Dear Sarah,So I finally overcame my intimidation of The Big City, marched my ass into NY and got a career-oriented job that I love. Mere weeks after I was hired, my beloved spouse received a mind-boggling offer from his place of business . . . but it means we’d have to move back to LA for a year. We can’t afford to be Bi-Coastal, so it looks like I’m going to have to give up my job here. We’ve decided to move in September, when our lease is up. How and when should I tell my employers about this? I feel dishonest right now, like I’m keeping something from them, but I also don’t want them to write me off professionally (“Oh, she’ll be gone in a couple months, to heck with her”) because I would like to come back after our temporary stay in LA. And plus I just feel crummy that, after intending to stay in this job at least six months to a year, I’m flaking.

I would go ahead and tell your employers. You could make a compelling case for keeping it to yourself and then giving your notice in August, just before you move, but I think coming clean is more to your advantage (not to mention classier). Your employers will no doubt respect your forthrightness, not least because it will allow them to plan ahead for your departure, and they might even hook you up with a similar job on the west coast.

Tell them what you’ve just told me. Let them know that you feel bad about leaving, but that you’d like to take full advantage of your remaining time in the job. Frankly, I don’t think they’ll hold your place for you for the year if you’ve only worked there for a couple months, but you should get a good recommendation out of them.

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