Comment by win311fwg

> I can't just spontaneously decide one day [...]

Sure you can. What unstoppable force is going to prevent you?

You might find out there are undesirable consequences if you make that choice, but that is only if the employer decides to bring undesirable consequences. MEP employers in particular are generally apathetic about having an employee on staff. Extremely so — to the point that they won't even take a minute out of multiple years to say "hi" to the person they hired, never mind give any direction to the employee.

It doesn't have to be that way, but when the employer doesn't care, that is the way it will be.