ok now when

November 29, 2023 2:58 PM

I might be getting a job offer soon (100% remote position). We are also definitely relocating due to my partner's job. Sanity check me here regarding how to handle this.

I made it to the final round of a job interview process with a company. It's a 100% remote position. I think it's likely I'll be getting the job.

I currently live in upstate New York.

My partner just got a job offer that, if he takes it (which we are 99.99999999% sure he will) will require us to move out of state - still east coast, just further south.

He has till Friday to say yes or no to the job. Again, he will most likely say yes.

My job offer may not come till next week (if at all). The potential new company has a nationwide presence and employees located in our new state already.

If I get the job offer, assuming my partner has signed his offer letter at that point, would that be the time to let my potentially new company know that I am relocating? Or do I wait until we're further down the relocation process and it's time for me to officially legally change my address (register car, register to vote, new driver's license etc etc)? We won't be moving till January and if I get my job offer the start date would probably be mid December.

I just don't want to blindside anybody or give a poor impression to a new employer by appearing to be hiding something. But I also don't want to give the impression that I will be distracted during my onboarding process by moving. My partner's offer includes a generous sum for relo and we'll probably just hire someone to pack our whole house for us because packing is for the birds. As long as I have internet and a laptop and some quiet I can work from anywhere.

This all feels very fraught and I honestly wasn't expecting to be in the running for a new job while my partner was job hunting. This new opportunity landed in my lap quite by surprise last week, they are moving fast, and it's a no brainier for me to take the job if offered (more money, 100% remote, work I am more interested in, stable company that isn't in shambles). It's not great timing but it also is what it is and I want to make sure I don't bungle this.

posted by nayantara to Work & Money (17 answers total)

After you get a firm offer in hand, you can send them this, "I wanted to let you know my family and I are moving to [new state] in January. I don't anticipate needing any time off of work for this move, but it will mean a change in my address and residence."

But also, are you sure you wouldn't want to ask for a day or two off? Moving is a pain, even with lots of paid help.
posted by bluedaisy at 3:04 PM on November 29, 2023 [14 favorites]

At the time of the offer, I would at least get as far as noting that you may in the coming months relocate to Other State and find out if that will be a problem. If your would-be new workplace is not set up legally to operate remote staff in your new state, better to know that now before you get too far down the path with them.
posted by Stacey at 3:05 PM on November 29, 2023 [15 favorites]

I would say nothing. Once partner decides, and you get the offer, then maybe you would mention it to HR, just for the paperwork. Especially with a 100% remote job, seems irrelevant.
posted by Windopaene at 3:06 PM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

It is something you should bring up at the offer stage, yeah. The company needs to be set up to operate in the new state (remote or not) - there are tax and compliance implications, it's not just companies being inflexible
posted by restless_nomad at 3:11 PM on November 29, 2023 [13 favorites]

(speaking as someone who had quite a collection of required workplace signage for Metafilter.)
posted by restless_nomad at 3:12 PM on November 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: From the post: The potential new company has a nationwide presence and employees located in our new state already.

I would let HR know when you are sure you're moving and have accepted the offer, whenever both those things work out to be.
posted by the primroses were over at 3:17 PM on November 29, 2023 [6 favorites]

Best answer: My one sort of caveat is -- are those employees in new state working in an office, or are they also remote? I still think you should mention it at the offer stage (yours, after he's accepted and there's hopefully some formal dates around the relo), as there are all sorts of things that might need your attention when you're moving, and it would be helpful to know what kind of flexibility you might be able to leverage. But I have seen remote roles converted to hybrid or in-office based on proximity to an office, and you'd want to know if that was a possibility or if there's some other reason you could not do your job from that state.

Anecdotally, during the offer stage I've requested moving my start date up, moving my start date further out, moved houses, had planned multiple day vacations, and flexed my schedule for various reasons all during the first month of my last two jobs, and I think one reason it hasn't been a problem is because I was upfront about needing to do it, when I'd be needing to do it, and how I'd address any challenges that arose from doing it.
posted by sm1tten at 4:50 PM on November 29, 2023 [7 favorites]

A fully remote company might possibly care which timezone you're in but probably not precisely where you are - I would not see this as a big risk. However, they may have different pay bands for different locations, and you really want to know that.

In your position I would probably say at the offer stage, "I am considering moving, would this have an effect?" They're at liberty to assume that you're taking their feelings into account before moving, regardless of whether that is actually true.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 8:05 PM on November 29, 2023 [3 favorites]

if you are moving from a low cost of living area to a high cost of living area it is possible that if you tell them at the offer stage your compensation package would need to change depending on the policies of the new company and how flexible they can be. i have secondhand experience of a large company refusing to hire someone for a 100% remote role because they would need to pay more based on home address (“proximity” to Seattle in this case).

People already working in the area is irrelevant; some positions aren’t subject to area restrictions, some can get exceptions, and it wouldn’t apply for existing positions hired before restrictions were in place.

I would not say anything until you’ve started; seems less risky than forcing them to possibly jump though a bunch of bureaucratic hoops at a point when they can just rescind the offer. At most, i’d float a hypothetical “What are the restrictions if any on permanently moving after i’ve started?” Otherwise, it seems to me like there’s only possible downside to telling them.
posted by supercres at 10:31 PM on November 29, 2023 [5 favorites]

A fully remote company will care what state you are domiciled in because they need to set up payroll taxes or potentially even register as a corporation in your new state. It's not about being distracted for moving, they won't care about that as much as the taxes.
posted by Hollywood Upstairs Medical College at 5:24 PM on November 30, 2023

Response by poster: Ok so, they offered me the job verbally this afternoon and I should be getting the official offer letter tomorrow.

Hilariously, my partner is expected to get his offer letter tomorrow as well.

Relocating will be a multi-step process as his company is planning on having him work remotely through the rest of this calendar year and we have to figure out logistics after that.

For the record, we will be moving to a much lower COL area than we live in now.

I verbally accepted the offer today but didn't say anything about potentially relocating as it was just a five minute phone call with the recruiter.

When I officially accept the offer tomorrow it seems I have two choices:

1) say "hey it looks like we will be relocating to [state] sometime soon-ish is that going to lose any problems?"

2) don't say anything because we don't have the faintest idea of a timeline for our move and in the meantime they have me slotted to start on December 18th. We might not be in our new state full time till February.

What is the best course of option?

Please keep in mind, as I mentioned in my question, that the company I am going to work for has a nationwide presence and is registered as a corporation in 45 out of 50 states, INCLUDING THE STATE WHERE WE WILL BE MOVING. For those of you who keep reminding me that my company has to be registered as a corporation in the state where I live for payroll taxes etc etc, I know you mean well, but I already know that and so I don't need to keep being reminded. I have zero concerns whatsoever about that particular issue. This company has remote employees who live in the state where we are moving. The company is set up as a corporation in the state where we will be moving. I don't want to have to keep repeating this.

My question at this point is solely about TIMING. Do I tell them that we are moving now, despite having no earthly idea as to the official timeline, or do I bring it up later once I have more information, which may not be till the new year?

I would appreciate advice solely on the question of timing I've outlined above.

Thanks.
posted by nayantara at 6:14 PM on November 30, 2023

Best answer: 2. Even clearer that there’s nothing to gain with 1, though you’ve also clarified that there’s not much to lose. “Will this cause any problems?” sounds like you’re thinking about doing this only for reassurance and a for a “no”, which is understandable, but it can also cause a “Let me check… [a day later] Actually…”

you’re under no obligation to tell the whole truth about your life plans over the next few months.
posted by supercres at 6:56 PM on November 30, 2023 [2 favorites]

The only bit of supplemental info—

we will be moving to a much lower COL area than we live in now.

It’s also about proximity. “CoL area” can be defined very weirdly. Like, i’m “in seattle” despite being significantly closer to Vancouver. But if you’re currently closer to NYC than you will be to, e.g., DC, you’re probably ok.
posted by supercres at 6:59 PM on November 30, 2023

Response by poster: I am currently 4 hours north of NYC. We will be moving somewhere within the Chattanooga TN Metro area. Unclear if we'll end up on the TN side of the border or the GA side of the border (partner's job is literally on the TN/GA border). See, more ambiguity - I can't even tell them WHERE I will be living yet, just a general zone. supercres, I think your instinct is correct here.

Company is registered as a corporation in both TN and GA btw.
posted by nayantara at 7:26 PM on November 30, 2023

Don’t tell them shit. Jobs fire people on a dime, we don’t owe them all our thoughts. Once you move, if it comes up, you can say “oh I’m actually in TN - we came out here for a bit because my partner is working on a project. I still have my NY address.” If that doesn’t cause problems, wait till after your probation ends and then tell them you’ve decided to stay in TN for a couple years.
posted by nouvelle-personne at 6:01 AM on December 1, 2023

Once you move, if it comes up, you can say “oh I’m actually in TN - we came out here for a bit because my partner is working on a project. I still have my NY address.

Just be aware that this will absolutely fuck up your state tax situation.
posted by restless_nomad at 6:50 AM on December 1, 2023

Best answer: take the job, start the job. when you have a move date, tell your employer. they'll need to do back end tax stuff.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 8:05 AM on December 1, 2023 [2 favorites]