[kdblueey]

Hello everyone:

I am a new traveler. I had a travel assignment back in 2000. Before the assignment that I am on now, I had a 'travel' assignment, but it was only 60 miles from my home, so 'I' did not really consider it a travel assignment...............

I am in Amarillo, TX, at the present time. I have done extensive research online before this assignment and recently also. According to many postings, I am getting 'ripped' off from my current travel company. Here is basically the contents of my contract:

The company gave me $250 for travel/gas. They also gave me $150 for hotel expenses. These two amounts were for travel expenses from Ohio to Texas (1400 miles). I have to pay these monies back (divided over the first six paychecks). I also have to pay back a $30 charge for the travel company to verify my Ohio license through NURSYS. They also gave me a $200 sign-on bonus, which I found out later (through my research) is an almost insult to the nursing profession.

As I find out new things on various travel forums, etc., I email my recruiter. She is getting to the point of being upset with all of my many questions. I went on their own website this past weekend, and saw many new things, such as completion bonuses, free CEU credits, extension bonuses, credentialing reimbursements. So, of course, I emailed my recruiter, never dreaming that she would actually call me on a Sunday morning. She was very irate with me. She said that she thought that 'all of this' was taken care of, but I keep bringing things up. She said "I told you that day you came in the office, and [the payroll person] told you that we reimburse for licensing credentialing. She should of never told you that, so I told you that day that we would reimburse you for your Texas license." She then preceded to tell me that traveling was like a 'piece of a pie'. She told me to pick whatever 'package' I wanted, and that she would provide it, but it would affect my hourly rate/take home pay. So I guess the bottom line with them is: whatever benefits, reimbursement, travel monies, rental car, etc. that I want (up front), it will affect my net pay.

Sorry that this is so long, but if anyone has any comments/suggestions, please reply.

Thanks.

Kathy, RN

[canoehead]

You agreed to the contract you have in hand, and the thing to do is bring that information with you to the next negotiation. Your recruiter is rightfully upset if you are trying to renegotiate something you already signed.

[bassmasterangler]

What would be considered a good sign on bonus for a NON-Travel nurse???

[travelnurse229]

Find a new recruiter. Different companies compensate differently. If you are unhappy with the contract you signed, then amicably complete it and find a new recruiter. There are plenty out there I gather.

Different people's brains comprehend things differently. This is not an insult but the facts. CSome people want to know bottom line what there take home after taxesw will bee. That's the only number they care about.

Other's only want to hear hourly rates usually not fully understanding how the non tax monies work. $700/week in non tax travel money is a heck of a lot more than $700/week taxed salary.

You need to find the best numbers out there that work for you : )

[TLT52]

i AGREE WITH TRAVELNURSE229. COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENT AND FIND A NEW RECRUITER. NOT TO SAY THIS RECRUITER IS GOOD OR BAD, JUST MAYBE NOT RIGHT FOR YOU. EVERYTHING IS NEGOTIABLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND PAYING BACK YOUR TRAVEL EXPENSES. SOMETIMES YOU OPT NOT GETTING TRAVEL EXPENSES AND BLEND IT INTO YOUR PAY. IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR SITUATION. I'VE BEEN TRAVELING FOR OVER 7 YEARS AND STILL LEARNING THE ROPES.

[ERRNTraveler]

I agree with the others- find a new travel company when your assignment is over. You should NOT have to pay back your travel reimbursement. This is the first time I have heard of a company making you pay this back!

[cooked123]

I agree with most of the above. Complete this assignment and RUN, don't walk, to another travel company. I don't know why you signed on to such a wretched package (contract), but you evidently did. Next time, at the outset, get ALL of your options explained, all of your questions asked...AMN sucks BTW...they change you to an assitnat as soon as you start your contracts, and they never stand behind their nurse...afraid of ruining their contracts with large lucrative hospital systems. Nures'sRX and Preferred Nurses are under the World Health umbrella as well (AMN's parent company). Hang in there; I travelled for awhile and had only one company treat me poorly (AMN)...you will learn an important lesson about signing before you know and agree to the terms. I am sorry for you...remember it will pass!

[loricatus]

I also agree with all the others that are telling you to find a new company/recruiter. Most will give you the travel allowance on the first check and not have you reimburse them for it. I am sure that this must be a case where the recruiter gets compensated for everything that the company can get away with in not paying you; and you owe no loyalty to your recruiter.

It seems that is time to start talking to other companies and let your recruiter know that you won't bother her anymore. Have them (the recruiters you inquire with)detail everything before you even consent to be submitted somewhere. IMHO, you should stay away from the 3 largest companies (American Mobile and it's other companies-think that's who is referred to as the 'evil empire,' Cross Country with it's subsidiaries and National Healthcare Staffing with its new partner NurseFinders) because they are so big that their high expenses take away from the traveler's income.

[kdblueey]

Originally Posted by canoehead

You agreed to the contract you have in hand, and the thing to do is bring that information with you to the next negotiation. Your recruiter is rightfully upset if you are trying to renegotiate something you already signed.

I'm not trying to renegotiate anything. What I keep "questioning" is things like, having to pay back verification of licensing, and travel monies that they gave me up front. No other company that I have found online makes the nurse pay back monies used for travel expenses, and especially having to pay back $30 for my travel company to verify my nursing license. That should be at their expense.

I will definately use your advice in regard to having my questions answered BEFORE I sign the next contract. And a good recruiter doesn't get upset because a BRAND, NEW traveler is asking questions.

[TLT52]

You may not have the information needed on your actual contract with the hospital. But, check your paperwork from the company. You may find the loopholes there. I'm not sure, but I have never heard of payback from weekly paychecks.
My company has always paid for a new license. Don't know what company you have, but I think it's time to (as was said before) finish the assignment and look for another company.
I had a horrible recruiter with the 1st company (I've been with 2). She just couldn't be bothered with the new, green traveler. I think back, seven years later and still get angry with her. She was not only unprofessioinal, but just not nice.

I learned so much with talking to other travelers on assignment. Picked everyones brain. Listen, listen and listen. Not every company meets your needs. What is good for one traveler may not be so with another. You need to find the company for you.

I almost left my company because I inherited a new recruiter who was not a good fit for me. Luckily, she retired. I then was directed to one of the best I have had since my very first assignment. Unfortunately, she is gone. I have a new recruiter. We do fine.