Breaking the contract

[KellyMcNeil]

I am a new graduate joining a hospital for my first job. As a condition of my hire and for a bonus, I am to sign a two year contract that mentions no consequences to breaking the agreement except for forfeiture of my bonus. Of course I intend to stay for more than a year but am probably going to leave the hospital after about a year and a half for various reasons including desires for travel, volunteering and travel nursing opportunities.

Does anyone know of any unspoken consequences to breaking a contract such as bad references, other hospitals or agencies "looking down" on you or other?

[caliotter3]

There is always the possibility that there will be negativity, whether or not it is readily evident, on either side when you look for work. It is extremely difficult to find out if someone is saying bad things about you. You can't read the mind of your interviewer and can only guess at what their "secret prejudices" are. Also, anything can be happening at that point in time. You may need to go. You may get so happy that you change your mind about going. One thing you can almost count on during an interview is to be asked, "Why did you leave your last position?" As long as you are comfortable with your answer, there is really nothing more that you can do about the situation other than to make certain that you leave on good terms. Good luck with your first job. Hope you have a positive work experience there, and congratulations on that first job offer!

[smirn80]

well, ive only been working as a nurse for 5 mos, n already on my second job, I didnt even finish my first 3 mos orientation on my first job because it just wasnt a FIT for me to be there. And I was very upfront and honest with the supervisor and let her know exactly why i was quitting, and she told me that she respected me for being honest. She also said that hospitals only provide prospective employers the times that you worked at the place, and not necessarily reasons why you no longer work there, I guess for legal reasons, they avoid talking about u because u can file a lawsuit against the hospital if for whatever reason u do not get the job, n u later find out its because ur old employer bad-mouthed you.

[elkpark]

She also said that hospitals only provide prospective employers the times that you worked at the place, and not necessarily reasons why you no longer work there, I guess for legal reasons, they avoid talking about u because u can file a lawsuit against the hospital if for whatever reason u do not get the job, n u later find out its because ur old employer bad-mouthed you.

This is not necessarily true; some facililties have a policy of only releasing hire/separation dates, but it's more common that facilities will ask or answer the "eligible for rehire" question -- they don't release any specific details of why they wouldn't want to have you back as an employee, but they will tell someone who asks whether or not you're eligible for rehire. In some ways, this black/white, yes/no question can be more damaging than giving specific details, because some facilities mark your file as "ineligible for rehire" for very petty, minor things.

[fins]

You're signing a contract for two years, but you're planning to leave after a year and a half? As a new grad? I'm sorry, but that's just foolish. Six months isn't all that long a time in order to leave on good terms with your employer. And leaving on bad terms with your very first employer isn't the best way to start a career. It'd be one thing if you found yourself in some dire family situation, but leaving for travel nursing is self-indulgent. Wait the six months.

If, eighteen months into your employment, your employer announced that they weren't going to pay you the last 1/4 of your bonus, you'd feel (rightfully) screwed over. Similarly, if you quit with six months left on a contract, you could very well find yourself facing negative references from your employer. And frankly, you'd deserve them.

[llg, PhD, RN]

You're signing a contract for two years, but you're planning to leave after a year and a half? As a new grad? I'm sorry, but that's just foolish. Six months isn't all that long a time in order to leave on good terms with your employer. And leaving on bad terms with your very first employer isn't the best way to start a career. It'd be one thing if you found yourself in some dire family situation, but leaving for travel nursing is self-indulgent. Wait the six months.

If, eighteen months into your employment, your employer announced that they weren't going to pay you the last 1/4 of your bonus, you'd feel (rightfully) screwed over. Similarly, if you quit with six months left on a contract, you could very well find yourself facing negative references from your employer. And frankly, you'd deserve them.

I totally agree. If a person MUST break a contract because of some important and unforseeable reason, I would understand that. But to sign a contract knowing that you have no plans to fulfill your end of the bargain is totally unethical -- particularly when the reasons are simply because you want to travel a bit. Any future employer who held it against you would be justified in doing so.

And when employees behave in an unethical manner, we definitely label them "ineligible for rehire." We don't want to hire them back and don't mind putting up a red flag for other potential employers.

Stick it out 6 more months and show a little integrity.