First of all, let me explain that I have only until May to graduate and take my boards for my BSN. I'm currently a LPN who works on a dementia until from 6a-6p every Saturday and Sunday.
Now, when I started working there, I was paid $20 an hour. I was happy, everyone was happy.
This past March, management took away $4.50 of my pay (supposedly weekend shift differential) and I was down to $15.50. BUT~ they offered to pay us weekenders 30 hours pay for 24 hours work. So we stayed.
Yesterday, we had a meeting. Now, there is NO extra pay, weekenders have to come in at 5:30a and work till 6:30p and get paid straight time. No extra hours. No nothing. That's an extra hour work for even less pay!
Issue being....I love my job, I love my people. I've been there 1.5 yrs. I need the weekend hours. This is the upside of things.
Downside...I need money as much as anyone else does! I have children to feed, a home to pay for! And no one else's hours or pay was cut..just weekend option. But they are gonna do it no matter what. No choice.
There's really no where else to go around here that won't take up extra pay in gas to drive, and it is less than a year, but I am so disappointed in all of this. Confused? Yes. Upset? Yes.
I may put in a few other apps tomorrow at LTCF around the area. What can they do? Pay me less than there?
They say they don't have the money....I say bull ....but who can I argue with? If they are cutting our pay, shouldn't they cut everyones? But no, it's just weekend shift. *SIGH*
BTW, I know about the bills and being undercut. Before becoming a private duty nurse became a viable option for me I had resolved to only working per diem or agency. Sometimes we have to do what we have to do to make ends meet.
$20.00 x 24 hours= $480 $480 x 52 weeks= $24,960 Now let's try the math with the new deal....$15.50 x 24= $372 (Now let's figure what your real hourly rate is with that extra early unpaid hour: $372/26 hours=$14.30hour) $372 x 52 weeks= $19,344.
To sum it up, you will now be working 104 more hours per year to make $5,616 less than you do now. YIKES! This doesn't even account for the extra hour of sleep you will miss when you are getting up those days...how much is that worth?
No one in management would think of giving up over 5.5 grand a year and put in an extra hundred unpaid hours. I can't believe they would do this to faithful, hard-working employees!
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
Oh dear...been there too! I was working for 4 years at an ALF/LTC and got very use to my job, the people...and basically it was like tending my community with 150 residents and staff...the people were great..management was HORRIBLE!
Because of the cost of RN's, they bumped me down to two days a week max, and no raises, no benifits because I was considered part time! (they did this to all RN's because if they all are part time no extras increasing their costs!).
I had no choice but to look elsewhere! I found a great agency and had no trouble working as much as I wanted (till this last month...low census..but if I was willing to drive a bit more...again, no probelm with jobs at all!). I have been doing this now for 7 months, I get a higher pay, qualify for health/401K etc if I keep up my 36 hours a week (not a probelm typically!)...and I have the flexibility of scheduling I have always dreamed of! PLUS, my agents work for ME, not the other way around...I am the commodity and I call the shots. I LOVE IT!
Took guts and heartbreak though to change..but it was sooooooooo worth it! Maybe you can look at that option! If you are able, it is great for having family and scheduling times to be with them! I love it!
Alas...as of today two hospitals are in a bidding war over me! I can't believe it! One hospital has 4 floors bidding for me! Typically this doesn't occur, but I guess just being myself paid off for once (where my humorous nature and fun loving spirit got me nowhere elsewhere!)...looks like ortho is going to win...great thing...they are buying out my contract in full, so I don't have to pay a dime!!!!!!
Best of all...I get to negotiate pay, benifits, schedules..the works at this point before I make a choice! I would have NEVER guessed this could happen...and it has been a very good thing for me...I needed to feel of value and appreciated...and wow..happening now!
To the OP - that sux, and I agree with the advice to look around. I've been in situations where "the management" states they can't 'afford' to do something to benefit staff, yet their salaries continued to raise, along with their 'perks'. :angryfire
:yelclap:
HisTreasure, BSN, RN
748 Posts
BTW, I know about the bills and being undercut. Before becoming a private duty nurse became a viable option for me I had resolved to only working per diem or agency. Sometimes we have to do what we have to do to make ends meet.