How to quit a contract?

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Hi!

I'm a nurse of 3 years. For the last year I've been doing travel nursing. While the company I chose to travel for is pretty good to me, the availability of assignments I wish to work are very small and I get very tired of feeling like I'm having to argue with my recruiters to get what I want. Futhermore I'm aggrivated about being made to feel like I'm being selfish or difficult when I take long streaches off or change my mind about a contract before I start it.

I wanted to do travel nursing to see the USA, but all my contracts are in the midwest. I have cardiac stepdown/med-surg/tele experience but that doesn't seem to be enough experience to get me the jobs I want. So I started applying for permanent ER jobs around my home town and got a wonderful part time job at a smaller ER that does both peds and adults. It is also a hospital that is known for taking care of it's staff.

Upon interviewing for the ER job I informed them that I had already agreed to a contract that was to start in one week and last until the beginning of Novemember. Now that the ER has a greed to hire me they are wanting me to get out of my contract after the first week (if possible) or by the beginning of October.

I have informed my travel company as to what is going on....it really was a suprise to me that I got this job so fast so there was very little lead in to the fact that I have sort of been looking to expand my RN education through this employment. I have not signed the contract but made the verbal agreement to take the contract.

I'm currently here in my hotel about to leave for the first day of training for this contract and I'm not sure what I should do. When talking to my agency they did not seem to keen on trying to help me out of this contract, even after the new hospital I'm wanting to work for called and trying to work with them.

I'm going to go to training today because I feel obligated to at least talk to the manager of the floor that I took the contract with and try to work something out that will benefit her. I'm trying to get out of this situation without reunioning my reputation and to maintain my ethical virtues. However, I'm not will to let a great job in a good ER be passed up due to a contract that I'm just now starting.

I think the fairest thing for me to do is as the manager of the floor that my contract is for if it will be easier for her to train me and ask me to work for 3 weeks or better to let me leave now and train someone who can work for the rest of the contract.

Any advice on how to handle this the most professionally and ethical way?

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Oh man, decsions decsions. The right thing to do, would be to not even start the new contract and start heading home. However without a firm start date in place & it being part-time I wouldnt start packing either.

Sounds like you are damned if you do and damned if you dont. If you go tell the manager your plans, she may tell you to leave now and if you dont tell her your going to have to bounce out on them. As far as not signing the contract, the manager doesnt care about that, she cares about the commitment you made.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

Thanks 79Tango.

I do have a firm start date for my part time ER job as long as I can get out of my contract. I went in to the job I'm contracted for today and explained the situation. It is something that happend rather fast and unexpectedly. I didn't really mean to get a job it just kind of fell in my lap after I applied for it 3 months ago.

I feel that eventhough it is part time it is to good to pass up the opportunity for ER experience. I've been applying to ERs on and off for over a year now and haven't had a bite until now.

I tried to be as honest and open about this with my agency and the new contract as I could. I know it's inconvient and maybe the fact that I'm bailing on a contract is going to get me blackballed from travelling ever again, but really, does any company have what's best for me as one of their priorities? Uh, no. It's more like if what is good for me is good for them then that's great; if not then I just need to deal.

I hope that they find the fact that I showed up for the contract and offered to work out some arrangement to do both my new job and help them with their shortage a respectable gesture. Other than that I don't know what I should have done. If I had known sooner then I would have acted sooner.

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I think you did the right thing, if your company was smart they would try to get you as many hours as possible between now and the time you leave. They might be a little ticked right now but they will get over it the next time they are in a bind.

You might be out any travel $$ they were going to pay you. What about your housing?

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Specializes in Telemetry.

OMG! My agency just said that they might have to fork out $5000 for me canceling the contract?! Is it normal to have to fork over $5000 for canceling a contract?

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Are you in CA?/ Tell them to get on the phone and find a replacement.. They are probably trying to guilt you into staying, that being said I hope they dont owe you any $$ cause you probably wont be getting it.

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Specializes in OB.

It can be expected for you to pay out substantial amounts if you voluntarily break a contract. It all depends on what your contract said. Go back and read the details of your contract including any other info referred to (as in if it says that you agree to everything set forth in the employee manual)

It's a hard lesson, but remember that the first obligation of the agency is not to accomodate you, but to please their client and make a profit. A good agency will go as far as they can to keep you happy IF you are an asset to them. Quitting a contract for anything other than a true life emergency does not qualify you as an asset.

If your contract does indeed say that you are responsible for those costs your best bet may be to try and work out a payment plan or a pro rata amount if they can fill the position with another traveler.

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but it's strictly business.

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I need help....quickly! I've been on an assignment for approximately a month. This particular hospital (NW Arkansas) has let me go today because of a med error of which I reported myself. A physician had prescribed Ativan,,,I transcribed the order and administered the Ativan. I failed to check the chart for an questionable allergy quoted by the patient. There was NO harm to this patient,,,she is fine but the fact remains, I administered the Ativan and am to blame. I don't question that. Problem is, I got a phone call from my recruiter today telling me the hospital had cancelled my contract effective immediately. My travel company is now telling me that I will have to pay a "breach of contract" fee of $1,000.00 citing behavioral issues. Does this qualify for "behavior issues???" Is there ANY way I can get around this fee? They put me on this floor with peds/adults patients of which I told them I have no pediatric experience,,,and was not comfortable with little ones. I did it though. HELP PLS I am living in an apt that is paid to Nov 28th, 2011. Thank you for your help :nurse:

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What does your contract say about breaking a contract? How much of a paycheck to they owe you? Pretty much the worst they can do is keep your last paycheck. Whose APT are you living in?/yours or theres? If its theres, I wouldnt expect to being staying until Nov. 28th

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You may want to contact a lawyer about this but I believe that if you did not actually sign a contract, you are not legally bound to it even though you verbally may have agreed to it. I've only actually had to sign one contract for an assignment- others that I've had did not request a signature. Remember that the agreements are usually open-ended or one-way. In other words, although there may be an "agreement" or "contract" the facility may terminate the person for any number of reasons.

If you do terminate your "agreement" there may be issues such as holding up your final paycheck, attempting to charge you for cancellation or not allowing you to obtain further contracts with the company for a period of time. In this economy, permanent staff positions are few and far between...you've got a decision to make...good luck!

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Specializes in Medical-surgical.

I would think if no signature on a written contract, then no contract to breach.

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