Fine Repayment Emails

[Eira Ismail]

My situation is a little different than simply leaving a contact early. I started the RN residency at Parkland in Dallas in Feb 2022. Due to some reasons out of my control I had to take time off (at least a week) which they wouldn't allow for.

Due to this, me and the manager of my floor talked about options and she told me I could leave the residency all together and decide whether I wanted to join the next cycle's cohort, essentially restarting the residency. Or I had to take the 2 days of time off they offered, which was literally impossible for me to do because I needed more time. All of this happened in April 2022, so I was not yet on my own and still working with a nurse preceptor.

I decided to take the option my manager offered and my residency contract was voided, I have emails with all this proof btw. 

When the time came to decide if I wanted to rejoin I had decided that I couldn't due to the same reasons as why I had to initially take time off. My nurse recruiter sent me an email saying I had to send an email saying whether I accepted or declined the new offer to start the residency over again in July and had attached a new contract to sign.

I politely declined the offer and now I have been emailed twice, one last May and again today, about repaying a 10k fine that was owed.

After receiving the first email, I reached out to their finance team and explained what had happened and the lady seemed very confused about why I even received a fine email. Said she would research the case and get back to me. Never heard from her again.

Now it's Nov, I am receiving another email from another lady who I have never spoken to from their finance team saying I still have a debt of 10k to pay with no other information. What should I do?

I am being advised to not reach out because they are using scare tactics to try and get me to pay, especially since I already explained my situation and they didn't seem to try and resolve it back then. But I just wanted to hear from other nurses who may have had similar experiences or know more about Parkland's policies specifically. TIA!

[chare]

Eira Ismail said:

... What should I do? I am being advised to not reach out because they are using scare tactics to try and get me to pay, especially since I already explained my situation and they didn't seem to try and resolve it back then. But I just wanted to hear from other nurses who may have had similar experiences or know more about Parkland's policies specifically. TIA!

I don't know who advised you to "not reach out because they are using scare tactics," but I'm not sure this is good advice as it is possible that the $10,000 fine might be legitimate. 

If you haven't done so, you might consider counsel and have her or him review your contract and emails.  After doing so he or she will be able to advise you as to how to proceed.

Best wishes.

[delrionurse]

If you are getting emails, and it did not go away, someone who doesn't not care about your situation has your debt. Did you have a sign on bonus and sign a contract? What you sign does not go away whether you were not aware of what is says or not. Your managers are not in charge of a sign on bonus and the stipulations. They may know about it but don't have any authority over the contract. They can tell you anything, they'll research the case, they'll get back to you, but at the end of the day, you'll still owe the money. It may have said something like, 'no matter what, you agree to pay..' 

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Consult a pro bono attorney. Depending on that advice... pay them $1 and then declare bankruptcy.

[Emergent, RN]

I'm confused, was this some sort of fine because you didn't complete the residency, or is this a sign on bonus that you have to pay back?