I worked as a PCA and an ER tech while in Nursing School. At the beginning of my first semester of nursing school I signed a contract to the hospital saying that if they paid for some nursing school in turn I would work as an RN for them for 2 years. The contract I signed was VERY vague, said they would give preference to people with this contract but the employee CAN be asked to repay if they quit school or get terminated.
This hospital system is huge and owns 6 area hospitals. In December I applied for 20 RN positions at 5 of there hospitals. I applied for every type of floor and all kinds of shifts. I never ever heard anything from anyone in the 3 months since...not even for an interview with HR and I WORK THERE ALREADY!! I had a great review in January, well liked by the staff/managers on the 2 floors I worked on previously, good GPA, and 4 years of experience with the company and no disaplinary problems/background. I also know that this company put through a corporate wide hiring freeze in November. Then 2 weeks ago they sent eveyone letters saying they were no longer going to fill the vancancys!
The good news is in Febuary I was offered a great job at a University Medical Center. ( Better reputation, closer to house...) I took the job because I never heard from the hospital system I had a contract with ( and truthfully who knows what decade they would have called me for an interview at this point)
The problem is I heard from a little birdie in HR that in 6 -8 months the hospital will send me a bill for 20,000 !!????
So my question is What do I do!? I feel that the company ( not me) breeched this contract!
I have student loans to pay and I don't have a spare 20,000 sitting around.
PS- I also did have to go on LOA because of my health for 6 weeks in Sept. I am fine now. The same people in HR who fill out that paper work are the same who pull applications for HR interviews and to show the managers. Should I be suspisious that they didn't exactly love the idea of hiring a 24 year old new grad with chronic health problems.
I agree the working as a tech is a bad idea, but for a little different reason. There is a very good chance they only will accept that because they want to bring you in, let you go on for a few months, then fire you for something petty and now you are the one in breach of contract.
:yeahthat:
Also, your accountability has changed along with your scope of practice now that you are a RN. Even though you wouldn't be working as a RN, you will still be held to those standards rather than those of a tech. I agree with some of the others. Just concentrate on your new job and let them come find you. If they do, then see an attorney. Or see one now if it would make you feel better.
i agree with rngolfer53 who said “you wouldn't go to an attorney for a nursing question, right? same thing applies in reverse”. definitely check out your contract with an attorney. determine if there is a time period when they have to hire you. is it within 1 year after graduation, 6 months after passing the nclex? that will tell you if they broke contract. i heard you mention your concern that they might not want to hire a 24y/o with chronic health problems. if you are healthy enough to fulfill your shift responsibilities with or without proper assistance that would not put a serious burden upon them you have no problem. you might have a great legal standpoint. you don’t have to be the person who always lifts the bariatric patients or takes care of the patient who is out of her mind screaming. i don’t know what chronic health problems you have, but have you doc write what limitations may be.
if you apply again and they say they won’t hire you because you are sick all the time and can’t handle a patient load the way they want you to, they just violated the ada law, (american with disabilities act)
the hospital would owe you the fulltime salary that you would have been earning up until that point and the money you would have made if you worked there full time for 2 years (i believe you mentioned the terms of your contract were working for them for two years). and, they would no be allowed to collect the $20k you borrowed for school because it was given to you without the plan to hire you anyway. the $20k was more of a grant, that would not be paid back. i have had a very similar situation happen (let’s say to my best-friend), so i know i am very close with the situation given in this post. but with not being hired (ask if it is because you’re sick-look for a yes) hire an attorney and get another job on his advice. relax. i’ve been there. you need patience, not frustration. good luck, god bless!
I was not terminated..I had quit after I had gotten a new RN position at the other hospital.
I also did try to chat up some managers and none of them were hiring. Some of them were only hiring RN's with 5+ years experience. Ive gave nothing but my best within my 4 years and truthfully I was well-liked by those who I worked with and managers ( I think its because I always was plesent and avoided drama)
I just feel like the hospital is in the wrong! It makes me so upset! That I feel like I took the right steps and they ( the hospital) is just not in a financial position to hire RNs...therefore I get the bill. I also heard from this HR girl that they send you one lump some and they are very very unwilling to try to help you break it up into payments. = (
However I did hear I could keep my part time job as a Tech for two years to avoid this! ( however I am pretty sure thats a bad idea)
I was thinking about calling HR and getting the facts straight however I was told by some friends and family that I should consult a contract lawyer and have them do the talking.
Keep the part time tech job. It's the easiest thing to do. You might actually be able to get an RN job during your next 2 years.
If not, have a good laugh if they expect you to pay it in 1 lump sum. Do they think they just have that kind of money just lying about? Talk to an attorney right away, now, today so you know the whole truth.
Do NOt ever sign another contract without fully understanding what it says. This is how a lot of people got into adjustable rate mortgages.
The first thing you need to be is proactive, instead of reactive.
We have students in my class that have failed and they have ALL received bills from the hospital. So I seriously doubt if this is a rumor.
You need to take a couple hundred dollars to an attorney that specializes in contract law and get them to look over the contract.
It is very possible, that along with the hiring freeze, that they purposely had no intentions of hiring anyone who received tuition contract money and not hiring you as an RN is a good way to get it back.
However, did the contract say you HAD to be hired as an RN specifically or just employed with the facility? This is another reason why you need to see an attorney.
However, did the contract say you HAD to be hired as an RN specifically or just employed with the facility? This is another reason why you need to see an attorney.
Don't wait until you get the bill.
Thanks everyone!!!
So Friday I called HR to get my 401K switched and to figure out this mess.
I also want to say that staying a tech and hoping for them to offer me a job isn't an option for me anymore.
Turns out 1) My manager never sent in my paperwork to say that I quit....
2) The people in HR took a message for me and said I have to talk to someone who directly works in this programs department. They will call me back at some point this week. ( I hope)
3) I asked for them to send me a copy of the contract. They would not fax me a copy of the contract.... I have to first talk with the person from the program.
I am so annoyed.. I do plan on hiring an attorney. This week (hopefully) I just have to find time to do that around my orientation.
Its just another stress on top of starting my new job this week!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Really. Wow. Guess there are contracts out there that are worded in favor of us. If thats the case, good for the OP. That'd be nice.
Well, in our case, they had every intention of hiring their investments and making us repay in blood, sweat and tears, so, that was not a worry. BELIEVE ME, they offered you a position. Now, if you said no to what was available, then, well, that was another problem...
Talk to an attorney right away, now, today so you know the whole truth.
NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN
1,110 Posts
:yeahthat:
Also, your accountability has changed along with your scope of practice now that you are a RN. Even though you wouldn't be working as a RN, you will still be held to those standards rather than those of a tech. I agree with some of the others. Just concentrate on your new job and let them come find you. If they do, then see an attorney. Or see one now if it would make you feel better.