Help! In first contract and no housing as promised. No $$. Advice?

caliotter3 · Sep 10, 2009

I would tell them that if they can't get your a better living arrangement ASAP, you will be forced to terminate the assignment early and go home. This is unacceptable. Have you talked to anyone at work to see if someone knows where you could rent a room? I would look for a room to rent or at least enter into an agreement with the hotel on weekly rates. Good luck.

GalRN · Sep 10, 2009

I would be perfectly willing to do that, but I made it clear that I could not come up with a deposit required to rent or room until my first check... This sucks. I really need this job

blondnursey · Sep 15, 2009

tell them you are out of there if they cant fix it. THEY WORK FOR YOU TOO NOT JUST THE FACILITY.

tell the facility why you are going to be leaving early.

Freedom42 · Sep 15, 2009

If I understand the OP correctly, the original contract made no stipulations about housing. S/he may say that the recruiter told him/her that housing would be provided, but unless that was spelled out in the contract she signed, the verbal promise is meaningless.

If it were me, I would be very careful about terminating that contract hastily. What does it say about penalties if the OP chooses to breach the agreement? If the agency has included language that allows it to recoup its costs, the OP could be required to pay a substantial fee. Is there a non-compete clause involved? Terminating the agreement might be worse than toughing out a temporary housing situation, even if it's aggravating.

Considering · Sep 25, 2009

Wow...that sounds like a nightmare! If I were you, I would find another company to work for and then terminate the "agreement" with the one that's putting you through hell. That's just wrong. I wouldn't care what their "stipulations" were, they've already screwed you over. I would love to know the name of this company so that I don't use them. I've been thinking a lot about beginning the travel nurse scene, but after reading your post I'm not so sure it'd be the best idea especially since you never know who you can trust. I hope things are getting better for you!

caliotter3 · Sep 26, 2009

Well, if the OP doesn't have a place to live I suppose they could stay in their car and park their car in the facility parking lot. That is a very unpleasant option, but one that is viable. There have been stories in the news about employees who live in their vehicles in the parking lots of their jobs and go in for personal hygiene at their place of work. Since the people being discussed in the news releases were male executives, they were portrayed as "heroes" for doing this to provide for their families living in mortgaged homes a good distance from the job. I certainly hope the OP has resolved this in an acceptable manner.

SandyB · Sep 26, 2009

Make quick friends with someone working their and offer cash for their couch?

Then look for a room after you get paid.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2009

Give them a deadline to find the housing, a week at the most, if no housing.........not showing up for work. Its that simple. They dont make any money if you dont show up.

In the future, dont sign the contract unless everything you want is in it. Also, have it in the contract that you move into the housing a week before the start time. I did it all the time.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2009

Oh, and a side note...........never work for that company again. When they call you to renew or work another contract, say no thanks, and be blunt that they are not up to snuff. Start looking at other companies now. Not next week, not tonight...........now.

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2009

I won't go into the name of the agency as I am still under contract even though they have not delivered what they promised.
I am new to travel nursing and hadn't really considered it til recently, after having a hard time finding local work in my specialty.
Saw an ad for a position about 150miles away from home that fit my skill set so I called the company and they were supernice, said that they'd put me into their housing no problem, and starting a very urgent hiring process. When I had read and signed what they sent (nothing about housing written at all) they started saying that from the beginning I'd stated that I would take care of housing. They are willing to admit that this is not really possible in most cases when the RN has 1 week from applying job to starting it. They also stated that the area was too rural and that they couldn't accomodate me, unless I lived in a hotel 80 miles away. My car is 15 yrs old. No. We settled on an agreement that they would pay for one week at a cheapo hotel while I looked for accomodations. They said that they could just keep me at that hotel until I got my 1st pay and deduct it from my weekly pay, since I don't have the $$ to start putting down deposits. Either way we agreed that I would tell them what to book for me at the hotel and they would do it, taking the $ from mypay as needed. It is day 4. I am finished with my 12hr shifts and have one night off. They are making me leave the hotel every morning and then putting me back in later. They'll only book 1 night at a time, but with a night job you sleep through the day and need more than one night reservation.
I am tired, and confused. I don't really have a full understanding of my rights as a newbie and obviously can't trust my recruiter. Oh, the reason they made me leave for today was that they haven't rec'd the results from my drug test yet. Tough ****!! You just ordered it the day before I left.
HHHEEELLLPPP!!!!! Don't want to leave contract but not thrilled about being homeless. I can't spend my last $$ on a room if I can't trust them.... who knows if I'll get paid?

I'll do it for you.

American Mobile anyone? lmao. This reeks of them.

MauraRN · Sep 27, 2009

Sounds awful, but don't walk out on the contract (hope it is a short one) and never accept an assignment from them ever again. Talk to the facility, they may be able to hide you out in an unused call room until you have your paycheck in hand and cashed.