Hospitals charging nurses $100/month for parking?

[kubelkabondy, ADN, RN]

I am wondering what everyone's thoughts are on nurses being charged to park at the hospital where they work. I started out as a new grad earlier this year and they had temporarily stopped charging for parking due to the pandemic, but we just found out that they are going to start again next month and the rates have increased to $80/month for outdoor surface lot parking (not fenced and no security in a neighborhood where there are lots of drug addicts and vandalism) and well over $100/month for garage parking. 

Even charging patients for parking seems absurd to me, but charging nurses to park especially when we are so short-staffed right now just seems beyond ridiculous. It may not be all that much money but it's just kind of insulting to be made to pay for something that you NEED to be able to do your job (public trans not an option for me), and there are always tons of empty spaces in the garage so it doesn't seem to be a supply and demand issue. 

[Wuzzie]

I pay more than that. 

[ladedah1, BSN, RN]

Seems like free parking should be something that just comes with the job if you ask me.  How do they expect you to get there?  Teleport?

Charging for parking - being that it is often a necessity when it comes to showing up to do your job - is a load of crap.  Why not just hand out pay cuts while they're at it?

I don't - and never have - paid for parking at my work (ramp or otherwise).

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Inner city hospitals with limited parking options usually charge for parking for all staff ( providers sometimes get reduced amt, not always).

Parking at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania:  > 7-24hrs = $20.00/ day for staff.   Parking fees similar at Thomas Jefferson and Temple Univ hospitals in  Philadelphia, PA.   Public transport often used by inner city nurses --still at a cost.

https://www.parkopedia.com/   good website to find out parking lots and fees in many areas.

 

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

I had one job that had a $25/month parking fee, only a bus or two near it.. My next job had no parking, but could get discounted parking for $12-16/shift, but right off of public transit. Current job is free parking, put public transportation would be like 2+ hours for me.

In the city where space = money.. parking costs..

My current place is more suburban with a good amount of space dedicated to parking.

[ladedah1, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, NRSKarenRN said:

Inner city hospitals with limited parking options usually charge for parking for all staff ( providers sometimes get reduced amt, not always).

I guess it depends on which city.  The hospital I work at is in a city and is right in the middle of the downtown area.  It has a few of its own ramps, though, and has bought up a lot of parking in the immediate area.  We don't pay for parking.

I still think it's a bunch of crap to charge employees for using hospital-owned parking if you need them to show up to work... though, I suppose it could also depend on whether or not a hospital actually owns the parking options.  If the parking isn't owned by the hospital, it can't very well control whether parking is free.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

Country Bumpkin General and Hillbilly Healthcare both have parking garages that don't charge anyone to park. Nice amenity for the small towns

[klone, MSN, RN]

I work in downtown Minneapolis, and the hospital also charges all staff (not just nurses, the CEO pays for parking too) to park in the garage. I think it's $80/month. When I worked in downtown Denver, I also paid for parking (surface lot was $1.50/day, never got a garage spot). It's just a fact of life when you work in the city. Luckily, I live in Minneapolis, just a few miles from downtown, so I'm able to take the bus, which is subsidized by the hospital (I only pay $40/month for an unlimited monthly pass). I actually consider that one of the perks to my recent job change. Previously I worked in the suburbs. Free parking, but a 30-mile round trip drive, which equaled about $200/month in gas. 

[RNperdiem, RN]

I work on a university campus and it is the same thing. The hospital says the university owns the parking, so they don't have any control. I don't actually believe that is entirely true, but that is what they have been telling me for the last 20+ years.

Football fans outrank employees too. If there is a game, you need to park in a different lot on game day if your parking area is near the stadium. 

I work weekends which, so far, is still the last island of free parking. Long may it last. 

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Okay and I whine when I have to pay $0.25 to park.  I work in rural areas so there is plenty of parking even if I have to park in the cornfield. 

 

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I purposefully avoid hospitals that charge staff to park on campus.

I recall a few years back I applied to a well known hospital and when they offered me the job they mentioned that if I chose to park on campus I would have a pay deduction of $50 per month, I declined the position and HR told me that it was a privilege to work for that hospital and that I was throwing away a good opportunity. 

 

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

I would have been happy to pay $100/month, we paid double that,and if you were mandated to stay well guess what,you paid again.The docs paid $5 per episode and residents paid nothing.If were late getting in,you had to use valet and of course you want to tip the poor guy.If you were late getting out,then you had to find the attendant to get your key and sometimes that meant going back inside to security office in a LL .The machine often broke down and refused CC,only cash would work,and you hope your ticket did not get swallowed by the cheap machine ,yes we know they purchased the cheapest pay machine,thats why it always broke down,sometimes to exit the gate would get stuckand you could not get out.The gate then marked you as owing money for late stay.Ahh such fun,such joy.The docs had ID swipe pay cards,but materials mgmt refused to give nurses the option.The story is long,so I will stop here.

4 hours ago, Okami_CCRN said:

I chose to park on campus I would have a pay deduction of $50 per month,

I would have gladly paid.