Forced Donations part of Employee Review!!!!

[icurn11]

I work (thank God) agency nurse at a 400 bed hospital. Of course, the Christmas gifts have gotten skimpier each year, not a shock. Just found out today from a nurse that the hospital isn't giving employee C'mas gifts this year. Instead, they are forcing employees to donate to thier supposed "non-profit" special charity affiliated with the non-profit church-based hospital!! Oh, you don't HAVE to give, but if you don't give at least $20, you get an "below average" mark on your performance review!! Hmm.....I thought this was called coercion. Sounds to me like if you don't donate, your review will get a black mark, and of course, no raises!

They said that if even 1 nurse on a unit gets marked unsatisfactory, that will render the ENTIRE unit ineligible for merit raises! So now nurses with kids and single moms are scrambling to dig out yet another "it's only $20" donation from thier pocket to buy themselves a decent performance review. This is so illegal and unfair. I am just appalled. They get away with murder at this place. I don't care if it's only a penny, it's the principle. If I didn't need my job, like we all do, I'd quit tomorrow.:angryfire

[rn/writer, RN]

I work (thank God) agency nurse at a 400 bed hospital. Of course, the Christmas gifts have gotten skimpier each year, not a shock. Just found out today from a nurse that the hospital isn't giving employee C'mas gifts this year. Instead, they are forcing employees to donate to thier supposed "non-profit" special charity affiliated with the non-profit church-based hospital!! Oh, you don't HAVE to give, but if you don't give at least $20, you get an "below average" mark on your performance review!! Hmm.....I thought this was called coercion. Sounds to me like if you don't donate, your review will get a black mark, and of course, no raises!

They said that if even 1 nurse on a unit gets marked unsatisfactory, that will render the ENTIRE unit ineligible for merit raises! So now nurses with kids and single moms are scrambling to dig out yet another "it's only $20" donation from thier pocket to buy themselves a decent performance review. This is so illegal and unfair. I am just appalled. They get away with murder at this place. I don't care if it's only a penny, it's the principle. If I didn't need my job, like we all do, I'd quit tomorrow.:angryfire

I'm sure the powers that be are counting on the fact that they have most of their employees over this particular barrel.

This is wrong on so many levels. Since, as you mentioned, you work at a church-based hospital, you might want to look into informing someone on the church end of things what is being done. Sometimes the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and is appalled to find out.

I'm guessing that there is no union in your facility, because practices like this would create a huge reaction. The entire thing sounds like a way to justify withholding deserved raises on a flimsy (and unfair) pretext. If Nurse A's eval and raise shouldn't depend on a $20 donation to someone else's cause, it's even more true that Nurse B's eval and raise shouldn't depend on Nurse A's contribution.

It amazes me that any responsible organization, especially one with a religious affiliation, could engage in tactics that resemble the mob extorting protection money from neighborhood businesses.

Any United Way or other contributions where I work are held in strict confidence, and, while they are encouraged and appreciated, there is no element of coercion or connection with our performance evals. That's the way it should be.

[yetanotheramanda]

I don't have any advice for you...but that is a TERRIBLE policy!!!!!

[llg, PhD, RN]

This is wrong on so many levels. Since, as you mentioned, you work at a church-based hospital, you might want to look into informing someone on the church end of things what is being done. Sometimes the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing and is appalled to find out.

.

... or go public with an anonomous tip to a local newspaper or TV station. Your community might be just as appalled as I am and the embarrassed hospital might change it's policy. I'm not sure that's even legal, when you consider that tax implications for their institution of receiving money that was not voluntarily given.

[ukstudent]

Is anything in writing. If you can find anything, take it to our State Labor Board. The newspaper, as someone else suggested is also a very good idea.

[WindwardOahuRN, RN]

Contact your State Labor Board.

I know that expecting employees to "volunteer" their services (when employers are actually coercing them to do so under threat of bad reviews or promise of good reviews) is illegal under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The law is complicated but it is recognized that, if you feel in any way that your job depends upon you giving away your time for free, AKA "volunteering" against your will (and believe it or not, even if you say it's okay), your employer could face discipline and fines.

I imagine this would extend to them expecting you to "donate" money to their cause.

So...is there a sliding scale with this scheme? The more money you donate, the better the review?

Employers never cease to amaze me with stuff like this.

[armyicurn]

I believe this is illegal. Call the local paper and the board. I wished they approached me with this. They would be sorry!

[danamobile]

makes me sick. plainly just very very wrong I'd look into spending the $20 to find a new job...