Help. No pay for orientation and buy their uniform?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

I got a job at a SNF today and did first day of orientation that they are saying be paid for (mostly lots of paperwork, watching videos). I work at another facility only 2 set days per week and this one I would be working 3 to 4.

At orientation we got a catalog of Nurse uniforms that we could order from and the amount would be deducted from our first paycheck or two. I have plenty of uniforms so I declined.

We also got a shoe catalog and were told that all nurses, CNA's and other staff must wear shoes from this particular catalog and brand. Mandatory and had to sign. The company will pay $35 towards any pair for the first year, and the balance will be deducted from our first paycheck. We must purchase yearly thereafter via the next catalog. Nothing in the catalog was $35 or less. Not allowed to purchase cheaper on Amazon or EBay. I now owe $30 and have not even started working there yet.

Our next orientation day is a "mandatory class" at one of their other facilities in another county next week about 40 miles away. This one will NOT be paid for. There is no certifications given that I can use at another job, it's just their particular company training class. I have to fill up my gas tank $35 for the 80 milesround trip in heavily traffic congested times in Los Angeles County. The entire 8 hour day is gone. To top it off it's on a day when I work at my other job, so I would have to call off and lose about $120 pay.

I will be in then be in the hole about $190, and haven't started working there yet.

There re is more.

I have to get my own TB and physical. I have no insurance yet so cost will amount to $110. Normally I wouldn't mind, but I just had yearly physical and TB for my other job 6 months ago and provided them with copies. This place requires a TB and physical to be done within 60 days prior to hire or within 7 days after hire.

Essentially i I will be in the hole $300, and I haven't started working there.

If a a company makes it mandatory that you to only wear a certain brand of shoes and only purchased through them, shouldn't they pay for it?

I can can understand paying for own TB test and physical, as I can use this to apply elsewhere. But I just had both about 6 months ago. If these are yearly they should be accepted.

Why is orientation or company class, etc not considered hours worked? I've never had that anywhere else.

I'm sorry to be pinching pennies here, but unfortunately i'm a single mom of two school aged children who is stressed out trying to make ends meet.

If I should bring up to management how do I do so? Thank you for any advice.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

I would just VERY politely let them know that I just got some completely new and unexpected circumstances in my life that absolutely preclude me from working in that particular place at that particular time and walk out of there before they got a chance to wiggle another $$ out of my pocket. There are plenty of other SNFs which do not care about which shoes their workers wear and do not cheat them pennies for every small thing.

P.S. just to let you know: Select Specialty hospitals (long term acute care) will give you uniform for free :yes:

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I would pass on that job ....sounds more like indentured servitude.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

From the friendly neighborhood DOL...oh wait, it's federal. :whistling:

Fact Sheet - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - U.S. Department of Labor

Quote
Nonexempt employees must be paid for all hours worked in a workweek. In general, hours worked includes all time an employee must be on duty, on the employer premises, or at any other prescribed place of work. Also included is any additional time the employee is suffered or permitted to work. The FLSA requires employers to pay for hours actually worked, but there is no requirement for payment of holidays, vacation, sick or personal time.

The failure to properly count and pay for all hours that an employee works may result in a minimum wage violation if the employee's hourly rate falls below the required federal minimum wage when his or her total compensation is divided by all hours worked.

Paying for mandatory classes is NOT optional.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.
Here.I.Stand said:
From the friendly neighborhood DOL...oh wait, it's federal. :whistling:

Yep... they name it "work", I am expected to be paid for it, regardless of what it in fact might be. The author could do good for many by making one small call in her state's friendly Department of Labor. Something tells me that it would be way more than the only one infarction of the rules and regulations that could be found in that SNF.

And I just imagined what I would do if anyone would even try to part me with my pair of perfectly custom-fitted work shoes. It didn't look good. :angrybird5:

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I would run, not walk, away from this "opportunity". You can do better elsewhere.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

What a bunch of nonsense. Keep looking.

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Those people running that hole are pigs. Stay the hell away from there. Contact the the DOL and the local news. Don't waste any more time thinking about working there... don't

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Sooooo much just screams out to me as something is wrong BIG-TIME. But the SHOE THING really concerns me.

I'd be curious if a little research identifies something ROTTEN. Like conflict of interest comes to mind first. (I do like PP ponymom's post.)

Like others have said, RUN. DO NOT WALK! Not the place to be.

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They have to pay you for the class. They also have to pay you mileage. The mileage from the facility to the orientation class. The amount mandated by the federal government. I'm not sure what the mileage is now. It fluctuates with gas prices.

As for the shoes, $30 is pretty cheap to be honest. You always want to take care of your feet while working. What would concern me is that they are so cheap. Most places mandate uniforms. If I order through the hospital vendor it's actually cheaper than going to a scrub shop. But you say you didn't buy any so no big deal.

But them not paying you for a class? 100% illegal.

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Specializes in school nurse.

Kickbacks from the companies they push you to use, maybe?

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

SNFs are some of the most greedy institutions I've ever seen. I was offered a SNF job when I first started my career and it was so depressing I decided to go out of state for an acute job where I'd learn more and was at least offered a paid orientation and benefits.

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