Can we trust the agency?

I don't really know. The agency I work for as a fee schedule with each hospital they contract with. I get a flat rate, the amount depending on the hospital. I have no idea how much more they charge the hospital above and beyond what they pay me. 80% sounds good, but I would be more concerned about whether I would want to work for however much that works out to be per hour, and whether they take out taxes or not. If they don't take out taxes, you can really get messed up if you aren't familiar with doing taxes. Plus, if they don't take them out, that means you are self-employed, and they don't have to pay you overtime.

Most agencies give a flat rate to nurses. For example, I worked for an agency that charged nuring homes $31/hr, and paid the nurses $26

I can't believe the mentioned figures. My first agency gave us 50% of the stated pay rate (so there was a range from private pay to insurance to Medi-cal). Now every agency lowballs their nurses (at least in my area). And one agency even gave their nurses a pay cut! The nurse told me that she put up with this b/c she wanted to stay with her client (home health). Oh, and I forgot, some have figured out how to break the law concerning overtime! Of course, that is the fault of the nurse who agrees. (Often, uninformed or scared foreign nurses or those who are just so insecure that they never stand up for themselves.)

If they offered you 80% of the billing rate, I would ask to see it in writing, each and every time b/c my present agencies cry "Medi-cal reimbursement" every time the subject comes up, even when they are giving us a private pay or insurance client. If they would only state that their policy is "such and such" and will not change. It's the outright lies that pizz me off.

I'm a little puzzled. My employer states we pay agency $40 hr. every time we use and agency RN and $26 hr. for agency CNAs.

Know I have heard the agency nurses say they make $30 and the CNAs say they make $16 at agency. (the same agency)

Now it doesn't seem logical that the agency is making money after paying theirr over head thier workmans comp the SSI etc. Do these numbers seem right to you?

I have never been quoted a % of the billing rate. That seems odd to me.

renerian

I don't know how my agency stays in business these days. I keep getting called off and when I do work the other agency nurses are saying the same.

I have gone from 32-40 hours per week for the past 12 weeks to 2 shifts this week and I'm not sure I won't get called off for tonight, Just a feeling. I hope this does not continue.

I will tell you that $40/hr is a very low bill rate for an RN!