Is classroom orientation paid?

[Underthemoonicp6]

Hi I am in my 2nd day of a 2 day classroom orientation for my first travel assignment. Should I expect to be paid for this time? It doesn't seem as though anyone has tried to get hour sheets signed.

[NedRN]

You are required to be paid for all hours worked. You have certainly been documented to be in attendance so I wouldn't worry about it.

[Underthemoonicp6]

Great thank you for your response

[dance4life]

Some agencies pay your rate, some pay a certain amount, and some wait until you work a number of shifts. It should say in your contract. If not I would ask your agency. Not sure what state you are working but, some hospitals don't pay the agency for any orientation days and the agency foots the bill.

[NedRN]

True enough about agency practices. This is predicated on the hospital or vendor manager contract though, agencies don't make it up from scratch although they can deal with it a number of ways, and as you say, the contract should specify if orientation is treated differently than other shifts. But there is no way to get out of paying for hours worked: delaying pay for some number of shifts is pushing employment laws for sure.

[msygrnbw]

Yes, you should. But my scheduler documents my hours and keeps them in the computer for orientation so I get paid without clocking in/out and just told me to let her know if anything changes. A quick call/email to your scheduler/HR should be able to answer how it works for you.

[dance4life]

But there is no way to get out of paying for hours worked: delaying pay for some number of shifts is pushing employment laws for sure.

I totally agree with you.

Some nurses have not read the fine print, received their paycheck, and were astonished with what they were paid. They of course quit and did not complain to the Labor Board. So how are they to know if no one speaks up? Then of course they get away with it.

Seems to be the new thing since I have always been paid FULLY for orientation before, or haven't had to wait a few weeks.

[NedRN]

It is fairly recent, perhaps just in the last 10 years. It is increasing with the rise of vendor managers, which now have over half of all assignments. Something of a sales tool to say to a potential hospital client that we can save you a lot of those wasted costs on orientation. But this practice does throw a large wrench in the process where agencies, who have to follow labor laws (a business to business contract is not subject) with a lowered bill rate or no billing allowed for a certain number of hours. Now how to present this to travelers? Either they have to pay differently for overtime hours, or reduce hourly pay for the entire assignment. Neither practice is good for marketing or traveler relations even when/if they can present the issue clearly.

[dance4life]

Let me tell you getting paid for overtime is also a hoot! My last assignment they didn't approve it. I couldn't wait to get finished with that assignment!