Bad Contracts

You sound surprised! You would not have been if you had read your contract before signing. Your warning applies to basically every agency there.

Here is what is working against great sick policies: everything is paid out of an all inclusive bill rate. If you don't work, the agency doesn't get any money coming in to pay for expenses, including your pay and housing. If you really want insurance against being sick, would you be willing to take say a $5 an hour pay cut so the agency can afford to pay sick time? Probably not, and you would not even consider an agency paying $5 less an hour than all the other agencies.

If your health or finances are risky, a benefited staff position is the place for you. They have that $5 cut already worked into your total compensation.

Otherwise, a good way to go if you are in good health is to self-insure. This takes some discipline but putting money away regularly and investing conservatively will cover not only infrequent sick days, but all other unexpected events such as family emergency. If you can wrap your head around this, you will be happier and come out ahead financially in the long run. You are basically an independent agent and need to look after yourself. No agency will.

this applies to "agency" nurses of any kind....

Every contract I have was bad except one. Always have to learn something new and now the jobs are slim pickings when I am picky about who I work with.

Yes, I am learning these now.

They are all too good to be true.

I will just do this few more rounds and settle down with something perm.