Contract tips

[suzanne4]

Thought that I would post a few tips that should be at the top of your list when looking for a travel company and what should be in the contract.

1. If it is not in writing, then it does not exist. It does not matter what your recruiter promises, they do not have the authority to make special offers to you. All contracts are signed off on by the head of the company or the official that can sign the contract to make it official. Anything else that is not written in that contract just does not exist.

2. Check out what the per diem pay is in the area that you are choosing. Your pay should be similar to that, not significantly lower, and should be in at least the same range when living expenses such as rent are added in. Anything significantly different and your agency is taking money that should be yours, not theirs. There are quite a few of them that hope that the nurse is not aware of this.

3. Housing deductions need to be compatible with that area. Not that you are getting $3000 for housing and the apt is only $600 per month.

erd flags go off and then you are responsible for the taxes on that other money.

4. Sharing an apt with another traveler does not get you the full deductions on expenses as they are being shared and that leaves you subject to taxes on what was not spent towards the housing by you.

5. Do your research on the agency, the facility, as well as the area. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

These are a few of the prime issues that I am seeing pop in many of the threads that I have been reviewing today. I will be adding to this as the need arises or will make it more helpful for you.

I have also taken over as the new Super Moderator for this forum, as well as the Agency Forum, so feel free to post questions to me as needed. I have years of experience in both of these areas.

Regards,

Suzanne4

[julesAR]

Thank you Kathy- I will certainly ask specifics about floating. I appreciate your helpful reply.

Julie

[kdblueey]

Thank you Kathy- I will certainly ask specifics about floating. I appreciate your helpful reply.

Julie

Your welcome. There is another traveler working at the same hospital, but she was hired to be a hospital float. She is counting down the exact days/nights for her contract to end. She has been so 'screwed' since she started. She might start out on one unit, only to be floated to another mid-shift. They even have 'cancelled' her several times (but her travel company still pays her guaranteed hours), only to call her back requesting her to come in.

At first, my travel company told me the facility wanted ME to be a hospital float, for $2 less. I told them no. I'm glad, because I'm sure I would be as upset as the other traveler.

[suzanne4, RN]

When you talk to the hospital, ask them right out where you will have to float to. In all situations, the 'traveler' is the first person to float, then agency, then regular staff. I am a med/surg nurse on my first assignment in Amarillo, Texas. The nurse manager explained to me on the phone that she had five units that I would have to float to. On my contract it says: float where competent. When I got to my assignment, my 'base' was oncology, because my nurse manager told me that it was easier to put me on oncology's schedule, then to put me on a med/surg unit's schedule, because if I was put on a med/surg units schedule, then they would never 'let me go'. Since my contract started (Dec 17), I have only worked on oncology 3 or 4 times. Advice: If your at your assignment and they want to float you somewhere that YOU don't feel confident or comfortable, refuse. I met a traveler here in Texas. The house supervisor wanted to float her to ER, but she told them no. Make sure it's in your contract, as far as floating, and ask the hospital. Hope this helps.

Kathy

:redpinkhe:innerconf

Not all facilities require that the travel nurse floats first, have worked some where that was not the case.

And usually it should be the agency nurse that floats first, as the travel nurse is the one with the contract.

[kdblueey]

Not all facilities require that the travel nurse floats first, have worked some where that was not the case.

And usually it should be the agency nurse that floats first, as the travel nurse is the one with the contract.

If your a med/surg traveler, you are expected to float to any of the med/surg units. And even if the traveler has a contract, the traveler is the first person (on the base unit) to float. Since this is my first assignment (well, actually my third), the traveler always floats first. The agency/resource nurse can float anywhere in the facility, as this is their specific role. The nurse manager that hired me for this recent assignment has six units (four are med/surg, one is onc, and the other ortho). Even though my 'base' is oncology, I rarely work on that floor. I have seen some postings on some travel company sites that say "MUST FLOAT TO ALL MED/SURG UNITS".

How would you recommend, Suzanne, that I try to get a travel assignment where I wouldn't have to float?? Thanks for your advice.

Kathy

[suzanne4, RN]

If your a med/surg traveler, you are expected to float to any of the med/surg units. And even if the traveler has a contract, the traveler is the first person (on the base unit) to float. Since this is my first assignment (well, actually my third), the traveler always floats first. The agency/resource nurse can float anywhere in the facility, as this is their specific role. The nurse manager that hired me for this recent assignment has six units (four are med/surg, one is onc, and the other ortho). Even though my 'base' is oncology, I rarely work on that floor. I have seen some postings on some travel company sites that say "MUST FLOAT TO ALL MED/SURG UNITS".

How would you recommend, Suzanne, that I try to get a travel assignment where I wouldn't have to float?? Thanks for your advice.

Kathy

That is what the facility may state where you are, but in fact that is not the case all over, and actually in the majority of assignments, the agency nurse floats first as the travel nurse usually has a contract for the unit that they were assigned to.

Oncology is still under med/surg, and is considered as such in most facilities.

Some units are always busier than others, and they may have fewer shifts that you float for. Specialty areas such as ICU and OR usually float much less, or never; then it also depends on what is in your contract as well as the facility that you are at.

But you are new as a travel nurse, so do not base everything as it has been on these first assignments of yours, definitely not what happens most of the time.

Be aware that if you are not willing to float, then it will decrease the number of contracts that you will receive, you just need to select an assignment where the floating is not done on a daily basis.

[kdblueey]

But you are new as a travel nurse, so do not base everything as it has been on these first assignments of yours, definitely not what happens most of the time.

Be aware that if you are not willing to float, then it will decrease the number of contracts that you will receive, you just need to select an assignment where the floating is not done on a daily basis.

-------------------------------------

I agree with your comments Suzanne. I'm only speaking about the assignment that I'm on. You mentioned above to select 'an assignment where the floating is not done on a daily basis'. Could you please respond as to how to do this/look into this?

Thanks.

Kathy (somewhere in the panhandle:bugeyes:)

[RNontheroad]

I am new to this forum and appreciate your comments on travel nursing. Is one agency really better than the other? I have one in mind that I may pursue and would like to know if there is a rating system out there, by travel nurses, designed for the potential traveler before they contract with a travel agency. I do want to travel, but must admit this is all a bit intimidating...

http://www.highwayhypodermics.com/

Click on the link to the Travel Company List. It gives you a good overview of the companies and what they offer.

There is also a link to hospitals that travelers have visited and thier ranking. (I refer to this often when considering an assignment.)

FYI-when I first started traveling, the book was very helpful. I would consider it a worthwhile purchase for someone new to traveling or someone who is considering a career change to travel nursing.

[fizz2Nurse]

3. Housing deductions need to be compatible with that area. Not that you are getting $3000 for housing and the apt is only $600 per month.

erd flags go off and then you are responsible for the taxes on that other money.

4. Sharing an apt with another traveler does not get you the full deductions on expenses as they are being shared and that leaves you subject to taxes on what was not spent towards the housing by you.

I respectfully disagree with the above. I have my taxes done by an IRS enrolled agent and there are specific rules.

If you are finding your own housing and the agency is paying you a stipend that is allowable under IRS Publication 1542, then you do not require receipts and your entire per diem amount is non-taxable. If you decide to find shared or skid row housing that is your own decision and does not affect the amount of taxable income. The stipend is paid in lieu of providing accomodation and is amended every year. Publication 1542 also sets the per diem reimbursement rates for meals and incidentals.

The IRS would more than likely question a ridiculously low taxable income. This might be a case where so much is considered per diem that you are only getting $10/hr taxable income. The IRS would compare that to "like" or similar people in the same line of work. If every nurse around you makes $30/hr then they probably won't think $10 is reasonable.

The other option is to receive your entire salary as taxable income and keep reciepts to deduct actual expenses. This requires a lot more record keeping.

[suzanne4, RN]

I respectfully disagree with the above. I have my taxes done by an IRS enrolled agent and there are specific rules.

If you are finding your own housing and the agency is paying you a stipend that is allowable under IRS Publication 1542, then you do not require receipts and your entire per diem amount is non-taxable. If you decide to find shared or skid row housing that is your own decision and does not affect the amount of taxable income. The stipend is paid in lieu of providing accomodation and is amended every year. Publication 1542 also sets the per diem reimbursement rates for meals and incidentals.

The IRS would more than likely question a ridiculously low taxable income. This might be a case where so much is considered per diem that you are only getting $10/hr taxable income. The IRS would compare that to "like" or similar people in the same line of work. If every nurse around you makes $30/hr then they probably won't think $10 is reasonable.

The other option is to receive your entire salary as taxable income and keep reciepts to deduct actual expenses. This requires a lot more record keeping.

I agree with what you have posted as well, but have seen thru the years people that have tried to get around things, and more importantly, agencies trying to do things that get the nurse in trouble with the IRS. IRS is always looking for red flags to tip them off with, and they expect receipts to back them up.

Lower than usualy pay is one, and the other is not having receipts. You still never know when they will ask for them, so always best to keep them and it is not hard to do that, they can be thrown in a box when you get home, then makes is easier for everyone around.

If you one does not have a tax home in another area, and they are getting the per diem, then it is not tax deductable and they will have to pay taxes on it as well as penalties and we are seeing more and more of this. Agencies promise anything and then people get caught in the middle. Also depends on how the agency sets up the housing payments as far as stipends.

Glad what works for you does just that, but it is not always the case and people need to be aware of it. That is what I am trying to get them to do and not just trust what their agency is necessarily telling them.

[fizz2Nurse]

I agree with what you have posted as well, but have seen thru the years people that have tried to get around things, and more importantly, agencies trying to do things that get the nurse in trouble with the IRS. IRS is always looking for red flags to tip them off with, and they expect receipts to back them up.

Lower than usualy pay is one, and the other is not having receipts. You still never know when they will ask for them, so always best to keep them and it is not hard to do that, they can be thrown in a box when you get home, then makes is easier for everyone around.

If you one does not have a tax home in another area, and they are getting the per diem, then it is not tax deductable and they will have to pay taxes on it as well as penalties and we are seeing more and more of this. Agencies promise anything and then people get caught in the middle. Also depends on how the agency sets up the housing payments as far as stipends.

Glad what works for you does just that, but it is not always the case and people need to be aware of it. That is what I am trying to get them to do and not just trust what their agency is necessarily telling them.

Couldn't agree with you more. My last few assignments I've been shocked by the number of "travel" nurses taking tax free housing stipends that drive home every night. And they freely admit that it's a stipend but steadfastly refuse to believe that what they're doing leaves them open to a huge tax liability because some recruiter says they are ok.

Every travel nurse should consult a tax professional, not just a CPA, but a tax professional that understands the tax code and can keep them out of red flag or audit territory.

[suzanne4, RN]

But still stand by what I did post above as well. The IRS still looks at what is customary for rents and costs of living in an area in determining what the per diem rates and the tax free stipends should be or could be. What a particular person decides to do with their money is one thing, but when things are not as they seem, then the government gets involved when one is trying not to pay their taxes.

If one is in a particular area and the average rent is $600 to $900 per month for an apt, and the agency is offering $5000 tax free for living expenses per month, they are going to have much explaining to do. On the other hand, if they are in the San Francisco area and a company is offering in the neighborhood of $3500 to $4000 per month, then that is within the ball park for the area when you add in utilities and the per diem. This is what I was talking about before and we see it all of the time, and the nurse is the one that gets into trouble, just as you have seen and have just posted about.

[fizz2Nurse]

But still stand by what I did post above as well. The IRS still looks at what is customary for rents and costs of living in an area in determining what the per diem rates and the tax free stipends should be or could be. What a particular person decides to do with their money is one thing, but when things are not as they seem, then the government gets involved when one is trying not to pay their taxes.

If one is in a particular area and the average rent is $600 to $900 per month for an apt, and the agency is offering $5000 tax free for living expenses per month, they are going to have much explaining to do. On the other hand, if they are in the San Francisco area and a company is offering in the neighborhood of $3500 to $4000 per month, then that is within the ball park for the area when you add in utilities and the per diem. This is what I was talking about before and we see it all of the time, and the nurse is the one that gets into trouble, just as you have seen and have just posted about.

Again, the IRS publishes their acceptable rates. Therefore, they have already set that acceptable amount of reimbursement. It would be pretty hard for the IRS to argue that a "reasonable" amount is less than what they have already published as acceptable. The rules are clear.

Argueing that the IRS would suddenly say a smaller amount is appropriate doesn't make sense. Consider the mileage rate for 2007 was 48.5 cents/mile and your agency reimbursed you 48.5cents for the 500 mile trip. The IRS would not say that you were able to drive a Chevy Aveo there so you get less than the guy that drove his Ford 4x4.

Now if you are argueing the "big picture" scenario I wholly agree. Getting the max reimbursements and earning $7/hr as an RN is not reasonable. Thats when the decision to accept a stipend becomes a juggling act between what's a proper income and what's a tax dodge. The IRS would then look at your whole financial picture including the fact that you can't afford the $1400 month payment on your tax home and $500 car payment on $14 per hour.