Contracts--please read before signing one

Updated:   Published

Contracts that are signed are legally binding in most cases. They should not be signed until you are very sure of what you are signing and what is included and what it not. Also you should know about where you sre going to be working, what the facility is like, what the area is like, etc. before you sign on the dotted line. Questions should be asked and answered before you sign, not after you have signed.

And many of these contracts now have cancellation clauses that go into effect as soon as you sign. Even before they start any paperwork for you, or you even take an exam if they are paying for it. And many that I have seen are for $8,000 US minimum once you have signed. And if you cancel, you are legally bound to pay that fee to them.

So please, take the time to do your homework, same as you would if you were purchasing a car or even a home. Get everything answered before you sign the purchase agreement. This is not any different.

And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Remember that many of the recruiters/agencies that are overseas have never even been to the US and know nothing about how we do things in the US. Take the time to do some searches on your own before doing anything else.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well put Suzzane! All Please heed this advise and warning! Too many times Nurses go to "Cattle Call" recruitment events and are made ( Or should I say are 'manipulated') into singing Employment contracts ON THE SPOT!!! Unbeleivable!!! It is just as ,if Not more important than Buying a house- PUT INTO IT THE Time needed to understand the contract- talk to your spouse, significant other, your parents etc.- You are signing off 3-5 years of your career life (Inc. preparation,testing and immigration etc.) at the end of which you earn a Green Card and eventual US citizenship for you and your family!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Well put Suzzane! All Please heed this advise and warning! Too many times Nurses go to "Cattle Call" recruitment events and are made ( Or should I say are 'manipulated') into singing Employment contracts ON THE SPOT!!! Unbeleivable!!! It is just as ,if Not more important than Buying a house- PUT INTO IT THE Time needed to understand the contract- talk to your spouse, significant other, your parents etc.- You are signing off 3-5 years of your career life (Inc. preparation,testing and immigration etc.) at the end of which you earn a Green Card and eventual US citizenship for you and your family!

Excellent advice. On the spot signing and telling you you can't take a copy of the contract home first for review are one of the red flags and take the time to go to diff. agencies first so that you have more options. Not that some agencies will be much diff. or you won't run into some problems w/ them but it would be much better that you made a choice from agencies 1-7 rather than just agencies 1 and 2.

Also, I think what is also impt. is to find out what happened to past applicants. How long were they were able to leave?? Of course, get the info. from the horse's mouth and not a staff from the agency. News of people still here in the PI or is forced to take a job in the middle east or other countries first for the last 2-3 years and they still do not know what is happening to their case should be another red flag.

The above are the things that needs to be researched before signing and not after. If you know someone who signed-up w/ them and still not able to leave for the US in 2-3 years time or 2 retrogressions have passed since then means nothing is happening (agency not doing their job) and don't expect a new applicant to miraculously overtake them.

Just my two cents.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dear Suzzanne4

If you sign a letter of allegiance to a agency are you bound by it? i just signed the letter of allegiance last week, then from all the things i have been reading on the site i realised that agencies are bad. The agency in question is HCCA. Do you know anything about them?

By the way, they have not paid out any money for anything for me, all they have done so far is set up a interview for me for october 2007 in London.

I am now thinking of going it alone as this seems better than agencies.

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

nurseing2

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Dear Suzzanne4

I also wanted to ask if what they were offering was aproperate. They are offering to get your green card sorted out for you. A 30 month contract with a hospital in Florida working 40hour a week shift. hourly pay rate $23.26 and a yearly rate of $52,300 yearly. Is that what agencies normally pay?or are they trying to exploit me? i was also wondering if the green card would actually materialise once you do your time with them.

thanks for the help

Nurseing2

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
Dear Suzzanne4

I also wanted to ask if what they were offering was aproperate. They are offering to get your green card sorted out for you. A 30 month contract with a hospital in Florida working 40hour a week shift. hourly pay rate $23.26 and a yearly rate of $52,300 yearly. Is that what agencies normally pay?or are they trying to exploit me? i was also wondering if the green card would actually materialise once you do your time with them.

thanks for the help

Nurseing2

40hrs/week is very tiring, it should be 36hr/week and the rest is OT, the rate is also too small.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
40hrs/week is very tiring, it should be 36hr/week and the rest is OT, the rate is also too small.

I think some agencies try for 40 hour week instead of 36, they probably think they will have more control over the nurse and less likely to earn more money doing OT. A lot of agencies also charge a lot less than what the nurse will get if they have gone direct hire as they will also take their cut from it

One good reason not to go with agency the other is more control over the state you want to work in as agencies can not always guarantee work in the state you have set your heart on

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Silverdragon

I agree with what you have just said. They did say they could not promise i would be able to get work in the state i wanted to work in, which was Florida.

Nurseing2

Up Vote Up Vote ×

If they cannot promise where you wish to work, do not sign with them. A 40 hour work week just means that you will be working 5 eight hour shifts per week, the 36 hours means that you work 3 twelve hour shifts.

Overtime in the US is not required unless the nurse works more than 40 hours per week.

Agencies get about $5 per hour for each that you work, so about $10,000 per year.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Suzanne4

Thank you for the reply, i really appreciate it.

I have decided to go it alone since these people are going to be making over 25,000 of more for that 30 month contract. I have heard too many horror stories from this site to let myself be roped in by the agency.

Thank you for the information, it has sure made me more aware.

nurseing2

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You are quite welcome.:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult/Geriatric.
Excellent advice. On the spot signing and telling you you can't take a copy of the contract home first for review are one of the red flags and take the time to go to diff. agencies first so that you have more options. Not that some agencies will be much diff. or you won't run into some problems w/ them but it would be much better that you made a choice from agencies 1-7 rather than just agencies 1 and 2.

Also, I think what is also impt. is to find out what happened to past applicants. How long were they were able to leave?? Of course, get the info. from the horse's mouth and not a staff from the agency. News of people still here in the PI or is forced to take a job in the middle east or other countries first for the last 2-3 years and they still do not know what is happening to their case should be another red flag.

The above are the things that needs to be researched before signing and not after. If you know someone who signed-up w/ them and still not able to leave for the US in 2-3 years time or 2 retrogressions have passed since then means nothing is happening (agency not doing their job) and don't expect a new applicant to miraculously overtake them.

Just my two cents.

I got a job offer through an agency in NYC area that's reputable according to some of the moderator's postings here on allnurses.com, and I am sure you know the agency since it deals mostly with the nurses from the Philipines, but they told me that I cannot take the contract home to review it because it's a confidential document. They said I can only read it at their office and take as much time as I need. This makes me feel suspicious.

I've spoken to someone that worked for them and left after 1.8 years, and she was happy there, although she paid her way out of the contract. I was also told by someone that recently signed a contract that the first year fine for leaving the contract is $50,000, then the second year is $20,000, and third year is $8000. Maybe they changed the fine because when I spoke to the person that left them, she said she paid only $8000 after 1.8 years of service. 10 days paid vacation, and 3 sick days... I think is what she told me....

What do you think?? Is this a crazy thing to get into?? I am sure it is, but if I don't have an option, I may have to.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion