Is this even LEGAL?!?!

Published

Our CEO just pulled me into his office today to inform me that 'corporate' is not happy about the raise I just got 2 months ago and he has to 'readjust' my pay, giving me over 2 dollars an hour cut in pay!!! My job as a charge nurse has not changed, just what the 'company' is willing to pay me. I have never heard of such absurdity. Needless to say, my resume is in the works as we speak and I am out of there after just shy of a year. They must think I'm a fool! By the way, I am a member of prepaid legal and will be investigating this with an attorney, but does anyone know off hand if this is a violation of wage and labor. It sure should be!

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Unless under union or written contract, wage adjustments are at the discretion of the employer to my knowledge. Just like continuing to work for an employer is at the discretion of the employee ---especially when feeling mistreated. ;)

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

I had this problem in another job, when I was a teenager. I accepted a position at a place in a grocerie store and two weeks later, they told me they were "very happy with your performance and attendence, but we started you too high and must cut back your pay to reflect your time in the store".

Problem was, I was young and did the salary comparison thing with other employees. Some people had been there for a number of years and never got raises for this and that reason. When they found out I made the same as them, they complained. Of course, the store manager cut my pay back instead of giving them the raises they were seeking.

My way of handling it was simple, I didnt show up anymore. I basically told them "I accepted the job under a certain compensation agreement. To change the hourly wage means you are bringing me back to the bargaining table. I do not accept the position under the new wage. As long as I make the original wage we agreed on, I will continue to work. If you would like a two week noitce, I need to make the original wage during that notice. Once the new wage begins, I will be declineing the new wage and will no longer be employeed by you".

They made the wage change effective immediately and I didnt do a two week notice. They called me a few times and asked why I had not shown up for work. As if they didnt know. I find it amazing that they expected two weeks notice under the new wage. They didnt get it.

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Specializes in mental health; hangover remedies.
They made the wage change effective immediately and I didnt do a two week notice. They called me a few times and asked why I had not shown up for work. As if they didnt know. I find it amazing that they expected two weeks notice under the new wage. They didnt get it.

Kudos.

Unfortunately that seems to be the way of the world - take it or leave it.

Unless you have a written binding contract stipulating your rate of pay or there is an organisational pay spine/policy - they are an independent arbitrator. And, as has been said, reply with your feet. It's all about the competitive market - and it goes both ways.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.
Kudos.

Unfortunately that seems to be the way of the world - take it or leave it.

Unless you have a written binding contract stipulating your rate of pay or there is an organisational pay spine/policy - they are an independent arbitrator. And, as has been said, reply with your feet. It's all about the competitive market - and it goes both ways.

:rolleyes:Of course, this was easier to do for me, since I was a teen and it was just spending money for me. Its different if you have children relying on you and bills to pay. I just dont want to give the impression that I think this type of assertiveness is always appropriate.

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Specializes in mental health; hangover remedies.
I just dont want to give the impression that I think this type of assertiveness is always appropriate.

Indeed - but it's great when you can.

I've walked away from two jobs without giving notice - once over unsafe conditions.

The other one was a personality clash with the CEO/Company owner - I told her either she has to go or I do. :)

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That's what I thought. It sure sucks, tho. I hate looking for a job, but that is what I will be doing.

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.
Our CEO just pulled me into his office today to inform me that 'corporate' is not happy about the raise I just got 2 months ago and he has to 'readjust' my pay, giving me over 2 dollars an hour cut in pay!!!

Did you have a contract?

one time at our hospital, finances were real bad, and they asked the RN's to take a 5% wage cut for 6 months to stop the hospital from going under. The union voted. we agreed to take a 6 month cut to help out. Management was forced to take the same cut. The LPN unions, Unit clerc unions, and tech unions all voted and did not agree to take a cut. Well, to save more money, the hospital laid off some staff..... LPN's, Tech's and unit secretaries... all the ones that voted not to take a cut to help out the hospital. funny conicidence!

After 6 months, the hosptial asked if we would keep our wage at the 5% drop. We voted, and voted no at this point. 6 months had given the hosptial a boost, and finances had improved. Management never got their 5% back.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

To me that is just a BS move. As an employer dinkling around with someone's pay is the kiss of death. If they don't accept a polite, "I'm sorry that is not acceptable as I feel I am a valuable employee and worth that amount" and continue you at your current rate I'd be interviewing immediately. I'm sorry they pulled this with you. Hang in there and please keep us posted.

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Employers have the right to change your pay as well as other working conditions as they see fit in the absence of a written contract. You would do well to seek employment elsewhere.

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They can, and you can leave. Find something else first, though, and don't leap from the frying pan into the fire.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Did you have a contract?

one time at our hospital, finances were real bad, and they asked the RN's to take a 5% wage cut for 6 months to stop the hospital from going under. The union voted. we agreed to take a 6 month cut to help out. Management was forced to take the same cut. The LPN unions, Unit clerc unions, and tech unions all voted and did not agree to take a cut. Well, to save more money, the hospital laid off some staff..... LPN's, Tech's and unit secretaries... all the ones that voted not to take a cut to help out the hospital. funny conicidence!

After 6 months, the hosptial asked if we would keep our wage at the 5% drop. We voted, and voted no at this point. 6 months had given the hosptial a boost, and finances had improved. Management never got their 5% back.

Yes, that is conicidental...and not surprizing to me at all. Sometimes, unions have to know when to hold and when to fold. Everyone needs their job, especially these days. And we pay the unions to have wise foresight for things like this. What is sad, however, is that now, much of that work probably fell on the RNs that remained, which, management did benefit in the long run.:down:

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