Guardian Healthcare Provider

suzanne4, RN · Jun 24, 2008

Just try doing a Google Search on them.

If there is nothing coming up on them, then be very cautious. Does not matter if someone has signed up or not with any agency, but the fact is that there is a retrogression in place so please check out the cancellation clause in their contract before doing a thing.

And I have never heard of this agency, so how do you know that they will be in business 5 to 10 years from now?

LibraRN · Jun 25, 2008

Thanks Suzanne. They are based in Tennessee by the way and conducts interview yearly here in PI. I have already visited their website . I know that you mentioned always that there is a retrogression and theirs no point in signing a contract this day but, don't you think that there's an advantage also in signing up early so that your papers are there and on the line when retro lifts?...In my opinion it is better to start now rather than wait for the retro to be lifted and start from there. You might not finish the whole process but then who have something to wait.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 25, 2008

I have never heard of them, so you are going to need to do your own research on them. Just because any agency has a website, that can be set up in a matter of minutes and can look utterly professional. So never go by that alone.

Some things that anyone needs to consider:

How long have they actually been in business? How many nurses have they successfully brought to the US? If they have been in business just a couple of years and several years have been under the retrogression, then their success rate is not going to be too high.

How do you know that they will be in business five years from now, or even ten years from now? If they are not by the time that you actually have a chance at a visa, then everything is gone out the window and you will be starting all over again.

We have seen it over and over again, the company signs someone and then is no longer in business even a year later and nurse is unable to contact them but has been waiting for three years or so and wonders why they do not have any information from them. We have found several that were just storefront offices, or rented a room with a phone number some place or just used a cell phone as their office number.

What did you come up with using a Google Search? If nothing, then that is reason right there not to even consider an agency ever.

And you also need to be very aware that if they are just going over to Manila once a year, chances are very high that they are not licensed by your government to recruit either and that could cause you serious problems down the road as well.

You are going to need to thoroughly check out any agency before you sign with them, and that needs to be done before signing and not after. Most have large cancellation fees so they are hoping that you sign and then back out of the contract; that is where they are getting their money right now.

And then look at it from the other side:

Why is an agency going to invest in someone now knowing that they are not going to get them placed for the next few years, but have put that money out to be spent but it is not coming in. What are their chances of staying in business unless it is a very large agency and has other things going on?

suzanne4, RN · Jun 25, 2008

If you already signed with them, this is not the time to be asking about them.

Homework always needs to be done before considering signing. Too late if you find out things later on.

pinkroyalty18, LPN, LVN · Jun 26, 2008

I just got hired from this agency last week but I decided not to sign the contract..I posted a thread regarding this there at TN forums. Some concerned TN nurses think a fixed rate of $20/hour without differentials and no clear discussion of benefits are a big no-no... :no: And come to think of it,the contract is for 3 years...It's quite long....I don't know but in my own opinion,the contract is very "employer centered"... It's all bout the employee shoud do this and blah blah blah...And the most dangerous part- voluntary or INVOLUNTARY termination of contract will require you to pay $45,000 plus all the actual expenses they paid For the exams,atty fees,visa applications!! :eek: GULP!!

suzanne4, RN · Jun 26, 2008

Thank you for sharing and backing up what I have been saying.

Each of these contracts has a large cancellation clause, that is where they are making their money right now since no nurses are getting placed.

jamx551 · Jun 27, 2008

Hi Libra

My suggestion : GO LOOK FOR OTHER AGENCIES.. That will be goodd for you. I totally agree with pinkroyalty18 on her comments about Guardian Healthcare.. Their contract is TRULY one-sided no more no less.. I know of dozens of nurses who were hired by this agency and are now in TN working like Carabaos (Filipino term for "elbow-grease" or working hard) and NOT being compensated as promised.

Theye tend to replace your contract at the last minute before the US embassy interview.. In their experience the initial contract they signed (2 years before the interview) has $15K as penalty. Then just before the US embassy their changed it to $45K plus other fees.. If you go over their contract carefully its really one-sided.. its always in favor of the employer.

Also their scheme is really tricky.. The nurses remembered that before they ever signed up, their were promised of night differencials, bed side burse rates, free insurance etc.. and yet when they arrived here in the US none of those were given..

So I suggest before you sign any contract be sure to read through it and if possible let someone else who is knowledgeable like an attorney to go over it and be sure to "read between the lines". There may be clauses that are vague.. If they promised night differentials, bedside nurse rates etc.. verbally or thru some flyers, be sure to let them include those in the contract.. because that is what happened to these nurses..

Anyway if you need further info about guardian healthcare providers just let me know..

In fact I discourage ALL FILIPINO NURSES to sign up with this agency that takes advantage of our weaknesses when it comes to nursing . There are many many loopholes in their contract and system.

Pls look elsewhere as there are dozens of other agencies that over Full benefits and dont charge exhorbitant breach of contract fee ..

$45,000 is just way too ridiculous!! Its obviously punitive and a way for them to hold nurses "in the neck"

suzanne4, RN · Jun 27, 2008

Thread closed as there is no reason to add anything else to it. Enough has been said, and the questions answered for the original poster.

At this point in time, she needs to make her own educated decision.