Question About My Status

[westieluv]

I have a full-time RN position at a dementia/ALF. Recently, I developed a medical issue and have to work a restricted number of days in a row per my physician. Due to this restriction, the facility informed me that I can no longer meet the requirements of the full-time position so they posted the position and changed my status to per diem. This was before the new schedule, which runs through February, came out.

On the new schedule, I am still scheduled for full-time hours, but they juggled it so that I didn't have to work more than a certain number of shifts in a row and am within my restriction. I guess I don't mind working the full-time hours for the time being, since they haven't filled the position yet, but because they told me that I am now per diem I have already found a part-time position elsewhere that does not require the physical effort that my current job does and will not be affected by my restriction. I haven't started it yet, but by the next schedule, I will definitely need to be taken off of full-time hours at my current job.

I don't know why, but I'm afraid to call them and ask them what is up with all of this. On the one hand, I'm upset that they told me that I am per diem and then went ahead and scheduled me for full-time hours, but on the other hand, I feel like I left them in a bit of a lurch and they don't have anyone else to fill those hours until they hire someone new so I need to just do it. I don't know how to request to be taken off of the full-time hours by the next schedule without appearing demanding, and I'm afraid they will think that I staged the medical issue so that I could slide out of the full-time position there into the new part-time, less physically taxing position, which is certainly not true.

Another consideration: if I'm no longer considered full-time, then I am scheduled for full-time hours without being eligible for benefits or earning PTO, which doesn't seem fair either. I emailed the manager who told me over the phone that I'm now per diem but she has not gotten back with me and it's been a few days now. I am afraid that if I call her I will break down, because all of this is stressing me out so much. Oh, and did I mention that my co-workers are mad at me because my restriction has caused the part-time nurse who works opposite my days to have her schedule changed and she is upset and threatening to quit because of it? They simply don't have any staff for our shift except for the two of us, which seems awfully short sighted to me and not my fault, but still...I seem to be getting the blame...

Any advice or help would be much appreciated!

[caliotter3]

They probably scheduled you for full time hours because they thought you wanted to remain fully employed, but within your restrictions, if you did not tell them otherwise. The only way you are going to be able to cut back on your schedule is to tell them what you want.

[westieluv]

Thanks, you're probably right, although when they told me I was going to be per diem, I guess I assumed that that meant letting them know what days I was available, vs. their giving me a completed schedule with me already scheduled for full-time hours on days that they selected. When you are full-time on a schedule that they choose, there are certain perks that come with it like medical benefits, earned PTO, etc. and as far as I know, being per diem means I am no longer getting any of those perks, so I really shouldn't be working a full-time schedule of their choosing.

I am really hoping that they have someone hired by the time the new schedule comes out, because they can make do filling those full-time hours until that person gets trained and I will definitely not allow them to schedule me full-time after the current schedule is done. I only got two weeks of training, so it's not like the new person will be in training for a long time either.

[Emergent, RN]

I don't know why you feel any way obligated to an employer who immediately demoted you to a non-benefited Per Diem status, instead of trying to accommodate your medical condition. They obviously have no loyalty to you! Yet, they jerk you around by keeping you on full time until they find your replacement.

Your co-workers are being self-centered too. You don't owe any of them anything. Be sure you get the Per Diem status spelled out clearly in an email or text. Be cordial and don't burn bridges, but you don't owe these people the time of day. You're the one with the medical problem! I'm angry on your behalf!

[westieluv]

Thank you, Emergent, for putting into words how I feel about this whole thing.

If I didn't have concern for the residents or a sense of decency, it would be so easy to just quit without notice. They terminate people left and right without notice, but somehow that's ok.

Thanks again. Any kind of support right now is more than welcome. I am in chronic pain every time I work and it is hard.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

As I told you on the previous post you created; your Heath is important; that job can kick rocks, especially since you found a part time decision that will help continue to practice as a nurse.

Your health is the priority and your changes are "fair" to the patients and to your peers, whether they see it or not.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

The scheduler probably assumed that you wanted to maintain your full time hours, but once that misconception is corrected you should not even be on the next schedule unless it is hours of your choosing. You are absolutely right that your change in status most likely caused you to lose all benefits, most if not all places pay per diem staff a higher hourly wage because of this. If they are not paying you more to stay per diem I would question this as well.

If you don't mind really rocking the boat I would also question why they changed your status to per diem at all instead of working with you to figure out a new schedule that would accommodate your needs without causing you to lose all benefits.