Seniority Counts For Nothing

Nurses General Nursing

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I have been an employee of a facility for a long time and have the most seniority. In the last 6 months, my hours have been cut to almost nothing. At times, to earn a living, I pick up shifts as a nursing assistant...and those hours are even being cut. In addition, all my benefits were taken away (health insurance, sick days, etc.) The new nurses that are employed less than a year all have full-time hours and benefits. What do I do in a situation like this?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.
I have been an employee of a facility for a long time and have the most seniority. In the last 6 months, my hours have been cut to almost nothing. At times, to earn a living, I pick up shifts as a nursing assistant...and those hours are even being cut. In addition, all my benefits were taken away (health insurance, sick days, etc.) The new nurses that are employed less than a year all have full-time hours and benefits. What do I do in a situation like this?

Unless you are covered under a collective bargaining agreement or your employer has a policy giving preference to employees with seniority there ain't much you can do except look for a new position.

Have you asked you supervisor why they are cutting your hours and not cutting the new employees?

If you are over 50 y/o and the folks not getting there hours cut are all under 50, then you could possibly be the victim of age discrimination. You could try complaining to the EEOC.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Why are they cutting your hours but not the hours of new employees? Is it because they are in budgeted positions and you are "per diem?" If that is the case, then it is understandable. Is that the case? ... or ... Is there some other difference in the status of their employment contracts?

We need more information here to understand the situation.

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I was told that even after being 100% reliable for the last 9 yrs, they would bump me (PT status with the same shifts for the last 9 or so yrs) for a FT person (this person has quit without a 2 weeks notice and then suddenly was rehired)

So.....a FT person gets their pick and the PTers are second.

I would understand this in a perfect world but since I only work the weekends...a lot of people would kill to just work M-F, DUH?

Sorry for the hijack.

Maybe they can pay the newer staff at a lesser rate?

Any way...unless you are union, they can do it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Progressive Care.

Maybe they can pay the newer staff at a lesser rate?

Very possible. In any event it sound to me like mgmt is trying to manage the OP out the business. When I worked as a manager (different profession) this was quite common. If we wanted to terminate a person and did not have sufficient performance problems etc on file we would do stuff like this (cut hours, give them bad shifts etc). It is not very nice but it is legal if it is not against your policy and if you are not doing because of the protected status of an individual (age, race, religion, etc).

Collective bargaining agreements afford employees considerable protection against this sort of unpleasantness.

Sorry OP that you are going through this. It can be very stressful. If you do not resolve it soon and you cannot live with the reduce hours I would seriously look for another job. Your life will be much better.

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It's probably the fact that they can pay the newer nurses a lower wage, therefore saving them a bundle of money.

Don't agree with it, but sometimes that's just the way it is.

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