Getting low balled- i think?!

[scrubulator]

I heard from a fellow agency person what the local rate is for agency nurses in my area. Im just a few dollars short which i bummed about but then I remembered my agency tried to give me $10 less than the local rate (I just happened to ask for more before I signed... which was a bit of a struggle). I feel betrayed by my agency that they were trying to low ball me but then again, Im wondering if I should even listen to that fellow agency person. Could she be lying? Is she just trying to get me to switch to her agency?

I also want to confront my recruiter because this gives me bad faith in my agency. Should I? I should probably find out the REAL local rate first but how do I do that? Can I just call the womens agency to simply ask what local rate they are paying? Is it really that simple?

Im so frustrated so any help or advice is appreciated.

[ChrisMMS]

Hello SCrubulator,

Recruiter here so take my advice/information how you would like. Bill Rates/Facility Rates are what an agency is able to charge a hospital per hour, it doesn't fluctuate or change from agency to agency it is exactly the same. The only time that this number could be different between two nurses is if the job was taken down and re-posted as a crisis or rapid response rate. Any recruiter from any agency should be able to inform you what your bill rate/facility rate is on your contract, if they say they cannot or do not know then I would stray away from that individual because they are hiding something. The next question I would ask is what % margins their company works on it can range from 20-35% and if they won't tell you this number either that will be another red flag. Another agency or recruiter maybe lying to you to try and get you to sign on with them it's hard to say, but it looks like you had to negotiate with your current recruiter for more money which is not ok. As a nurse you should never have to be a better negotiator than a nurse, if your recruiter is not advocating for you and getting you the best options out there then you need to find someone else. There are 100s of agencies or recruiters that have the same jobs and will be able to place you while treating you better, it is in your best interest to shop around and work with multiple agencies to find the best option. Not trying to self advertise, but here is a good video that goes through the information. The truth about bill rates Ft. Mark Holloway, CEO, Meridian Medical Staffing - YouTube

[NedRN]

I assume you are talking about a travel contract? That has nothing to do with local staff pay or agency pay. Completely different animal. If you want to find out if your pay is fair, you have to get quotes from other travel companies for the same area. You won't get it from local agency or staff compensation.

Local agency pay is just so much an hour, and typically your scheduled shift and hours is not guaranteed. Travel pay consists of hourly pay, housing allowance, per diem, and travel pay. Not directly comparable. You can boil the numbers down to an all inclusive hourly rate if you want, but that still leaves out the tax benefits most travelers get for working away from home.

My agency? Disappointed with my agency? If you are in a monogamous relationship, it is your choice. Work it out. There is already a lack of trust. Either party can screw the other if they don't have options. Shop around, "date" for 13 weeks. Get several agencies on boarded, compare compensation and how they treat you and talk to you. Trust, but verify.