If Nurses are "Essential", Why Can't We Be Treated Like It?

[Catalin]

I've been working through this entire pandemic and it has been nothing but stressful. I am now motivated more than ever to find work off bedside. I now join the increasing number of burnt out nurses who look to leave bedside. Which is awful because bedside is the most important part of nursing. I look at my friends with envy as they all don't have to commute. Or those who were lucky enough to have their facilities shut down and collect significantly more than I do on unemployment. Meanwhile I'm over here wearing mask and goggles for 12.5 hours each night while being begged to pick up at least another four hours, all while dealing with my increased workload as we can't even get to minimum staffing levels. Not even to mention being at an increased risk to exposure to getting covid. All this while having my paycheck taxed to oblivion. I worked unbelievable amounts of overtime this last period because I need to pay off my credit card. I worked every holiday, I worked at least 100 hours a pay period. I lost 55% of my paycheck to taxes, I really needed that money and I put in the time and effort to make it. It was absolutely heartbreaking for me to sacrifice so much during the holidays and then to just have most of it taken away. 

Where is the incentive to work during this time!? I'm not in it for just the money, when the patients praise me for the work I've been doing, it feels great. But I am burnt out from the increased workload and now I have to ask my family for money to pay off my bills. There are those making significantly more than me on unemployment while just sitting at home. I know this because they brag about it. There is no doubt in my mind that covid has made things significantly harder on all of us working bedside. But what's the point of it now!? The government can't even give us hazard pay or even a measly tax break.  If we, as nurses, are so essential during this time, why can't we be treated like it? 

[amoLucia]

hoosier - very right-on comment!

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

On 1/9/2021 at 1:28 PM, JKL33 said:

To simplify: No one got taxed at a 55% rate. They happened to have 55% withheld from a particular check. They are going to get a tax refund at the end of the year that is in line with the final tax bracket based on their final annual income. If they happened to jump tax brackets in all their OT activity, then they will get taxed at a higher actual rate.  If they didn't, they won't.

 

I actually did just that working 6-7 12-16 hours shifts a week at the end of the year in 2005 as an LPN between three employers. I got taxed through the nose by my main employer during OT and regular with two per diem jobs...didn’t see much more in my actual check and the got kicked in the teeth and had to PAY another $1k at tax time. I was anticipating a big return-CPA dad informed me that I had pushed myself into the bracket just above with all the OT and basically  screwed my self. Never did that again.

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

On 1/7/2021 at 9:46 PM, Catalin said:

If we, as nurses, are so essential during this time, why can't we be treated like it? 

Because we're weak and allow ourselves to be treated the way we are.  We'll whine and whine but never stand up to management together out of fear of being fired from a job that we can replace with just a single phone call.

[Davey Do]

On 1/9/2021 at 9:20 PM, Sour Lemon said:

They can't give the kids ativan, you know...

Well, not legally.

Or ethically. Morally too, I guess.

But they can still dream, can't they?

 

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

For incentive, what about non-taxable ideas?

How about sending housekeepers to nurses' homes who work substantial overtime during the pandemic? Meal services? Pay for their insurance 100%?

When overtime is paid, at least make it on a second check to reduce immediate withholding.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I have much more empathy for the essential workers that are in professions that were in no way originally likely to encounter life threatening medical conditions. When I became a nurse I took on the responsibility for caring for all sick people, and when I moved to critical care I chose to provide care for very sick people. I knew that going in. Fortunately, my hospital did not have a critical shortage of PPE and throughout the pandemic I have been able to take the appropriate precautions in my work environment. Our hospital has been closed to visitors and we have pretty strict PPE and social distancing guidelines at work. 

What about the people that work at Walmart? The grocery store? Restaurants and other businesses that remained open and they had essentially no control over their environment. They are not paid nearly as much for their jobs, and I know of a local Walmart where seven employees died after contracting COVID. And these people were trying to support families on $11 an hour. 

I have a business relationship with my employer. They don't really owe me thanks. I'm paid, per the union contract that the nurses agreed to, in line with the job market. Yes, there might be greed among some hospital administrators and management- they took those positions for a reason, and the hospital has experienced revenue loss due to the cancellation of a couple months of lucrative surgeries. Certainly no one could foresee the pandemic and what it's brought for challenges, especially for those of us working at the bedside, but there are risks and rewards in all choices. I don't really feel bad for us as a whole, I'm making a living that can support my family doing the job in the profession I chose. I'm not being abused by management, certainly work conditions aren't ideal, but much of it is beyond their control as well. just my opinion.

[MunoRN, RN]

To have an effective Tax rate of 55% your income would have to exceed $10,000,000 annually regardless of what state you're in.  You are a very well paid RN.

[turtlesRcool]

On 1/9/2021 at 12:37 PM, GrumpyRN said:

Sorry, I am not trying to derail the topic but I have a question. Please feel free to ignore it if you want.

Whenever I have had discussions on this site with American nurses they seemed horrified that in the UK I would pay approximately one third of my salary to taxes and deductions but you seem to be saying that 55% is normal. Also remember that I do not pay on top of this for health care or sickness benefit or unemployment benefit. Should also add that my working conditions, holidays, sick time etc., are better.

Thank you for clarifying this or as I say, just ignore it. ?

 

Also, the US has progressive taxation.  Some people don't understand this, and think being over a certain threshold into another tax bracket means they lose money.  This is usually not the case.  

There are 7 federal brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%,  32%, 35%, 37%) for ordinary income (assets such as capital gains have a whole different system, and effective tax rates are higher when factoring in state and local taxes).  Progressive taxation means you are only taxed that rate for the amount of money you make IN that tax bracket.

For example, a single person pays 10% on income $0-$9875. Whether you make a million dollars or 10000 dollars, you don't get taxed more than 10% on the first $9875 you make.  The 12% bracket is $9876-$40,125 for a single person.  So a nurse who ordinarily makes $40,000/year would be taxed at 10% for $9875 of her income, and 12% for the remaining $30,125 (because that's the amount she makes in the 12% bracket).  If she picks up overtime, and earns $45,000 that year, she will continue to pay 12% on $125 of that income, and the last $4,875 would be taxed at 22%.  

Some people don't understand this, and they think being "bumped up" into the next tax bracket means they have to pay that tax rate on their entire income.  In reality, making more money means you make more money, even if you pay a higher tax on the "more" part.  

Now, having a higher income might lower your eligibility for some tax credits for low-to-middle income earners when you go to file you taxes (such as the Earned Income Credit which primarily benefits people with children). And picking up overtime can trigger some weird withholdings because the system thinks your paycheck for that period is your "normal" pay, but as other people have said, you get that back.

To be honest, you probably pay a lower percentage in the UK than we do in the US once we figure in federal taxes, state taxes, local taxes, health care premiums and deductibles (which can be really, really high), medicare, and social security taxes.  It's just that we have it cut up into different chunks, so it can feel less than the 1/3 of the income you pay, even if we actually pay more.  For us, healthcare is an expense rather than a tax, so our taxes may be lower, even though our costs are often higher.  But as a nurse, I make more (and take home more) here than in the UK.  Part of the way the NHS keeps costs down is by paying so little, and a big part of the cost in the US is worker payments.

[SmilingBluEyes]

On 1/10/2021 at 12:38 PM, Hoosier_RN said:

 

Don't compare yourself to others. It will steal your joy

Truer words never spoken. Comparing myself to others always leads to anxiety and upset for me.  Teachers do NOT have it easy. I would not be one. It's not the kids, but the parents, that would drive me nuts.

[saraleigh, ASN, RN]

On 1/14/2021 at 5:50 AM, Nurse Beth said:

For incentive, what about non-taxable ideas?

How about sending housekeepers to nurses' homes who work substantial overtime during the pandemic? Meal services? Pay for their insurance 100%?

When overtime is paid, at least make it on a second check to reduce immediate withholding.

Are you hiring?

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

On 1/14/2021 at 7:50 AM, Nurse Beth said:

For incentive, what about non-taxable ideas?

How about sending housekeepers to nurses' homes who work substantial overtime during the pandemic? Meal services? Pay for their insurance 100%?

When overtime is paid, at least make it on a second check to reduce immediate withholding.

I remember we used to have a concierge service available for doctors, nurses and hospital employees.  They could run errands, do shopping, take your car in; but I don't think it was free.  Still it was a nice gesture which brings back memories of the good, old times.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

My hospital system just rolled out a bonus program, but even that they botched once again creating descension among the ranks.  Management decided to pick and choose who deserved the bonus and determined whether the staff had taken care of enough covid patients to qualify.  Seriously, of course they themselves got a bonus 5X as much and never wore scrubs or worked with even one covid patient!  The unlucky runner ups were rewarded with a crappy company T-shirt!  Unbelievable, talk about a slap in the face.  It's a good thing I don't still work there because I would be so tempted to burn the T-shirt with a camera crew in view! LOL

Oh to top it off the CNO bragged about treating herself to a new diamond ring and trip to Mexico.  Amazing to me in the middle of a pandemic the CNO feels it is the right time to go to Mexico!  Reminded me of Deborah Birx, a top fed Corona expert who was forced to resign for simply having a Thanksgiving dinner with her family, not even traveling out of the country!