Originally Posted by Anonymousnurse
I'm really confused about the probationary period. I read in the above post that during a probationary period, either the employer or employee can let each other go if things don't work out. However don't some hospitals have a deal that an employee has to commit to the hospital for a certain amount of time (mainly one year minimum) if hired? Can someone clarify this for me? Thanks
Some employers do require their new employees to sign a contract promising not to leave within a certain time frame. This usually happens when the employer is going to provide a lot of training for the new staff member -- and they don't want people who come to work for them only for the training and then leave as soon as the training is over. Such contracts are also common when the employer is offering special benefits, such as student loan forgiveness. If the employee leaves prior to the time at which the employer has "gotten their money's worth," the employee has to pay back the cost of the training or the scholarship or the student loan repayment money or whatever.
Some companies also have restrictions on benefits during the probationary period. For example, you might be accruing paid vacation time but not allowed to use it ... or you might not be eligible for the retirement program immediately ... etc.
My employer has such a contract for certain positions in which the orientation and training are exceptionally long -- but has a standard 90-day probationary period for most employees.
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