I broke my HCA residency contract after working there for a little over a year. Two months later I received a letter from the Benefit Recovery Group saying I owed them money. I reached out to different lawyers and basically got answers from all of them. One said there's nothing I can do but I could try to negotiate. Another said that because I never received the 10,000 that HCA values their training at the money I owe them is " a training fee acts as a penalty and under Texas law, it's not enforceable". So I emailed them a response with what the second lawyer said and never heard back. Today I got the same letter again stating I owed money, so I sent them the same email. 

Does anyone have an experience with not paying them back? When I quit I knew I'd have to pay and I was okay with that, but I'd rather not if I don't have to. Will they eventually just drop it or will they send my debt to collections?

On 8/25/2021 at 9:03 AM, subee said:

Maybe this should be footnote in nursing education:  Don't sign a contract unless you have enough money to pay it back.  Who would apply to a job like that?  Surely, there is a format besides AN to get the word out to nursing students to beware.  The only way out of this is to provide working conditions that don't generate a high amount of turnover.

My nurse instructor lectured us for an hour on not signing contracts and one of my group STILL signed for a CVICU position with HCA. ??‍♀️

You could file bankruptcy. 

Specializes in oncology.
On 8/15/2021 at 6:16 PM, Lrjames98 said:

It just says that if I break it I’m supposed to pay them back the prorated amount.

That is what you signed up for.  Wish it wasn't..If You bought a car to be  financed  over two years.  But kinda like signing a purchase agreement to pay for a car;  payable during 2 years (with monthly payments),  after you get tired of it after 1 year, You still owe the money.  This is the 'school of life', 

 

On 3/12/2022 at 11:23 AM, londonflo said:

But kinda like signing a purchase agreement to pay for a car;  payable during 2 years (with monthly payments),  after you get tired of it after 1 year,

It's kinda not like that.

Specializes in Hospital.
50 minutes ago, JKL33 said:

It's kinda not like that.

Definitely not like that. A car is an asset that you can sell for money. A $10,000 penalty is a penalty and in a lot of these contacts there is no bonus received. 

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Unless you need that car to go to work, it is not really an asset most people can sell.  The nurse signed the contract so legally the nurse is bound to abide by the rules.  However, it would make more sense if the states'  attorney-generals were able to define these contracts as predatory , unenforcable non-compete clauses (which for the folks with no competition from other corporations) they really are.  

Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Beerman said:

I left my HCA a few months early, and they tried to collect from me.

First of all, you say you "broke" the contract.  For contracts to be enforceable, both sides have to provide something of value.  Did they live up to their end of the bargain?

Also, employers have a responsibility to make sure their employees are properly trained to do their job.  So, training is a cost of doing business that is their burden.  This is along the same line of logic that lawyer 2 (above) told you. 

It was awhile ago, so I don't remember everything.  But I did write back to them with the above reasons and others as to why I wasn't on the hook for the amount they wanted to collect from me. 

I never heard from them again.

I would be interested to know if you have checked to see if it's on your credit profile?

 

On 4/7/2022 at 5:36 PM, hppygr8ful said:

I would be interested to know if you have checked to see if it's on your credit profile?

 

No, was never on my credit report. 

Specializes in Hospital.
On 4/18/2022 at 9:15 AM, hppygr8ful said:

So I was doing some checking on what the states have to say about such contracts and found that California (My home state) has passed a law against such predatory lending. AB 2588 passed and signed into law September 30, 2020  states:

Existing law requires an employer to indemnify the employer's employee for all necessary expenditures or losses incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of the employee's duties, or of the employee's obedience to the employer's directions, even though unlawful, unless the employee, at the time of obeying the directions, believed them to be unlawful. This bill would provide that the expense or cost of any employer-provided or employer-required educational program or training, as defined, for an employee providing direct patient care or an applicant for direct patient care employment constitutes a necessary expenditure or loss incurred by the employee in direct consequence of the discharge of the employee's duties. The bill would make these provisions only applicable to applicants for employment and employees providing direct patient care for an employer for a general acute care hospital, as defined. The bill would prohibit an employer, or any person acting on behalf of the employer, from retaliating against an applicant for employment or employee for refusing to enter into a contract or agreement that violates these provisions. The bill would require a court to award a prevailing plaintiff in any action brought pursuant to these provisions reasonable attorney's fees and costs. The bill would state that the above provisions are declaratory of and clarify existing law with respect to employer-required training for employees.

I just saw that on the internet today! I think that’s wonderful. I wonder if it will ever change in other states, during my life time. 

Specializes in ED.
Lrjames98 said:

I broke my HCA residency contract after working there for a little over a year. Two months later I received a letter from the Benefit Recovery Group saying I owed them money. I reached out to different lawyers and basically got answers from all of them. One said there's nothing I can do but I could try to negotiate. Another said that because I never received the 10,000 that HCA values their training at the money I owe them is " a training fee acts as a penalty and under Texas law, it's not enforceable". So I emailed them a response with what the second lawyer said and never heard back. Today I got the same letter again stating I owed money, so I sent them the same email. 

Does anyone have an experience with not paying them back? When I quit I knew I'd have to pay and I was okay with that, but I'd rather not if I don't have to. Will they eventually just drop it or will they send my debt to collections?

What was your resolution? I'm a year and a half in and about to break rather than waiting the 6 months. It is not only not a safe environment as a nurse and patient, but has gotten to the point where my manager will be at home looking at the ED board changing our ESI levels to show we have "higher acuity patients" when we don't....among many other issues. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row in case I do have to fight the grey area... 

What did you end up doing?! I am now dealing with the same thing ?

BEWARE! Avoid HCA hospitals like the plague. The working conditions for nurses are universally poor at their hospitals. Do not get trapped by the sign on bonus. See this article from NBC News: 'Indentured servitude': Nurses hit with hefty debt when trying to leave hospitals...

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/economics/indentured-servitude-nurses-hit-hefty-debt-trying-leave-hospitals-rcna74204

 

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