getting fired and then collecting your retirement

[iluvivt]

A friend of mine at retirement age is worried she could be fired. She want to work two more years. This is in a California hospital in which she has worked for 34 years. Will she lose her employee match on the 403b,her PTO or can they refuse to pay her monthly retirement check. She has worked about 96- 110 hours per pay period in the last 5 years to get that retirement benefit up to the max. Personally,I think it is a witch hunt as the complaints they have about her are so vague....communication problems such as she is to blunt.....NEVER problems with patient care or clinical issues. Does anybody have any ideas on this or good site to check out....we would appreciate any help....TX

[litbitblack, ASN, RN]

The above is correct. The PTO you've already earned is your money, they cannot tamper with it or refuse to pay it to you. As long as you have hours in your PTO bank, you will be paid those hours. They will continue to pay into your retirement as long as you work for them.

PTO may be an earned benefit but they do NOT have to pay it to you., THats is what i am going thru right now. Be careful and cash it in if you can.

[beamer 05]

Hello. I am the nurse ILUVIVT is referring to re the firing/retirement issue. I have been told that all my retirement, pto, and employee match are not affected if I am laid off or fired. None of the write/ups I am called up for are ever clinical issues. They are "communication" issues: they way I say something, my tone of voice, or the fact that I said what I said at all. Seems they are wanting a paper trail in order to show justification for firing me. I know exactly what I have to do inorder to hang on barely 2 yrs. to better position myself financially. I am a widow and don't have a second income to rely on. Having said that, I will resign faster than they can fire me at any time in those 2 years if I sense the end in site for me by them. Thanks for all your comments.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

beamer 05...welcome to allnurses! I'm sorry you're going through this mess, and I think it completely stinks that nurses can and will do this to other nurses. Even if it does come down to them "getting you out of there", you'll have the opportunity to resign and tell them where to stick it before you're fired. That is, if you work for a reputable, ethical hospital. I wish you the best of luck.

vamedic4

[Batman24]

Hi Beamer. I'm so sorry they are doing this to you after all you have done for them. It's always horrible and disheartening to read about this happening to wonderful nurses who spent their lives helping others.

Question...how many times in the past 34 years have you been written up for the things they are now saying you do?! Is this only happening as of late?! How many times and when did it start?! If this is only recent you might want to contact a lawyer. It reeks of an age discrimination suit. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get some legal advice here. I'd call Monday.

Also, don't sign a thing you don't agree with. I wouldn't so readily give them the paper trail they desire. Would you consider going into another nursing job for 2 years and leaving this place?! Sending a hug your way.

[caliotter3]

When something like this happened to my Dad, he got himself a good employment attorney. When he finished suing his employer and winning, he got an excellent settlement, and a severance pension that I believe may have been better than a regular retirement. She should see an employment attorney right away.