Would you agree to a 15 day hotel quarantine for company travel

Two engineers who work for me and my self are expected to travel to Japan in order to conduct final delivery on a project that we have been working on for over a year. The travel was always known to be required since the beginning of the project but now we are reaching the end and the travel is now "real" and not just some future event to worry about when we get to it.

When the Program Manager started to plan the initial travel arrangements with the customer this past week we find out that there is a mandatory 15 day quarantine; and that we must sign a pledge that states we agree to be incarcerated by the Japanese government if we violate any of the terms of the quarantine.

The working travel is expected to be for two weeks and with the quarantine the whole travel will take over a month. We are expected to leave December 4th and we return some time in January.

The prospect of a 15 day quarantine is certainly not appealing. Being stuck in a hotel room for 15 days sounds like something you make a criminal endure for bad behavior. And the idea of going to work in a foreign environment after being stuck in a hotel room for 15 days is also not appealing; no time to decompress from a bad situation before being put into another stressful situation.

Being away from family for that long at that time of year is also not appealing.

My team has told me they don't want to go on the travel. I don't want to go on the travel. Our company would like us to go on the travel and we have been told (nicely) that "it is our jobs."

Monday I will either have to book the travel or tell the company we refuse to go.

What would you do under this situation? How would you feel about quarantine in a hotel room for 15 days in a foreign country?

a reply to: dandandat2

Is the 15 day quarantine billable?

If so, bring a few books and a computer and zen for 15 days.

In my humble opinion.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: dandandat2

Is the 15 day quarantine billable?

If so, bring a few books and a computer and zen for 15 days.

In my humble opinion.

Yes we would get our normal salaries for the 15 days.

ETA

Our other duties wouldn't stop just because we are in a hotel room. So I suspect we would spend some of that time actually doing work on other projects.

For me personally I would spend all of that time on other projects. Due to the current workload I am under.

a reply to: dandandat2

I'd bill the hell out of your Japanese client and do it.

Be a shame to piss away a year or more of work because of a quarantine.

originally posted by: dandandat2
What would you do under this situation? How would you feel about quarantine in a hotel room for 15 days in a foreign country?

It depends... if I had internet access and a PlayStation, plus room service with as much alcohol as I desired, then it would be heaven on earth for me.

But if you were basically locked up in a room with no access to anything but the bare essentials, that would be a really horrible experience.

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa

originally posted by: dandandat2
What would you do under this situation? How would you feel about quarantine in a hotel room for 15 days in a foreign country?

It depends... if I had internet access and a PlayStation, plus room service with as much alcohol as I desired, then it would be heaven on earth for me.

But if you were basically locked up in a room with no access to anything but the bare essentials, that would be a really horrible experience.

Currently my company has not "sweetened" the deal in any way.

We would have internet access; but unless we bring our own equipment; access would be on our company devices.

We would get a per diem for food and drink; but it wouldn't be unlimited. Food would also be at hotel prices.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: dandandat2

I'd bill the hell out of your Japanese client and do it.

Be a shame to piss away a year or more of work because of a quarantine.

The company would not lose all of the work done nor the profit. There has been progress payments. Even the final payment is likely to occur in someway or form. One of my companies expectation is to get that final payment this fiscal year which is why they don't want to push it to next year.

a reply to: dandandat2

Japanese are funny about business and showing respect though.

I guess it all depends on how critical a client it is.

It'd be poor form to "take the money and run".

a reply to: dandandat2

Yes we would get our normal salaries for the 15 days.

I'd do it, but only because I have places in Tokyo to stay other than a government provided place, and people to pick me up. I don't know if I could be cooped up in a hotel or wherever it is that the Japanese government has for people to stay at.

a reply to: dandandat2

hire some local guys in Japan, that are in the field for contract work. use a Iphone, and walk them through it if its on site. It will be a damn well bit cheaper then the 1000k/night hotel bill the company would pay, on top of my first class ticket to get over there, and the massive amount of overtime I would charge being confined for 15 days. In short tell your boss if he wants it done, he can do it his damn self, or give you 150k bonus upfront before you leave.

Camain

Get paid...come home after a month and get laid, laid ,laid..

a reply to: dandandat2

Offer me a trip to Japan and make me stay in the hotel 2 weeks without working and all for free. DOMO ARIGATO BABY !

a reply to: dandandat2


your company should read this: jp.usembassy.gov...

and its for 14 days or 10 days

also your company can have someone pick you up and stay at their located choice.

Hope this helps you. Make sure your company reads this. Also, make sure you have travel health insurance. www.insuremytrip.com...

I’m thinking I would be a no on this; unless they paid me generously.. It’s not even pool weather temps there right now. Are you going to be near Fukushima? If so, I would be a solid call in sick due to a stomach virus and stay home.

No

originally posted by: Subaeruginosa

originally posted by: dandandat2
What would you do under this situation? How would you feel about quarantine in a hotel room for 15 days in a foreign country?

It depends... if I had internet access and a PlayStation, plus room service with as much alcohol as I desired, then it would be heaven on earth for me.

But if you were basically locked up in a room with no access to anything but the bare essentials, that would be a really horrible experience.

A Play Station? LOL, it's not a sleepover. Hell give me a phone and internet and a kitchenette and Id be fine especially if it's paid.

That said its total BS that it is being required for 1.6% lethality COVID

Per diem vs use your best judgement would be the deal breaker. I would also ask for business class at minimum if you're not already getting it. Perhaps a few discretionary days between regular job duties and finishing this project.

I once got conned into making a 2 week stay into 6 months of work away from my wife. Then again it was a location neither of us thought she'd be safe as I would be in the city on the weekends and out in BFE during the week at the work site. I got a lot of leeway for that one though as the client requested me personally over anyone else on our team.

If they want you going the extra mile they need to make it worth your while.

a reply to: dandandat2

Also, make sure your hotel room is more than just a drawer to sleep in and a head that doubles as a shower.

a reply to: Hypntick

Recently I had to do a two week stay in Hawaii for a customer. There were no local hotel rooms avaliable for the solid two weeks so they put me up at a resort, all billable.

originally posted by: musicismagic
a reply to: dandandat2


your company should read this: jp.usembassy.gov...

and its for 14 days or 10 days

also your company can have someone pick you up and stay at their located choice.

Hope this helps you. Make sure your company reads this. Also, make sure you have travel health insurance. www.insuremytrip.com...

Thank you for the information; I'll read through it when I haven't had a few beers.