Here are a few pointers we've learned to get written into the contract BEFORE we start an assignment. Whatever it is you want or need, HOLD YOUR GROUND. If your recruiter can't or won't give you what you need, then pick another company. There are hundreds to choose from.
1) Plan your vacations and get those dates you want/need written into the contract.
2) Put language in writing that specifies no PBDS testing or Prophecy testing is required by either the Agency OR the Hospital, and if it IS required, that the contract will NOT be cancelled if you fail. It is appalling that you move to a new location and commit to an apartment LEASE only to have a Performance Based Development System test sprung on you that hinges on whether or not you start working. That is unacceptable. You commit to a contract and so should they.
3) Instead of asking for completion bonuses or sign-on bonuses, negotiate a higher taxable hourly rate. This will be significant for take-home pay as nearly 40% of those bonuses go away to taxes withheld when the bonus pays out. Additionally, completion bonuses can be affected by the facility when they low census (for which you have no control). Some Agencies WILL penalize you even though it wasn't your fault you didn't get all the hours contracted for (see item #5 for guaranteed hours).
4) Insist that the clause for sick days be deleted or modified. Some companies will garnish your pay (we've seen up to $19/hr!) if you call in sick! At LEAST negotiate 2 days of sick time without a wage garnish.
5) Get "guaranteed hours worked" in your contract. This means that the facility guarantees you will be scheduled for AND WORK 36 hours after orientation is complete. We moved across the country and were then repeatedly low censused. It makes no sense to take an assignment and then be subject to low census repeatedly. GET THE GUARANTEE. The caveat to that, of course, is that you must then be prepared to float to other departments. But work is work!
6) Get a Travel Reimbursement of $300 to $500. Half pays out when you arrive at the assignment, the rest pays when you travel to either your tax home or next assignment.
7) Get hotel reimbursements in addition to the Travel Reimbursement. We have gotten up to $200 for hotels to go to an assignment.
8) If a new license is required for a state you accept a contract in, get License Reimbursement written into the contract and get the dollar amount specified.
9) Any certifications required, you get a Certification Reimbursement.
10) Any online training that is required prior to arriving for your first day of the assignment you get paid your base rate. We have spent up to 10 HOURS of unpaid training for one hospital that we never received pay for!!!! All of that was required before he started the job yet our Agency never disclosed it during contract negotiations and never compensated us. This training was specific to the hospital about it's policies and procedures.
11) Get the highest taxable rate that makes sense for you. Many agencies offer a low taxable rate ($10-$18/hr) and then make it up in a glamorous housing stipend. The Agency is saving a boatload of money by doing this because they don't have to pay out employment taxes and the saved money goes into their own pocket. Also, they are not paying into your social security account for your future, AND, if you plan to buy anything requiring a loan in the next 2 years, that housing stipend does not factor into your income so you will qualify for a smaller loan. One more thing to note, the IRS is now getting more aggressive on auditing Agencies who circumvent taxes by paying inappropriately low rates to nurses. BEWARE!
12) Make sure your contract specifies the hours of your shift assignments. We've seen assignments be for 12 hour night shifts but upon arrival they schedule nurses for days, pm's or eight hour shifts. That's a no-no!
13) Get your hourly and overtime rates specified. In California, for example, blended rates are usually quoted by your Agency. You must be able to see the specific hourly base rate and the specific OT rate so that you can determine if working an extra shift is worth it. Blended rates hide what you will actually earn.
14) Get a minimum eight hours of in-unit orientation time written into the contract. We have arrived at assignments where orientation was intended but never happened. Zero! The unit had a couple of nurses call in sick so we never were even given a tour around the unit, just thrown into the fire on the very first night.
15) If you take the company housing, specify all the things you require in your apartment, such as a TV, non-smoking, proximity to the facility, pets allowed, etc.
16) Assignment Extensions: Nurses who accept a contract extension need a paid visit to their tax home. Get the length of visit and the cost reimbursements written into the contract. Agencies typically offer $400-$500 for this, but often Nurses must ASK for it - it is not typically offered without asking for it.
17) A contract extension is really more accurately described as a new contract. Negotiate higher pay for the extension. The Agency doesn't spend money recruiting or getting a new nurse licensed/certified again, and the hospital isn't paying for more orientation. Many Agencies will offer completion bonuses to entice you but negotiate higher pay instead.
18) Finally, if a specific uniform is required by the hospital that you must go buy, get that reimbursement written into the contract. Though Uniforms are tax deductible, I would rather get the reimbursement from the Agency than wait to claim it on my taxes.
These are all things we learned the hard way as we didn't find any specific guides written anywhere as to what to ask for!
I hope these help you as you negotiate the best deal possible for yourself. If there is something else that you ask for that isn't listed here, please comment or email me as we'd love to know and share with others!
No comments:
Post a Comment