Advice on work situation

[Shelbyash12]

I have been working for a home care agency for over two months. I work 32 hours a week there and on the weekends I work thirty at my other job. Both jobs know my schedule, I basically work 62 hours a week which I don't mind. At my home care job a couple weeks ago I got off my eight hour graveyard shift and went home. As soon as I got home I got a phone call from the home care agency saying they were desperate for someone to work right now. They knew I just got off and that I worked a ten hour shift that night at my other job. On the phone they said they would give me a bonus that day. I left my house at 8am and didn't get home until 3pm. They paid me two hours because most of my day was spent doing med reminders and there are big gaps when I sit in the office but I couldn't leave. Once I got my check I emailed my boss just explaining that I didn't know I would be gone all day and only being paid for two hours. She called me the following day and left a voicemail saying they give me all these hours and I didnt have to say yes then she said to call her back. I was unable to call her back until the next morning. My previous boss and a family friend got called about a reference check that morning. I was hired two months ago! My email was nothing but nice and when I called my boss she said it was left in the voicemail and I was just trying to start conflict by calling. I was nothing but nice I just told her I wanted a heads up on how many hours they plan on paying me before I agree. She stated that they sent a gift card of 25 dollars to me but it's been a couple weeks since that shift and it still isn't here. What's your advice on this? Was I in the wrong? I have been nothing but nice to this company and I have never been treated so rude on the phone in my life! And I was a telephone survey caller once haha! Thanks for reading my long story too!

[h_kitty, CNA]

Wow I would have threatened to quit right then and there...if you have on document some where that you worked 8 hours, then use it. Don't let them take advantage of you ! I've had old home health agencies call me back for help but they always tell me I'm getting paid hourly. Your boss seems really unprofessional. If you're going to stay with that company, make sure you always look at your paychecks. When they say they need you, I'd say no....I'd feel so uncomfortable working for someone like that...

[nguyency77, CNA]

I would start looking for another job. This is exactly why I dislike many home care agencies--in my own experience they treat their aides/CNA like crap and believe they can treat you all however they want simply because some of their employees are unlicensed, etc.

Don't let them take advantage of you; you did the work, and therefore must be paid. They can't just pay you for however long they wish.

[student forever]

That seems totally dishonest on their part. I would not make that error twice! Experiences like these do help us to ask pertinent questions. Thank you for sharng that with us on here so we can be watchful.

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

I would probably save all the emails/voicemails, talk to a labor lawyer, and get his/her advice. A lot of them don't charge you to consult with them.

There's no way I would let that slide. I know a lot of home care agencies don't pay you for your time in between appointments, but it sounds like they set yours up in a way that wasted your time AND deceived you. The comment about, "you didn't have to say yes" really irks me. They're right-- you didn't have to, but you did (probably because they neglected to inform you that you'd be getting paid for only 2 out of the 7 hours you worked), and they turned around and screwed you over and now they're mad that you question that?

If I were you I'd look for another job. And if that turns out to be another agency, I would make sure not to accept extra assignments until it was clear what you'd be getting paid, etc so there wouldn't be any sneaky tricks.

Good luck!