For those with per diem positions....

Are you required to work X amount of major holidays a year?

If so, do you get holiday pay or just regular per diem pay? I am just curious because my boss is requiring we pick up the holidays (versus core staff) but says we will only get paid regular pay.

My contract states I am required to work atleast 1 major holiday but doesn't specify pay.

Thanks

[Jules A, MSN]

I think it varies depending on your agency, contract etc. At my per diem job nurses don't have to do holidays but since they pay us time and 1/2 I always sign up. The per diem techs are required to do a certain number of holiday hours each year but I don't know how many.

[cc_nurse]

My full time facility has a pretty rigorous per diem commitment- weekend and holiday obligations. THey lost a lot of their reserve staff because of it, many people have perdiem jobs on the side for times of low census, not because we want to work extra *every* week.

The hospital that I work per diem in is much better, only 8 hrs in a 6 week period-no weekend or holiday commitment. Much easier to fit in to my life :-) They also will pay bonus and holiday pay if you are needed.

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

where i used to work (floor nursing) the PRN's got to do whatever the heck they wanted. no holidays, few weekends, and they basically dictated the schedule. we were a small unit, so it left the regulars stuck doing way extra when it came to holidays and weekends. and yes they got paid extra for the holidays over their per diem if they chose to work it. it was SOOO WRONG!

[RosesrReder, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Thanks for the replies. This is a private federal prison I am per diem at. It is not through agency.

I am definitely going to contact HR Monday morning but I was also curious to find out how it is elsewhere.

Thanks

[HonestRN]

Where I work PRN the requirement is 4 shifts per 4 week scheduling period. 1 major summer and winter holiday with holiday pay. We still get weekend and shift differentials as well. Time and a half for call in when the unit is really short staffed. On the flip side, when over staffed the PRN's are the first to get low census. Same for holidays. Balances out in the long run.

[MadisonsMomRN, BSN, RN]

I work prn in a county detention center and we are required to do 1 day a month. No holidays and no weekend requirements. If we work the holiday we do get time and a half. I let my boss know what I am available for and she just plugs me into the schedule where I am needed. FT and PT employees are scheduled first and then prns. PRN employee's are not eligible for benefits or PTO time or anything so it works out.

Just let me say for the record that I do make myself available for holidays. Actually, the full timers like working holiday's because of the time and a half. I work weekends too. They are just like any other day for me :) Its only fair.

[Riseupandnurse]

We have to do one major summer and one winter holiday and one shift a two-week pay period. It has to be an evening or a night shift and is supposed to be a week-end shift, but nobody holds us to that because the week-end option people keep the week-ends full. No extra pay for holidays or week-ends, etc.