The sole intent of this blog post is that I pray it comes up to for anyone doing a google search for Travel Nursing, American Mobil Nursing or Preferred Healthcare Staffing.
For my very first travel nursing assignment, I chose Preferred Healthcare Staffing. I drove out to Houston Texas on September 4th to start my new assignment on September 8th with TOPS Surgical Hospital. I was interviewed over the phone by both Preferred Healthcare Staffing. and TOPS for a position as an 11-7 circulating RN in the operating room.
On my first day as I was being introduced to everyone, my OR manager said, "This is Janet, she will be doing the 12-8 shift." I didn't correct her but did come home, check my contract and called my recruiter, Nick. Nick assures me that he had no idea the hours were to be 12-8 but asked me to be flexible for now. I agreed. One hour either way wasn't that big of a deal, right?
As the first week progressed, IKE headed for Houston. I was the "last man standing" as it were, in the OR. I did the last case of the evening, I stayed later than the "staff" of the OR did, to secure the equipment used during my case. The rest of the equipment had already been taken care of. We faxed in my time card for the first week without the last shift's hours since we had to cover and unplug the fax machine prior to leaving for the day. The OR manager stated that it wouldn't matter because I was guaranteed my time anyway, right? It was for 19.5 hours.
The Monday and Tuesday after IKE the OR was damaged and we were told not to come to work. There was no power or water. The staff had a meeting and it was determined that they were going to be paid for the three days that the facility was closed. For the remainder of the week we were told to come in at 9:30 to re-sterilize the equipment, and clean up the OR. Lunch was provided because there was still no power. We were working on back up generator. We worked a grand total of 20hrs that week cleaning. On Thursday of that week I got my first pay check. And it was for 19.5 hours. NOT the 40hrs guaranteed that I was supposed to get.
Upon calling into payroll I was informed that this facility was not a guaranteed pay week facility. I protested. I have a contract. It says guaranteed hours! They agree. Yes it is guaranteed. We're sorry. "Since its so late today we'll wire you the money on Friday." Friday comes and goes and still no wire. I called back. "OH I see where it was to be wired. But since its so late today, we'll wire you the money on Monday." Monday comes and I get a wire for 8hrs of work. Wait. 8+19.5 does not equal 40!
Payroll explains that I'm confused about the wording of my contract. Forget that my recruiter, Nick, had told me on the phone, "Your guaranteed 40hours no matter how many you work." And my OR manager had said, "Your guaranteed 40hours no matter what, right?" Payroll says that I'm to be paid for 40hours IF the facility cancels me MORE than 24 hours in a pay week. Forget that the contract says "24 hours per assignment, which are cancelled by the Facility and cannot be made up during the pay cycle."
So basically, I've been hired to do a shift that only gets around 30-35 hours of work every week. The OR schedule is finished most days by 6pm. So I work 6-7hours a day. If I try to break the contract, I owe them $8hr for the rest of the contracted 13 weeks. (I have 10 weeks left or $3200) I've packed up, moved 900 miles from home, to work part time.
When I spoke with payroll last night the voice on the other end of the phone made the comment, "Its a common mis perception regarding the guaranteed work week." Indicating to me that out there somewhere is another RN who thought, was mislead to believe that she/he was getting paid for 40 hours a week on this new exciting career with American Mobil Nursing or Preferred Healthcare Staffing.
I would pay to have this blog post be in the top google searches if it saved someone else from American Mobil Nursing or Preferred Healthcare Staffing.
I'd love to hear from you if you too have been mislead by American Mobil Nursing or Preferred Healthcare Staffing.
6 comments:
So I get an update from "Nick" who promises me that they, the company, are going to "make good" on his verbal agreement that I would be paid for 40hrs even if I didn't work 40 hrs. He assures me that they are going to deposit the money today. Later in the day I get another phone call from him. "Because its so late in the day they're not able to send it today. But they will get it to me on Monday." Sound familiar?
UPDATE...So Monday came and I got another call from Nick. He's so sorry. For some strange reason they're not able to wire the full amount but they will add it to my next paycheck.
I get the next paycheck and guess what? It was not for working a full shift each day, even though I turned in the correct forms to bring each days total up to 40 hours for the week.
AND they subtracted the "advance" that they had already sent me. Wait, wasn't THAT advance for the week prior?
For this past pay check~ even though I jumped through all the hoops, documented all the time correctly, they still only paid me for 50.75hrs in a two week pay cycle. Plus an "inconvenience" bonus that was to cover the last pay check "misunderstanding."
So in three weeks of "Guaranteed" 40 hour work week(120 hours), I've been paid for 78.5 hours.
At this point not even going to mention the "quick start" bonus mentioned but not in contract... or the up front travel, still not reimbursed, or the $200 for my Texas license, still not reimbursed (both of which ARE in my contract.)
I'm to the point that I think I might just want to be done with this assignment. Lesson learned.
Nick has really been trying to make things right. He's working on my insurance issue. (That is actually my fault) They're not 100% awful. In case you are keeping tally, they did NOT pay me for all of my hours this past paycheck either. I got paid for 50.75 (I had taken 3 days off and I don't get paid for those. I had negotiated into my contract that I would be off those days. I just failed to negotiate that I'd be paid for them.) So I got paid for 50.75 of the 56 that I was supposed to. So they're getting CLOSER to getting it right!
Now I have Craig helping Nick to work through my issues to get this resolved. On the phone, everyone sounds so nice, and appears as though they honestly want to help get this resolved.
However I got an email, after being told that my insurance forms, with proof that they were faxed in the first 30days, were received and things were taken care of from Amy. The email reads: Hi Janet,
I have received your insurance enrollment form. However, at this time you are not able to enroll as you are past your eligibility period. All enrollment forms must be turned in within 30 days of your assignment start date and we are unable to accept late forms.
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Thanks!!
I want to scream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
UPDATE*** As of today, 3/18/09 I STILL have not been reimbursed for my travel home ($300) or for my Texas nursing license (in my original contract to be paid) ($200)
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