Is there a law on minimum hours for PRN employees

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2016

No law that I know of, but most facilities have a minimum for which you must be available. My last per diem job had two levels -- one required 7+ shifts per 6 weeks, with 1+ weekend shifts per 6 weeks, and one primary and one minor holiday per year. The 2nd option was 3+ shifts per 6 weeks, and option 1 got a $4/hr differential.

However, if they don't have the shifts available, you don't work. They won't cancel their full-timers' hours to give them to per diem staff. The person diem employee wasn't penalized for not working either, so we communicated our availability to the scheduler.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2016

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They keep saying there aren't any hours, but 2 of the RNs left, and they are hiring another, which would have less seniority than me, and I'd have to be offered them first.

This does sound strange, though.

Maustin89 · Jul 21, 2016

This employer does not have those types of conditions. The only condition that I am aware of or have been informed of is that you can not refuse 3+ days in a 30-day period.

I know they aren't going to give me hours over a full or part-time employee.

But the problems come in when I have had issues with them in the past that they kept saying they called when they didn't or left a voicemail when they didn't. So I gave them 2 more numbers, including my dad's, who lives right next door, and they've never attempted to call those numbers either. I also had an incident last month when I received a self-term notice in the mail for refusing 3 days. I didn't. I had to contact h.r. And let them investigate. They had to give me my position back. 1 of those days, I told them to let me know for sure if they needed me, but I never heard back cause they weren't sure at the time if they did. The second my supervisor told me not to come in. Since then, I've been offered no hours. Not called even once.

I know they need someone bc one of the full times went to the supervisor's position since our supervisor retired and the other pen quit. That only leaves them with 1 full-time and me. Plus, they have 2. LPNs can do most of the job requirements, but they have schedules of their own. And they hired a new RN. I don't understand how they are hiring a new RN when they tell me there are no hours for me and I have to be offered hours before the LPNs bc of job requirements, but they are giving hours to the Lpn.

Extra Pickles · Jul 21, 2016

Here.I.Stand said:

This does sound strange though.

It doesn't sound strange to me as it makes more sense to hire a regular employee to fill a permanent spot if they can rather than a PRN person who can choose to work only when they want to. If the floor is going to be short enough without a full-time RN that they'd have to fill in all those hours with a PRN employee, it doesn't make sense not to hire the full-timer.

Extra Pickles · Jul 21, 2016

Maustin89 said:

This employer does not have those types of conditions. The only condition that I am aware of or have been informed of is that you can not refuse 3+ days in a 30-day period.

I know they aren't going to give me hours over a full or part-time employee.

But the problems come in when I have had issues with them in the past that they kept saying they called when they didn't or left a voicemail when they didn't. So I gave them 2 more numbers, including my dad's, who lives right next door, and they've never attempted to call those numbers either. I also had an incident last month when I received a self-term notice in the mail for refusing 3 days. I didn't. I had to contact h.r. And let them investigate. They had to give me my position back. 1 of those days, I told them to let me know for sure if they needed me, but I never heard back cause they weren't sure at the time if they did. The second my supervisor told me not to come in. Since then, I've been offered no hours. Not called even once.

I know they need someone bc one of the full times went to the supervisor's position since our supervisor retired and the other pen quit. That only leaves them with 1 full-time and me. Plus, they have 2. LPNs can do most of the job requirements, but they have schedules of their own. And they hired a new RN. I don't understand how they are hiring a new RN when they tell me there are no hours for me and I have to be offered hours before the LPNs bc of job requirements, but they are giving hours to the Lpn.

Maybe it's just because I'm not as close to the situation as you are, but the writing on the wall looks to me like they just are not going to have you in unless someone is holding a gun to their heads! They seem to be going to some lengths not to have you working there, so why push it? Go PRN somewhere else because this place doesn't want you, even if they aren't telling you that it looks clear to me.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 21, 2016

How many hours were you getting before the "conflict"? You are PRN; they don't have to offer you any hours. What does your contract stipulate? I had to work two days a month or lose my position.

Maustin89 · Jul 21, 2016

They didn't hire this one full-time. They hired her PRN too. And by policy would have to offer me a full-time position before hiring a new employee since I am already an employee.

Maustin89 · Jul 21, 2016

I just took a full-time position somewhere else, mane the new supervisor, whom I am friends with, told me not to resign until it becomes a conflict.

Maustin89 · Jul 21, 2016

My hours varied. But up until then, I was getting at least one day per month. Most of the time more. As far as I know, there aren't any required hours, but I can't refuse 3+ days in a 30-day period.

Maustin89 · Jul 21, 2016

And this is a nursing home in which the shifts are only days and weekends for at least 8 hours.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jul 21, 2016

Extra Pickles said:

It doesn't sound strange to me as it makes more sense to hire a regular employee to fill a permanent spot if they can rather than a PRN person who can choose to work only when they want to. If the floor is going to be short enough without a full-time RN that they'd have to fill in all those hours with a PRN employee, it doesn't make sense not to hire the full-timer.

Good point.