weekends only and sick time

[flower615]

At the hospital where I work there are 4 of us on the medsurg floor who work weekends only, 12hr shifts, Sat and Sun. We sign a 6 month contract. According to the contract, we must work 24 out of 26 weekends, and will be paid for 26. At the end of the contract we get a bonus, equal to the 2 weekends we are permitted off. Just recently, one of us was sick, and called off sick on a Saturday. She is being denied her bonus, even though she will still be working the 24 weekends, counting the sick days as one of her permitted days off. When I questioned this, I was told that the future contracts will reflect that the days off cannot be sick days, but the current contract does not. This seems to me like a punishment for being sick. We have several repeat call in sick staff members, who seem to go without punishment, or minimal punishment, yet this nurse has not called off in over 2 years, and loses her bonus because she was sick one day. She even offered to come in and work another day to make up for it. I am just curious if this is common anywhere else, and if they can really deny us our bonus if we work the 24 weekeds as agreed. thanks

[barbyann]

I work a weekend program and work 24 and get paid for 30. The extra six hours is considered a weekly "bonus". We accrue PTO just like everyone else and can use that for sick or vacation time. We also accrue holiday time.

Your deal does not sound like a good one. I would get together with the other weekend employees and make a case for change. Good Luck.

[bethin]

Does not sound like a good deal. Are the other nurses who call in frequently weekends only too? I would get the contract out and read it word for word several times. And then if nothing happens tell them you'll take it over their heads, tell them you'll get a lawyer (that always scares them).

When I signed my weekend option contract it stated that I could only call in sick one weekend a year and our contract has no end - it's good for as long as we work.

Maybe this nurse can ask if she can make up her missed day during the week?

[wjf00]

That hospital is one I would never work for. Bonus money always makes me hesitate. Why not just increase pay? Whenever a hospital offers a bonus I think of all the ways they will invent to not pay the money. I work weekend only, but I am paid a 10% differential. The diffential applies to any day I work, whether it is my weekend, or an extra shift during the week. The requirement is 46 weekends a year. Sick days don't count towards my 6 weekends off so long as I have enough sick time to cover the time off. If ever I hear the word "bonus" I just walk away.

[wooh, BSN, RN]

"Future" contracts will reflect this? But this one did not? She needs to tell them that if they don't abide by the contract she signed, she'll take it over their heads, going to a labor board or getting a lawyer as needed.

[southern_rn_brat]

I work weekends. We get paid more per hour as our incentive. Then if we work extra during the week we also get paid more per hour but $1 less/hour than the weekend pay. So I make as much working a 24 hour weekend as I did working about 34 hours regular time. We accrue PTO/sick pay. The only thing that sucks to me is that everyone in the company gets a yearly small bonus based on profit. The bonus is dependent on status..full or part time. Weekend staff is technially classified as part time so that bites but it isnt that much so I dont complain. A bonus is a bonus after all.

I have no idea how many weekends we are allowed to call in sick. lol I doubt any but that doesnt stop anyone! But we are only allowed 2 weekends/year of vacation time.

The only problem with that is that you accrue all this PTO and cant take it unless you call in lol. I know thats what some of my nurses do.

I cant blame them sometimes. so if they want a day off I will try my darndest to cover it for them and usually I can so they dont have to ask the DON for the off day.

I dont think it's fair at all that the nurse didnt get her bonus. especially since she volunteered to come in and work another day. why not just call that a trade with whoever worked it and let her have the bonus. That is just wrong and I would raise hell with HR.

[flower615]

thank you for all of your comments. I knew that what they are doing was wrong, but it helps to get outside opinions. thanks.