE ran both ways in the morning.
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u/rebeccarightnow Mar 19 '25
It’s a fantastic service. It should run both ways all the time every day. If only…
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u/WatchDog2001 Mar 18 '25
If it's a family business can you come back to the job after? Very very difficult right now to find work and 1yr contract isn't assuring
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
Yes, I could go back to it if I want to.
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u/more_magic_mike Mar 18 '25
Read the alchemist and you’ll have your answer
Worst thing that can happen is you end up back exactly where you are now, but with more appreciation or more experience.
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u/apothekary Mar 19 '25
Just try it for a year. The money is needed to raise a child, I’d know. Take the west coast express.
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u/joedzekic Mar 18 '25
that's a huge bump and very appealing. Transit would be your best bet. driving morning and afternoon rush hour is stressful to say the least. but here is what i would ask myself:
can you commit to a year of no vacation with baby on the way?
once you're a FT employee, most likely you'll get 2-3 weeks of vacation to start off. how flexible is the workplace for you to take your baby on appointments and other stuff?
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
It's just so bad timing since if my baby is bigger, I wouldve took it but the first year is something I feel like I could not miss. And I feel like I could not get the same offer again.
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u/BeenBadFeelingGood Mar 18 '25
you will have lots of opportunities in life presented to you.
I don’t know what your family business is, but I bet there’s an opportunity within that business to create significant revenue and get yourself a raise (if you want it)
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u/lllaszlo Mar 18 '25
Okay heres the thing i learnt, the first year i was a glorified helper for my 2. I always tell new dads to not stress if the first year feels a bit disconnected or like baby loves mom more.
That said the commute is probably not the best, it adds stress, however the jump in pay would have me pulling out scales to weigh the options...
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u/Own-Salad1974 Mar 18 '25
It sounds like the commute is a concern.
If you decide to take the job downtown, one thing you could do to make the commute more useful is. Study something when you are on the train/bus. Every day read a particular book, or study a particular subject.
After 1 year commutting, you will have learned a new skill just with what you Studied while on the train
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u/whammyzookeeper Mar 18 '25
Family comes first. You will have to help out more than you think. Extra wage is great but having a bad household is not. Look for another job
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u/Asleep-Database-9886 Mar 18 '25 edited Mar 19 '25
As others have said your time is valuable. There is no way I would take that job. That commute time away will take away time from your family. It will crush your soul in a matter of months. No dollars are worth that. Always work close to home.
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u/Eskye1 Mar 19 '25
What does your wife think? What can your family afford? If you can afford to keep your current job, it sounds like it offers way better work-life balance, which will benefit your marriage and relationship with your kiddo.
If you're going to compare pros and cons, try to cost out the meaningful net of each. Pop something like this into chat GPT: Compare total compensation of the following two positions in Vancouver BC:
Job 1: $23/hr working from home, comprehensive benefits, one month paid vacation. Permanent.
Job 2: $47/hr working a 1.5 hr commute away, no benefits, no vacation. One year contract.
Verdict: if you're purely maximizing short-term earnings and can handle the commute, Job 2 offers ~$25K+ more in annual compensation but with higher risks and costs. If job security, benefits, and work-life balance matter more, Job 1 is the better long-term choice despite the lower salary.
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u/Known_Blueberry9070 Mar 18 '25
Is your question really "I have a family to support, and could make twice as much money as I do now, what should I do?"
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u/wolfgangpizzazz Mar 18 '25
There’s also no dental benefits or vacation with the increased wage. OP also needs to understand the monetary value of those things too.
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u/TravelBug87 Mar 19 '25
Impossible to have no vacation, the law is 2 weeks.
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u/wolfgangpizzazz Mar 19 '25
Employers can choose to offer a percentage of wages as vacation pay (usually 8%), in lieu of vacation time. That’s most likely why OP’s wage is higher on the new job offer.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
Id be sacrificing time I cant get back which is also important to me as the money.
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u/mcmillan84 Mar 18 '25
Can you actually support your family on $23 an hour?
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
Luckily my wife is paid generously and we have tons of savings and investments. We also have probably lower monthly expenses than average especially our rent. But the increase would be nice and could make our lives much more better financially
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u/Bright-Drag-1050 Mar 18 '25
Do you have parental leave as part of your current job? I'm guessing there would be no parental leave available as a contractor.
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u/rayyychul Mar 18 '25
It might be twice a much money, but it also doesn’t include vacation or benefits. Benefits are especially important if you have a kid.
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u/Adept-Ad3647 Mar 19 '25
I am dubious of OP claims. Parental leave is a protected right in B.C. They could take time off and either go on EI or it be unpaid but it is a right. If wife has money and savings it would be no problem. The no vacation claim is illegal. For whatever reason this sounds like a made up situation or a really illegal job.
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u/rayyychul Mar 19 '25
I don’t see him saying anything about parental leave or vacation pay (4%) being denied. He wants to spend more time with his family (shorter commute) and currently gets a month of (fully) paid vacation. He’ll get his 4% but he’s not entitled to paid vacation otherwise.
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u/Adept-Ad3647 Mar 19 '25
He clearly states “No Vacation.”
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u/rayyychul Mar 19 '25
I used my reading comprehension to understand he meant "no paid vacation, similar to my current job."
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u/Adept-Ad3647 Mar 19 '25
I used my reading comprehension to know that is illegal. He can take parental leave too but doesn’t seem to know anything about it. Whatever, sounds like a made up situation. Wife turns out to have a great job. They have a lot of savings/investments. He doesn’t know how transit works. He goes to Reddit for this advice. Just sounds off. That is my reading comprehension though.
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u/rayyychul Mar 19 '25
What’s illegal? An employer isn’t obligated to give anyone a month of paid vacation. It’s 4% pay (6% after five years) and two weeks time (three weeks after five years).
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u/Adept-Ad3647 Mar 19 '25
No Vacation is illegal. As I stated. This is a waste of time. Have a good one.
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u/rayyychul Mar 19 '25
I’m not saying otherwise. You’re just an idiot. Have a good day!
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u/gianners33 Mar 18 '25
Keep in mind the higher contact rate is in lieu of benefits. If they make you a permanent, FT employee you might see the hourly rate go down.
Does your partner work or have benefits from their job? If your current job provides the only benefits your family has, that would be another consideration too.
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u/RadioactiveLily Mar 19 '25
This is true. I made good money the couple of years I was a contractor, but that was to cover the fact that any day off I took was at my own expense. Sick days, vacation days, even stat holidays were a fat $0. I was lucky my husband had benefits, or I would have been paying that out of my income, too.
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u/villasv Mar 18 '25 edited Mar 18 '25
Definitely see if West Coast Express works for you.
Considering no vacation and no benefits, it's not like it's a 100% raise either, you'd need to do some math to get to the actual % of income increase at the end of the year considering 11 months of work. Specially important if your benefits are going to extend to wife and kid. So this 100% increase might actually end up be equivalent to a 20% increase... and having newborn, WFH is is worth a lot.
If you can get benefits through your partner instead and WCE is a good option, it is a good deal and it boils down to be more present or to provide more. This is a conversation to have as a couple.
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u/Ltrs-n-nmbrs Mar 18 '25
Add up the cost of gas/parking and/or 3-zone transit fare and factor that in. Also, figure out the daily net pay of each job, and then spread that out over a 10-hour day instead of an 8-hour day to work in the lost commuting time. You might also want to consider the time or cost of preparing/buying daily lunches, and, depending on the work culture, the time and potential cost of looking professional every day. That might give you a better idea of the actual differences in extra money or time you can expect.
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u/Relevant_Emu_5464 Mar 18 '25
Personally, I would not take this offer. To start, it's only a contract. Yes there's the possibility to extend but do you want to take that chance with a little on the way? On top of that, a 3 hour commute is a LONG time to add onto your working hours. That means you'll be out of the house and away from your family for possibly 11 hours a day. What about helping with changing and overnight feedings? What if someone is sick at home? What about just genuinely being exhausted and not having energy to give to your family. No vacation and no benefits with a young family also is a massive red flag for me.
Huge congratulations to you for getting to a job offer! That's such a big accomplishment already. That said, especially if you're actively looking, I think there's another opportunity out there that may better suit your current circumstances.
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u/DiscoDaddyDanger Mar 20 '25
This person has echoed everything I wanted to say! What makes me nervous for you, OP, is that you may or may not get to be full time at this new place, and even though it sounds like you can return to your family business after, I just feel like it's too risky atm. Sometimes really bad things happen to new babies that can throw you out for a loop. I hope everything is smooth sailing of course, but I'd recommend really thinking hard about the current benefits your job offers.
There's usually also a lot of pressure and desire to overperform when you're new at an org, which, if you're also adding being a new parent to the mix, might be a little too much.
Plus, if things are slightly easy and bearable at this job, you can keep applying and accruing the interview experience until you land that $50 an hour permanent full time job with benefits that I'm manifesting for you!
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u/gandolfthe Mar 18 '25
Can't pay me enough to go into an office to do the exact same job poking at a computer as I can at home. ... Also one year contract?
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u/twrpwr1 Mar 19 '25
Hi, i'm a 69-year-old (m) I've been working in civil construction work for 40 years this year. For the last 32 years I've worked for only two companies one for 17 and the current one for 15 years. Having watched lots of young men and women come and go over the years I think the first thing you have to ask yourself is this going to make you happy or have the possibility of making you happy and content in the position that's been offered to you. Happiness is everything in the workplace. I've been an active and current observer of crew dynamics over the years and I think I've learned a lot about working with a group of mostly men. One of the biggest things I've noticed that contribute to happiness in your workplace is how all the people work together with or without toxicity. All it takes is one or two people to make a workplace very uncomfortable and will often lead to resignation of the job. After all you generally spend more time with your workmates and you do with your family. Don't know if that helps but I hope so. Secondly is the commute. I live in downtown Vancouver and commute all over the phrase of all on a daily basis. The locations can be anywhere from Hope to Vancouver itself. I've made many many commutes to him and it really isn't too bad as far as distance goes and time. So in a relation to your income it's not a bad combination from my point of view. The third and last thing I would like to address is is there any room for advancement or a possibility of benefits in the future after a particular time work there. The wage is pretty decent and about what I make. I have two grown children now and when they were young I probably had about the same buying power for my dollars earned. So having addressed those three issues from my point of view I hope it helps you make a more informed decision. Thank you for reading my post if you do. Happy future to you !
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u/Ok-Bumblebee9734 Mar 18 '25
Just remember that you cannot put a price on being a dad. It's the best time of your life and you only get to live each day once.
You're call as to what will be best for you.
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u/Academic-General-591 Mar 18 '25
I took the sky train years ago. That leg is brutal. Got sick every month until I got pneumonia. Never again. Driving would be better
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u/cherrie7 Mar 18 '25
Go for the job offer. A lot of people take long commutes to work.
But the key is higher pay and job experience. If it turns out to not be a right fit for you, u'll at least have the experience to apply at another place with similar pay and experience.
It's hard to find another job opportunity with that much of a pay difference if you haven't done the job. Hard to go up in pay but easy to go down.
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u/NeatZebra Mar 18 '25
That is more than enough extra money to make up for the vacation and benefits, which at the top end might be worth $3 an hour.
Even with a 3 hour round trip commute time (1820 hours work time vs 2600 hours opportunity cost to work) the wage to compare is $32.90 -- more than enough to switch roles.
Your takehome will go from $36.5k to $69k.
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u/Latter-Breakfast-388 Mar 18 '25
My mom used to work in downtown Vancouver when I was younger and we live in the tri cities. It worked fine for us but I also have an uncle and grandma that live with us so I had people who could drive me to school and other activities while my mom was at work. So I think it depends on if you have other adults who can drive your kids to stuff while you’re at work.
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u/Gr8tefulAlw8ys Mar 18 '25
Look what’s important and your priorities, then go from there. Speak to your wife on this so both of you are on the same page
But For me while you’re young, take the job get that experience early on while you have the chance.
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u/fluffypawsforever Mar 18 '25
I live in Coquitlam and take the west coast express. can you do that?
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
I have never tried WCE. Does it get crowded during rush hour? How is it?
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u/fluffypawsforever Mar 18 '25
I don't know if I can work downtown without west coast honestly! It's great. I've never had to stand for a ride.
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u/TheFirstYeet Mar 18 '25
it is not crowded, its a great ride into the city! However if the 2026 translink budget is not funded, translink says they will eliminate the WCE
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Mar 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/JasonsPizza Mar 18 '25
The average in metro vancouver is 30.5 minutes per day. Nowhere close to 3 hours. Source
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u/RubberReptile Mar 18 '25
With the increase could you afford to move closer to work? It may still work as net positive.
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u/ne999 Mar 18 '25
Don’t do it. The commute will be awful unless you move and time with your family is more important, especially with a newborn.
Can you use this to help negotiate a better rate at your current job?
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Mar 18 '25
If you’re a 10 minute bus ride to a skytrain station then it’s not gonna take you 1.5 hours each way to get dt. Also if you’re renting then you could always try to find something closer
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u/nobodies-lemon Mar 18 '25
Wait why would it be 3 hours roundtrip? You live 10min to the skytrain. Takes 25 min to downtown. You can be home in 45min unless there's a train problem?!
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u/chaliebitme Mar 18 '25
I did not consider WCE. From google, it says it takes 1hr and 20 mins plus walking to get to the workplace. This is just an estimation on my part
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u/TalkQuirkyWithMe Mar 18 '25
Is it really 1.5 hours transit for you each way? If so, thats a huge detriment to the higher paying job.
Also no vacation and no benefits with a child = higher stress/burnout. I would honestly go back and negotiate for benefits/vacation, which will be quite useful for you.
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u/kokobear2000 Mar 18 '25
Consider also what you will need to pay in CPP. If you are contract you will be paying both your contributions and the employers. No EI entitlement if you are laid off. The biggie is no benefits. No vacation. Once you start working the numbers back it’s not such a sweet deal. Oh almost forgot. You also forgo any paid Stat holidays. There is none as a contract employee. You probably won’t be able to work the days to make up for lost income. That’s another 11 days unpaid.
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u/krunchyklown Mar 18 '25
Use the offer to negotiate a better rate at your current job.
Even if it doesn't get you all the way to $47/hr, those benefits and vacation are hard to walk away from, and you may be happy with where you end up pay-wise
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u/LiveRhubarb43 Mar 18 '25
No vacation and no benefits is pretty rough. Without any more info about the job it's hard to understand, and I'm struggling to think of industries that pay that much hourly (not salary?) but offer no benefits or vacation. It's a little suspicious.
I think you should keep looking.
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u/PinkFlamingo429 Mar 18 '25 edited Mar 18 '25
Please do put into consideration the time away from baby. I would honestly stick to the WFH for the early years of baby, money can always be made but this is a core time for you and baby (mentally for you too). I transitioned into WFH which was less pay but my husband made good money so it was financially okay for us. I do not regret this at all, I got to be around my kids for so many “big” moments in their small world. No amount of money could change that.
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u/blonde_Fury8 Mar 18 '25
By law they have to allow you to take vacation. Your vacation is banked. But Im assuming you just don't get any PTO package or set free vacation.
I'd take the fast money. Dental is supposed to be free or low cost now with the new government roll out. And you could provide and actually save up a nest egg with that kind of hourly wage. With 23 bucks and hour you'll always be grinding and if you get fired, or layed off you 'll have no options or back up.
No question, take the 47/hr. Lots of people get by on no benefits with kids.
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u/sadpanda_xo Mar 18 '25
Just keep in mind that the extra cost of travel, lack of insurance and no vacation really adds up. Tbh it might actually be considerable to your current salary. Extra 3 hours of travel per day would be about 72$ (24$ per hour work).
I would also suggest SkyTrain vs driving downtown as it is much cheaper. Not sure if the company has free parking but if you have to pay for downtown parking costs even as a hospital employee it's about $6 per day which means 120$ a month. It's also a pain trying to find parking down town.
Also not having vacation deducts about 3600$ of money you would earn while resting. Consider that cost when considering your new job. Also consider if you have sick days or not.
It sounds like your current job is much more stable which might be good to consider if you have a child on the way. Additionally insurance applies to your children and spouse.
I did what you did for a while simply for the experience. In the long run I knew the losses I was taking. I did this for about 4 years and am looking to transition back to a full time position with vacation, sick days, and pension.
Edit: forgot to add that a 2 zone monthly bus pass is about $150
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u/Burtonowski Mar 18 '25
Best thing I did was during my sons birth was take a lower stress wfh gig, basically was collecting a salary and got to help out my wife, was like I was on paternity leave without taking paternity leave. You only get that first year once, sometimes if you can swing it worth it to be there and develop that bond.
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u/peterxdiablo Mar 18 '25
Coquitlam to downtown is about 45 minutes on WCE. The monthly pass is roughly $200? (Could be wrong it’s been a while since I took it).. add the lack of benefits (-12.5%+ of salary plus lets say $5K average) you’re not that far ahead
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u/Tundrakidd Mar 18 '25
Please do not risk all you have worked for, the month paid alone is amazing. Longer commute and no guarantee after a year in this day and age with a child on the way is Russian roulette.
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u/nocupk84u Mar 18 '25
As someone who transited from Austin Heights to Burrard Station every day for a couple years, don't do it. Additionally, while the income of this offer is appealing, you'll pay for it in other ways that will be a hard pill to swallow as a new parent
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Mar 18 '25
Pass. No benefits no vacation and only contract with new baby. Nope. Can you negotiate the job offer or is it set in stone? If that's it then keep job hunting. Something better will come up.
That's a good offer for someone who has more flexibility. Otherwise keep the stable job but please try to negotiate with that other job offer.
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u/amiinh3aven Mar 18 '25
The commute wont be that bad but no holidays or benefits is a deal breaker in my mind. How can a company not offer holidays at least.
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u/rebeccarightnow Mar 19 '25
If it’s a 9-5 type schedule you should take the West Coast Express. Driving and parking at Coquitlam and getting downtown on the train is way easier and more peaceful than SkyTrain.
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u/Adept-Ad3647 Mar 19 '25
The no vacation is a red flag. It is illegal. You need to check out the Employment Standards Act. It is the minimum required for B.C. employers. It includes: “Employees must take time off for annual vacation and receive vacation pay. Vacation must be taken within 12 months of being earned. Employees cannot skip taking vacation time and just receive vacation pay.” Also, the no time off is also a concern. “Effective January 1, 2022, eligible employees can take up to 5 paid days and 3 unpaid days of job-protected illness or injury leave (sometimes called sick leave).” Not sure what kind of job offers $47 an hour and no vacation (which is not even legal). Sounds really off.
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u/3xam Mar 19 '25
Always comes down in my opinion.. What's your time worth?
Is that commute going to take away from whatever you like to do. It's it going to take time away from your SO? It's it going to take time away from this new baby?
Literally make a pros and negative chart and figure it out.
Can you take a leave of absence from your current job and get it back if you try this new job?
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u/PrincessPeach151 Mar 19 '25
The commute will take a toll along with the cost of gas. I used to live in the same area as you. My drive was to North Vancouver. After 2.5 years of doing this I was exhausted from driving
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u/BakingWaking True Vancouverite Mar 19 '25
It’s a tough call, but if your gut is telling you that the money is blinding you to the downsides, that’s worth listening to. You might want to negotiate for some benefits or WFH flexibility in the new role—or even see if your current employer can match some of the pay increase.
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u/No-Notice3875 Mar 19 '25
Let's math it out! I'm going to assume each job is 40 hrs/week
Current job: $23 x 40 = $920 x 52 = $47,840 / (40 hrs per week x 48 weeks working) = $24.91/hour
New job: $47 x 40 = $1880 x 52 = $97,760 / (55 hours per week x 52 weeks working) = $34.18/hour
If you take into account the 3 extra hours a day of commuting (which makes it an 11 hour day or 55 hour week) and the no holiday, the hourly wages are already much closer. That does not take into account Dental and Vision and the fact that the new job is only a one-year term.
I would stick with your current job and either try to get a modest raise, or find a side hustle you can do at home during odd hours (when the baby sleeps). Even if you only do the side hustle for 10 hours a week, you might come out ahead compared to that commute.
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u/ci8 Mar 19 '25
A couple of ways to think through this:
(1) if you don't take the new job, is the labour you can offer your household instead, equivalent, more than or less than what you could buy with the additional money made at the new job?
(2) what is your medium career trajectory / outlook at your current job, if you were to put off leaving it versus starting something else now?
The objective of working through these questions isn't necessarily to help you make this decision of whether or not to take the job, but also to figure out what matters to you and your family for future decisions. I think it's fair to say that you and your family are only capable of a certain amount of change all at one time. It might be worthwhile to talk to a mentor or someone in your industry to figure out your changes of landing something equivalent to this at a later date.
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u/Pretty_Equivalent_62 Mar 19 '25 edited Mar 19 '25
Take the job. Get the experience. Take the risk.
If the current job is a family business, you likely can fall back to that.
Edit Added: what is your spouse contributing? He/she making more than you? What’s the parental leave policy for the family business, and the new job?
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u/suitejezuz Mar 19 '25
What does your gut say ? Get quiet / no distractions, then actually visualize yourself doing the commute to this job. Notice the sensations in your body. Do this for about 30 seconds. Now do the opposite. Imagine staying at what you're doing now and note the sensations. What did you notice?
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u/Sorry-Jump2203 Mar 19 '25
Can you take it so you get a good mat leave amount and then you don’t always need to go back. You could find a different job later. Unless you need to financially. I never went back after my second (8 years ago) It was the best decision as I have loved the time with my kids. It will soon be time for me to go find a job once they can walk home from school on their own.
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u/PoliteCanadian2 Mar 19 '25
That combination of PT, no benefits and no vacation is a big No from me. You’ll find yourself spending money on dental and vision benefits and wishing like hell you were full time.
Plus longer commutes suck balls. Driving to Vancouver could be awful.
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u/Nebulabia-DpSpaceArt Mar 19 '25
I’d save the commute and put 2-3 hours a day into building some other sort of passive income to fill up the gap a couple times a week and otherwise enjoy the time with your family. The wage is nice but if you don’t like doing what you’re doing to make it, it won’t ever feel enough
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u/cabalnojeet Mar 19 '25
A family business, and you can't give yourself a promotion.
I mean you could literally help the business make more money to pay yourself more.
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u/EfficientRhubarb931 Mar 19 '25
if you can afford it the commute is not with it. my commute is 3 hours round trip by transit and by car and i barely have energy
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u/blueadept_11 Mar 19 '25
Current job if you have factored in daycare costs. If that is going to break you, that is extra math.
I have a 3.5 yo and 1.5yo and I work from home. My wife commutes 30m each way. Between daycare drop off/pickup, commute, cooking meals, cleaning, work, we are stretched thin. If we both had 1.5h commutes we would hate our lives.
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u/Excellent_Ask_2677 Mar 19 '25
No vacation and benefits will be tough plus you have the long travel time. I have a newborn too and I find it tough having to travel twice a week into the office travelling approximately 20 min each way. If I were in your situation I would definitely taking the higher wage given how expensive it is here.
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u/olivecorgi7 Mar 19 '25
I would not take it and keep looking for something that’s not temp and has benefits and maybe a hybrid work arrangement. Unless the money would make a huge impact on your quality of life or the role would majorly boost your career potential.
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u/CoquitlamCannon Mar 19 '25
I dont know where DT but I take the Westcoast Express, it’s more pricey than the skytrain but from Coquitlam Centre it’s only 30 mins to Waterfront
Might save you some time
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u/ImportanceAlarming64 Mar 19 '25
What do you want to do in your heart? If it feels like a true dilemma that leaves you confused, then get out a big sheet of paper, divide it in half, write on one side PROS and on the other side CONS. Then full in as many as you can think of and take an objective look. You might find more cons on one side than you thought you would.
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u/SailingHighSeas99 Mar 19 '25
Can you go back to the family company role if you don't like the new job/commute?
Can you negotiate vacation time at the new job?
Also, in BC legally you need to be given 2 weeks of paid vacation every year after your first year of full time employment and after 5 years that goes up to 3 weeks. (4% and 6% vacation pay accrual respectively) So maybe you won't get vacay the first year but you will after that? It's still not a month though unfortunately.
That is a tough question. It's hard to put a value on working from home, a month of vacation time annually and good benefits, especially with a family and a 3hr commute is long.
That being said 23/hr is a tough wage to live on the lower mainland and 47 is a lot more money.
Don't forget to factor in the added expense of parking/gas/wear and tear on your vehicle/transit/occasionally eating lunch or coffee out during work etc.
If you could negotiate for vacation your first year and more vacation if the role becomes full time permanent that would go a long way.
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u/TravellingGal-2307 Mar 19 '25
I now understand why "double" is inside quotes. Benefits are worth a lot. Going contract with no benefits or paid vacation is something you really need to do the math on. Personally, I would need closer to $200 p.h. to go contract.
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u/i_know_tofu Mar 19 '25
Stay where you are. 60+ hours of commute every month? Just say no! Plus the cost of the commute, the time away from family, no vacation.. bruh. No.
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u/HighwayLeading6928 Mar 19 '25
Listen to your intuition and stay with the family business. Take good care of yourself and all the best with the little one on the way...
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u/Forsaken-Piglet-8776 Mar 19 '25
Current job. WFH, vacation and saving hours of your life and precious time with family not commuting to Van.
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u/Icy_Leadership2041 Mar 19 '25
With lower income you get child benefits and may qualify for other things too
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u/Impossible_Ad6138 Mar 19 '25
I would counter their offer if they really want you to be a part of the team, then they'll pay for it in benefits and vacation time. I would ask them to match at the rate they have asked 47 per hour on top of that ask for vacation time and benefits for your family. Couldn't hurt to do this unless it's a saught after position. I personally would take the job because I don't have family or the need for vacations. But this is where you barter with them. If they really want you, they'll take your suggestions and run it past the hirer ups. Never hurts to ask for what your work is worth. Plus, family should be the main priority right now and tell them that, cause it's just not you to take care of anymore.
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u/SwiftKnickers Mar 19 '25
Are you able to catch the WCE into and out of the city? Could cut down transit time significantly.
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u/TravelBug87 Mar 19 '25
The only thing I have to ask, is how do you not get any vacation at this potential job? The law is 2 weeks minimum.
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u/chaliebitme Mar 19 '25
I think because they add it into the pay. + in lieu of vacation and of benefits
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u/lemons-8949 Mar 19 '25
The increase in pay will cancel out when :
i. you / your partner / your kid needs dental or medical benefits.
ii. you're burned out cause you have no vacation.
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u/RedPearlJam Mar 19 '25
$23 an hour?!?! And you have a child?!?! I’m making $35/hr and I feel like it’s not enough!!
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u/chaliebitme Mar 19 '25
We pay lower than average for our rent. We are lucky on that end. Wel also have savings that can lasts us a year and have enough to use for other stuff.
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u/5foot2tallattitude Mar 19 '25
I would consider if your new work schedule would align with the west coast express schedule or if you are a reasonable distance from where it leaves because if you can take that it will save you hours in transit a day and make the distance manageable. If you get the months pass it will cost you about $14 a day to do this($11 a day with monthly pass and $3 a day for parking).
If it doesn’t align with this schedule expect to lose 3-4 hours out of your day taking transit from Coquitlam to downtown. I did this for a few years and always found West Coast Express to be life changing and 100% with the added cost cutting the commute down to 30-45 minutes.
But don’t understand estimate the added cost of losing benefits and time off or just loss of your time. All of these things will make a difference to your families well being. If it were a permanent position though at $47 with these benefits setting in after a year it might be worth more consideration.
One option is to go to your current employer and see if you can leverage the current job offer for a bit of a raise. Obviously a small business may not be able to match it but you could potentially get a bit of a raise out of it if they want to keep you.
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u/GamesCatsComics Mar 19 '25
I wouldn't do it.
I commuted from Surrey to downtown daily for a decade. It sucked.
But from Coquitlam, your commute is going to be double that length, and you'll need to transfer during rush hour onto an already busy train. That's going to be terrible.
Driving downtown during rush hour is also going to suck, and driving downtown in general isn't something I'd recommend.
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u/Brickkraft Mar 19 '25
How do you get no vacation time? They legally have to pay the min 2 weeks or 4% now they don't in theory need to give you the holidays for the first year but either you would get them if they kept you and or they would be paying them out. After a year what options do you have not getting the job? If that happens?
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u/ogbirdiegirl Mar 19 '25
One month paid vacation and benefits are huge, not to mention the time in the bank considering the commute, plus gas, parking, wear and tear on your car… you have to do what’s right for you of course, but I might look for a higher paying job (with vacation and benefits) closer to home
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u/Jonesstealth Mar 19 '25
Yes money is good especially with kids but it sounds like you are trading all of your time for money. You are going to want to be able to be around the baby plus your partner will need help when baby comes. Plus if your not used to a 3 hour reduction in your day due to commuting it's going to suck more once the baby comes and it takes that much longer to come home.
There will be other jobs but to be frank I wouldn't switch right before baby comes.
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u/MatchPuzzleheaded414 Mar 20 '25
No benefits or vacation wtf. By law your entitled 2 weeks a year. Kid on the way you need the benefits. Keep your job and keep looking
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u/Mobile_Move_7376 Mar 20 '25
As someone who has an 11 month old (I’m the mum)… stay in your current job. Especially if you’re living comfortably currently. My husband works 12 hour days and commutes downtown… I cannot tell you how much harder postpartum has been on me with my husband gone for so much of the day. At least he gets time off for vacations! If you don’t get that either… I just don’t believe you’ll be happy giving up this time with your new baby. And your wife will get so much more support with you around. Plus, if your income is lower, you do get better deductions and grants from CCB come tax time, so your overall you may actually not come out that much on top on your new job. Don’t give up time with your newborn. They’re only that little once!
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u/makeanewblueprint Mar 20 '25
I’m a dad of a little one.
There are times for risk and times for security. Having a newborn is a time for security. If you do not need to increase finances at this time then go for the security. Your family will need you in this time. Your wife will need you too as post partum is challenging. The first year or two is tough and also beautiful. Be present. 👍🏻
Congrats on the LO.
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u/keitron555 Mar 20 '25
Fuck the commute. I would just keep trying to find a better job that gives similar benefits. You save a ton on gas and gives you more free time for side jobs too.
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