i have been with current studio for almost 10 years and just found out my husband's job is going to be transferring us out of state. i'm excited for the new opportunities ahead, but devastated to be leaving my beloved studio and students. to make it more complicated the transfer won't be happening until january- but our dance year starts in september- i know i need to tell her as soon as possible but i'm afraid she won't want me to teach at all and then i'm out of much needed income. HELP??? what would you say? and if you were a SO would you be open to someone teaching through christmas break but having to put another teacher in those classes when the kids return in jan?

I would contact your SO as soon as possible just to avoid any notion that you are not giving enough time for her to prepare. I would also explain the situation and ask what she would consider are options for you.

As far as if I would hire someone only for a part of the year that is hard to determine. It would depend on the person and the situation that I was in. I might want to just keep them as a sub or maybe I would consider possibly keeping you until I find someone to replace you. It honestly all depends.

Either way talk to your So and explain and see what the options are. Either way you are moving and it's not on bad terms so you might be able to work something out.

I can see both sides of this. However in what other job would you need to give someone 5 month notice?!?!? This is a business, business owners should be prepared to replace someone when they leave and or are fired. If you worked in a store or for a company would you tell them this far out? Probably not. I would tell her in Oct. or Nov. A lot could happen between now and then with your husbands transfer..it may not happen and then what...

Once you are 100% you are leaving (as in you have a signed lease or bought a house) that is when you should tell her.

I would tell her now that there is a possibility that you may have to move out of state for next season, but will not know for a bit and will tell her by a certain date, so she can find a replacement.

It is not easy to find good replacements all of the time for a dance school, so I would, not because you have to, but because it would be the right thing to do.

It sounds like a good time for to train up a new teacher. You teach and have them assist for the first part of the year and then that way when you leave the curriculum is already set and they know how you've run the class. Maybe offer that suggestion when you tell her so that you don't lose hours. I'd tell her as soon as possible, dance studios aren't like regular real life businesses, there's a lot more going on besides simply hiring someone to fill a class.

thanks for all of the advice. i find it incredibly difficult to pick a side in this situation. i feel that i should tell her asap so there is ample time to replace me, yet i don't want (and can't afford) to lose my paycheck for sept-dec if she decides not to let me continue.

Question to SO...how much notice would you give us that our hours were being cut, or salary was being changed, or that you no longer needed our services....5 months, I doubt it!!!

I still say that a lot can change between now and January, even if you tell her in November or beginning of December that is PLENTY of time to find a replacement.

Why is it wrong to wait? (Not really looking for an answer here!) Just as SO remind us ALL the time this is a business not a hobby...this is our livelihood too. I would not jeopardize my livelihood to make it easier for her!

I always sign a contract for a full dance season, so not telling her before Sept. wouldn't be an option for me. I wouldn't want to put an SO in the situation of having to find a replacement for me over a 2 week Christmas break.

Is there anyone currently at the studio that would be able to train with you from Sept.-Dec.? If you have been with the studio for 10 years, and have a good rapport with the SO, surely you can work something out with her in honesty.

I am really torn on this one. As I know that it can be tough to find a replacement and while a month (let alone five) should be plenty of time, I also know that it can be a challenge... especially filling the spot mid season. On the other hand, I know that it's never intelligent to inform an employer that you are leaving too early. They often assume that you are going to be a "lame duck" and will replace you sooner than you need be. Or for the sake of their program, hire your replacement earlier, so that the students are not doing the mid-year switch.

I suppose you need to really look at your situation and what you feel is best. When you do make the announcement to your SO, I would make your needs and desires clear and hopefully she will be able to honor your wishes and allow you to continue teaching the classes until it is time for you to leave. Possibly volunteer to do things to make the transition go smoothly. (Offer to train a replacement if she feels needed. Offer to leave a syllabus explaining what has been done and what your plans were for the remainder of the year. Offer to complete any needed choreography so that the new teacher will only need to rehearse it.)

tapingirl makes a very strong point concerning communication in the opposite direction. While I don't think it is meant in a malicious manner, I am often given NO warning that my hours are being cut. I am always hired with the idea that I will teach only if the classes fill. I was supposed to teach a few extra classes this summer that were cut, as they just didn't have the registrations needed. I was told less than a week in advance. In the meantime, I was not able to fill this hours with other work and I had actually spent some time in preparing for them. The SO couldn't tell me a month in advance that they weren't going to run, yet it was harmful to my situation to not know.