Dear J.T. and Dale: Eight years ago, I took my current job with every intention of staying until retirement. I was recently informed my job would be relocating to the company’s home base. I was told the relocation would be some time in the next six months, but I should be ready to relocate with two weeks’ notice. This is becoming stressful, so I am thinking of asking my employer to give me a definite date. Would this be an unwarranted request? – R.L. Dale: Hey, unless the company manufactures RVs and gives each employee one to live in, giving you a date seems merely decent.

J.T.: My first concern is whether you actually want to relocate. I would have to assume you do. However, if you aren’t up for moving, my advice is to start job searching right now. Should you find a new job, it would enable you to have good reason to force the issue by letting your employer know you need an answer.

Dale: Yes, get another offer and suddenly the power shifts back to you. I hope it does, because a company that would be so cavalier with employees’ lives is not one I want to work for.

J.T.: Perhaps you really want to stay with the company. If so, be proactive and let them know that you’re eager to move and that you’re curious as to what you should do to be next on the list. If they don’t jump at the chance to relocate you, you should take that as a warning signal that you might not be someone they are considering to relocate. At which point, I’d move the job search into high gear.

Dale: Either way, at present they have all the options. Your goal should be to generate some of your own.