Anyone else Salaried here?

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2007

Yes, our case managers are salaried. I've learned to be bendable. There have been days when I've left home at 9am and been home before noon. Those are beautiful days. There have been some downright ugly ones too.

If you're not getting any of the perks and all of the disadvantages, maybe greener pastures are in order?

AtlantaRN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

Yes, our case managers are salaried. I've learned to be bendable. There have been days when I've left home at 9am and been home before noon. Those are beautiful days. There have been some downright ugly ones too.
If you're not getting any of the perks and all of the disadvantages, maybe greener pastures are in order?

I took a beautiful day today, there was a "mandatory meeting" at 8:30, I was there at 8:15, by 8:45 no one else had showed, so I called my administrator and went to my first appointment. I got a call from the secretary at 9am saying "we are ready for the meeting now," I told her I was halfway to my first visit-I wouldn't be there. Last monday, I was out a total of 16.75 hours (7 visits, and one pronouncement of death), I decided today I wouldn't have another one of those days, so I went and did my 4 visits--this morning when I called my boss I told her I would do my visits, then go home because I wasn't having another day like last monday. at 3pm, she beeps me and tells me she wants to "talk with me." I called in, she said "we need to meet tomorrow to make sure we are on the same page with your hours---she says I only worked 42 hours last week, so I shouldn't have a full day off.....

I'm bringing a list of the last 4 weeks with pay stubs to prove hours worked...

I'm about ready to just go back to the hospital. I made a few dollars less, but the on call at this place is killing me-10 shifts a month (we only have 3 nurses and I"m the only full time person.

thank you for your input. I like the greener pastures. sometimes I just need someone to confirm what I already believe. (that is how it gets when I'm overly tired).

linda

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 19, 2007

Working extra hours for free is common in salaried positions. Someimes people new to salaried positions are shocked or extremely angry when they realize that they will put in some "free overtime" hours as part of the deal. They are used to being paid for each hour worked -- and the whole idea of being salaried is to not have a direct link between the number of hours worked and the amount paid.

Having spent most of my 30-year nursing career in salaried positions, I have learned to make it work for me and I wouldn't want to have to go back to an hourly wage. I appreciate the flexibility that comes with most salaried positions and wouldn't want to give that up. I put up with the disadvantages so that I can enjoy the advantages -- and I make sure that I don't work so many hours that it's unreasonable. I've become very good at documenting my work so that there is no question that I have earned my pay within a time frame of 40 - 45 hours per week.

AtlantaRN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

I appreciate the flexibility that comes with most salaried positions and wouldn't want to give that up. I put up with the disadvantages so that I can enjoy the advantages -- and I make sure that I don't work so many hours that it's unreasonable. I've become very good at documenting my work so that there is no question that I have earned my pay within a time frame of 40 - 45 hours per week.

I probably wouldn't have such a hard time with it if my administrator put in more hours also. She writes on her time sheet 8:30-5p, but she is never there before 9 and i've never seen her stay until 5.

Thank you for your input. I really don't mind the 40-45 range, but there have been weeks when I"ve ran in the 50-54h range (when our census was higher), but that was in march and april...

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 19, 2007

I probably wouldn't have such a hard time with it if my administrator put in more hours also. She writes on her time sheet 8:30-5p, but she is never there before 9 and i've never seen her stay until 5.
QUOTE]
Your administrator may be padding her hours, but obviously, I don't know about that one way or another. It's also possible that she is taking credit for hours spent working at home. Do you really have proof that she is not just listing a "standard work day" on her time sheets to represents a lot of odd, miscellaneous time rather than listing a series of telephone calls at home, work taken home over the weekend, etc.? That is standard practice with some salaried positions.
It's usually best to not pay too much attention to how other people structure their hours, etc. They have made their arrangements with their supervisors and you have made yours. Those arrangements might not be exactly the same. Just take care of your own business and let other people worry about theirs.
As I said in an earlier post, I try to limit my work time to 40-45 hours per week. By having a couple of hours "extra" each week, it gives me the freedom to goof off sometimes, take long lunches, go to a doctor's appointment, etc. without having to worry about how it looks or feel guilty.
When I had a job once that often required me to work more than 45 hours per week, I documented that fact and renegotiated my arrangements with my employer. In that case, we each compromised. I was able to reduce my hours to about 45 hours per week (which was more hurs than I wanted), but I did get paid extra for them.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

---she says I only worked 42 hours last week, so I shouldn't have a full day off.....
linda

I was salaried for almost 17 years. It's easy for managers to fall into thre mindset that if you work 40 that's ok.

Regarding comptime for the hours over: federal law doesn't require that an employer grant any "take-back time" when over 40 hours, so you need to google your state employment laws to see if it's a provsion. Otherwise, it's at either the employers discretion, or bound by their HR policies.

On the other hand, if you work less than a full day, you should still be entitled to a full days pay.

aimeee, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

I'm salaried but I am not a case manager. You will rarely see me come in before 8:30 but I am often there until 6p and usually don't take much more than 15 or 20 minutes for lunch, unless its a business lunch. I get calls from staff sometimes in the evening or morning and I take administrative call rotation. I read the on call report from home and sometimes write emails while still in my bunny slippers in the morning and will often spend an hour or more of my "day off" dealing with issues at work via cell phone or computer as well. While sometimes this doesn't amount to much, sometimes it takes up a significant portion of my weekend or evening. We are allowed to "take back" our overtime, but it almost never happens. Being salaried is a different mindset. Its pay for whatever the job takes, not for the hours you are compensated for. Its up to each of us to set our limits on what we can do and still maintain a balance in our lives.

AtlantaRN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

Its up to each of us to set our limits on what we can do and still maintain a balance in our lives.

Unfortunately, I am not good at setting limits. I feel the weight of this position crushing me to the point I can't take a deep breath. There is no one to back me up (last monday I worked 16.75 hours and my manager wouldn't even go check on one of my patients for me--as I couldn't be two places at once). I not only am expected to see all the patients, but when the secretary needs to go to lunch, they expect me to rush back to work to cover her. There is a salaried social worker, but she is assertive and works only 40 hours a week. On top of that, call for 10 nights a month in addition to the patient visits, and deaths, it's consuming me.

I don't have balance to the point i'm physically ill.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 19, 2007

Unfortunately, I am not good at setting limits. I feel the weight of this position crushing me to the point I can't take a deep breath. .....
I don't have balance to the point i'm physically ill.

Well, then maybe a salaried position is not for you at this point in your life. You may be better off as a staff nurse working for an hourly wage. Or perhaps, it might just be this particular job and this particular employer who is not right for you.

Is there someone familiar with your work setting that you can discuss these things with? Does everyone in your agency have similar schedule problems? Is there someone who can help you problem-solve your particular situation?

If everyone is working the type of schedule that you don't want to work, then perhaps this is probably not the job for you. On the other hand, if your colleagues seem to not have similar schedule demands, then perhaps they can teach you how they do it. Saying "No" and regulating your time are learnable skills.

AtlantaRN, RN · Jun 19, 2007

Saying "No" and regulating your time are learnable skills.

I'm the only full time nurse there, except for the administrator and social worker, and they are rarely in the office.

Saying "no" is what I need to learn.

Thank you for your input. I just have to make it 7 more days, then I'm on vacation for 10 days...that will help me regroup.

linda

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2007

There is definitely a give and take to salaried positions. It works for me because I work with a great team. I think that makes all the difference. We allow each other down time and just do what needs to be done to pick up the slack. I try to take solace on my really busy days by remembering that we do good and honorable work.

I've noticed in the majority your threads that you have never felt good about where you're at. That says it all.