Contract Problems...Experienced Travelers PLEASE help!!

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I am a brand new travel nurse on my first assignment. When discussing a possible contract with my recruiter, a 'weekend option' contract had been discussed. This would require me to work every Friday and Saturday night (I work 12 hr nights). I told her I would be open to this option but would prefer a typical 36 hour/wk contract. When the contract was finally presented, it turned out to be a 36 hour/ wk contract. The only thing my contract says in regards to weekends is "Traveler will be expected to work every other weekend if needed."

OK...so now comes the problem. When I arrived at the hospital my first day of orientation I spoke with the Unit Manager about my schedule. She told me I would be Friday/Saturday/Sunday. I told her that I was not weekend option. She said she would have to talk to the woman that actually negotiates the contracts but acted like the only way she could give me hours would be to work the weekend. So...I worked Thur/Fri/Sat last week. Now I have called my recruiter, the manager, and the woman who handles the contracts (Turns out this woman does not answer her phone or return calls. My recruiter and the manager have also tried to reach her.) I am getting nowhere. I even went as far as to be nice (I am NEVER being nice again!!) and tell the manager I would do the weekend option for them if they could just give me Dec 23, 24 and 25 off. (The 23rd is my baby's 1st birthday.)

She said she would call me back and let me know if she could give me those 3 days off. When she called later this afternoon she said she could only give me Dec 25th off. She acts like I am bound to working weekend option and she has no other hours to give me.

This is where I need your help! What would you do?? My contract DOES NOT say weekend option. My recruiter acts like I am stuck in the weekend option if those are the days the manager is going to schedule me. Oh..and one more thing...the pay we discussed when we thought I was going to get a weekend contract was more than what I am contracted for so if I do weekends for them I am making $7/hr less than was discussed for weekends.

Please HELP!! I am in need of advice from anyone who has experience with contracts/traveling!!!

Thank you and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

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Specializes in ED, Clinical Documentation.

That stinks. Ultimately the contract is the contract, they (and we the traveler) need to honor it. Your recruiter's responsibility is to back you up. (I know they don't always, but they should.) Stick to your guns, pleasantly. It's nice of you to offer to work weekends anyway, but I agree, they should pay you for it and then I suggest a new contract be made up with the earlier stated wage and working the weekend days. And then include that weekend off in the new contract. Ok, I know what I suggest is ideal but my point is this - it's a business. it's a contract. if they don't honor the contract, part ways agreeably. are you traveling with a big company? west coast? east coast?

don't loose heart. ( ;

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Specializes in NICU.

I would tell your recruiter that I would finish the assignment if they sent me a new contract immeadiately (like tomorrow) for the $7/hr. more weekend rate. I would also call another recruiter ASAP at a different company about a back up contract. If I did not get the higher weekend rate, I would apologize sweetly to everyone about the misunderstanding & having to leave but that every weekend is NOT in your contract. Make sure to give the unit director a copy of that page of your contract about every other weekend highlighted. There should not be any repercussions as your contract specifically states every other weekend.

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"Now I have called my recruiter, the manager, and the woman who handles the contracts (Turns out this woman does not answer her phone or return calls. My recruiter and the manager have also tried to reach her.) I am getting nowhere. I even went as far as to be nice (I am NEVER being nice again!!) and tell the manager I would do the weekend option for them if they could just give me Dec 23, 24 and 25 off. (The 23rd is my baby's 1st birthday.)"

Honestly I think you need to accept your fate and prepare to start working weekends.. Its nice they gave you Christmas off so you might quit while you are ahead. I wouldnt call the lady that does contracts again & please do not mention the $7/hr to anyone at the hospital. None of those people want to hear "my company is screwing me."

You dont want to be "that traveler" these people are probably thinking "Silly Rabbit, you dont get to come in here and tell us what schedule you will be working." Dont forget as a traveler, especially a new traveler you ALWAYS get the crap schedule. If you are not willing to work the crap schedule why else would they need you?

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GleeGum and dixRN-

Thank you so much for the quick replies!! I called my recruiter today and demanded to have it fixed. She said that she can't renegotiate my contract without the risk of the hospital dropping me. I told her I need this fixed today. She keeps saying she can't guarantee it will be fixed today and defending the hospital employee who can't be reached by anyone. I am calling another company that I have a file with right now to see what they have available. She also said that the 'every other weekend' line in my contract is 'generic verbage' that got inserted by mistake. I have a feeling I will get nowhere with my recruiter. I am with a mid-sized travel company. The assignment is in Indiana. It's too bad because the hospital is really nice. Thanks again for your help!! :p

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79Tango-

They didn't give me Christmas off. They said they can't cover it to let me off. I will end up working my Baby's 1st birthday, Christmas Eve and Christmas day. I know that the traveler has to be flexible but I was blindsided by the 'every weekend' thing and do not think I can work all 3 days of the holiday weekend. Honestly, the weekends don't bother me, it's the holiday weekend with my son's bday that is killing me. My company screwed up the contract. I am working with my recruiter to find a solution but I am getting nowhere. Thanks for your reply. Have a nice Thanksgiving.

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OP, you might want to start packing your bags.. If they decide to keep you it will only be until January because its hard to recruit between Thanksgiving & New Year's. Also, do you really expect the grass to be greener with another company? They are probably looking for someone to work Weekend & Holiday's themselves.. Somebody gotta do it! That's ok, you will learn the hard way.... Good luck not getting yourself black-balled on your first assignment!

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Ooops...sorry I didn't update my post. Now the manager can't give me the 25th off either.

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Thank you, have a nice Thanksgiving yourself.. I am not trying to be a jerk here but seriously-- How did your company screw up the contract? You are getting the hours and the $$ listed right? I also dont see how your recruiter can help as the schedule is probably not up to them. Maybe they can find a replacement for you? What about asking someone to trade with you? Why not celebrate your son's b-day early on your day off?

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Specializes in ED, Clinical Documentation.

About specific days off, they should be included in the contract. I agree that travelers work whenever you are scheduled. But in regards to the every other vs. every weekend, well, everyone is responsible to read the contract.

In regards to your son's 1st birthday (congratulations!) and Christmas, at this age each day to him is as new as another and you can make the days after or before just as special. We, too, have had be flexible about those types of days both as staff and as traveler (we have a 3yo).

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Ive seen 100's of contracts and never seen one that listed specific days off or even scheduling for the matter. That would be a stupid for a company/hospital to agree to something like that...

What happens when there is a scheduling emergency and your augmented staff says " Sorry, my contract says I dont have to work"? That pretty much defeats the purpose of having a traveler, right?

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When I said my recruiter screwed up the contract I meant that the hospital wanted a 'weekend option' nurse and my company did not present the contract as such. I knew from speaking with my recruiter that this hospital system has 'weekend' staff and 'non-weekend' staff so when the contract was presented without the 'weekend option' and just 'every other if needed' I wasn't too worried about having to work the weekends...maybe just fill in here and there if a weekender called off. And, like I've said before, the weekends aren't what got me, it was the holiday weekend with my son's bday. I have always worked holidays but when you think you have Christmas off and then don't, it's a bummer!!

As far as having days I want off in the contract, I asked my recruiter about Dec 23 before the contract was written and she said to ask the manager when I got there and if it were a problem to let her know. She has since apologized for that and said she doesn't know why she told me that because she always likes to put needed days off in the contract.

To make a long story short, I spoke to her today and she is trying to get another one of her travelers to cover the 23rd and 25th for me which would only leave the 24th for me to work (and hey...it's holiday pay :)) I am happy with this and it looks like all is going to get worked out. I appreciate all of your advice. 79Tango, I don't think you were being a jerk, just sharing your honest opinion.

I hope all of you have a nice week and a Happy Thanksgiving! (Whether you share it with family or patients!!)

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