Lost 15 yrs of Senority by changing departments

[Daytoe]

Our hospital policy is for RN's to keep seniority when changing departments. After 15 years in the ED I accepted a position in Interventional Radiology. It wasn't until 8 months of being there, (when it was time to bid on vacations and holidays based on seniority) was I told I am at the bottom of the seniority list. There are only eight of us nurses and I would be second from the top. I brought it up to my manager who said she would "look into it" but of course did nothing. What would you do? Do I push the subject and really upset my co-workers in a small department? Or do I just deal with it and be happy I got the job?

[JKL33]

If you find out that it is indeed the policy that your seniority applies in this situation, then others don't have any business being miffed at you personally. They can be mad at zeus or their employer. Under the circumstances all of that would be behavior that falls into the general realm of drama.

I would address any misplaced reactions about it head-on (which is not to say confrontationally) if I couldn't ignore them completely. I would appeal to others' knowledge that (very likely) they would do the exact same thing.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

"Our hospital policy is for RN's to keep seniority when changing departments." You have earned your seniority, use it. Seems like your manager is clueless. Better watch out for other issues, too.

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

If that's your hospitals policy, I would push it. But our hospital doesn't have that policy. You keep seniority as far as benefits (the longer you work there the greater amount of PTO and such you earn) but As far as asking for time off and such, you start at the bottom... but then you climb each year and after you reach the number one spot.. you go back to the end of the line. That way if everyone works there for 10 years or more.. you are not always last in asking for your vacation/holiday preferences.

[EDNURSE20, BSN]

I wouldn't push it. You might not get the leave you want this year, but will most probably be working in a much nicer environment with staff that like you.

I guess it's whats more important to you? Certain days off and causing drama at work and with your boss or having leave a bit later and keeping the peace at work.

Normally where I work they try alternate staff, so if you work Christmas one year you are guaranteed it off the following. Everyone should be able to have time off, and shouldn't be based off of whose been there longest in my opinion.

[MunoRN, RN]

If it truly is policy then it's written down somewhere and there shouldn't be any need to get your managers opinion on the subject, it is whatever the written policy says it is.

That being said, in my experience seniority is often separated into time with the facility / organization, and time on the unit. When applying for new positions throughout the hospital, then organization seniority is what decides who gets the job, but when it comes to things within the unit, such as holiday schedules, then it's unit seniority that decides who gets first dibs.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't push it. You might not get the leave you want this year, but will most probably be working in a much nicer environment with staff that like you.

I guess it's whats more important to you? Certain days off and causing drama at work and with your boss or having leave a bit later and keeping the peace at work.

Normally where I work they try alternate staff, so if you work Christmas one year you are guaranteed it off the following. Everyone should be able to have time off, and shouldn't be based off of whose been there longest in my opinion.

What should it be based on?

And there really can't be guarantees in a job where living beings are being cared for 24/7/365. Suppose the people who are supposed to work die, quit, or take the first tourist ship to the moon and don't get back on time? Then what? Somebody has to work. As a new grad, it could and maybe should, be you.

Some places schedule staff for only a half shift on major holidays, thus giving everyone some time off. Or bosses will cover a few hours. Or there could be volunteers.

OP - go to the Staffing people, as HR directed. If no luck there, go back to your boss. As others have said, have the policy in hand. Figure out, as others have said, if the transferable seniority applies to the factor that you are unhappy about. And, as BTDT said, keep a close eye on things because your boss is somewhat ineffective or unknowledgeable or unwilling to help you or risk riling other staff up, so she might be messing up other things, too.

And if coworkers get upset, gently ask them if they wouldn't do the same thing you are doing?

Good luck.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

You are lucky if you have a job that recognizes seniority; my hospital does not. It doesn't matter how long you've been here, they will cater to the new employees and not their loyal ones.

[EDNURSE20, BSN]

What should it be based on?

And there really can't be guarantees in a job where living beings are being cared for 24/7/365. Suppose the people who are supposed to work die, quit, or take the first tourist ship to the moon and don't get back on time? Then what? Somebody has to work. As a new grad, it could and maybe should, be you.

I think that's rediculous. That fact that you've been there longer doesn't give you entitlement to get all the leave. It needs to be spread around. And if "people don't get back in time" like you suggested, that would most probably be disciplinary action unless it was an actual emergency like a car accident or a house fire or there child/themselves in hospital.

My hospital has a policy that if you have Christmas off you must work over New Years and vice versa. Which for most people is fine. Some don't mind working xmas and others have no problem working nye.

Not every one gets what they want, but in a job which is 24/7 that's what happens. Seniority has nothing to do with it, because the hospital can't be ran by junior nurses. There's always going to have be senior nurses on too.

It's based off who hasn't had any/much leave recently and who worked it last year. If you had time off 6 months ago and have been on the unit for 30 years you more likely to have to work vs someone whose had no leave that year and is a new grad.

Also giving someone a guarantee that if the work a holiday one year they will have it off the next year is actually really easy. Everyone takes there turn of working it. I get that people change jobs, but there will always be plenty of staff who had it off last year to cover this years holiday. (Unless you working somewhere horrible with a high turn over of staff)

[DowntheRiver]

Where I work, when you change departments your years of service benefits (like PTO accrual) transfer with you. But you definitely can't walk onto the unit and claim seniority and work no holidays. We are actually closed on the actual holiday but the day before and day after are always considered for holiday scheduling, and it is the same as everyone else - you work Christmas, you don't work New Years and vice versa.

I'd be pretty ticked if someone just walked onto the unit after I've been there several years and just starts making demands claiming seniority.

[cleback]

Seniority can mean different things. In my experience, as an organization, it means you keep your pto accrual rate, years of service for pension plans, and other organizational-wide benefits the same if you transfer. For unit based perks (vacation requests, shift requests), seniority doesn't transfer.

I had a case where I was considered for 12 hrs shifts on a unit before someone else who felt entitled. She was a brand new rn but had worked as a cna on a different floor for four years, and I had been an rn on the floor for two. Honestly, I'd be pretty miffed if someone working another unit came to my department and took a slot I had been waiting for. My boss had to clarify what kind of seniority she considered for shifts (1-years of service as an rn in the department, 2-total years of service in that department, and 3-years of service in the organization). It seemed fair to me.

Do what you want, but expect it to grate against your coworkers who have stayed put to earn what you're asking.

[jaderook01, BSN, RN]

If that's the policy, yes you push it! Some might be upset, but they all would do the same.

Exactly.

[Seaofclouds, BSN, RN]

I would check the policy as to what seniority you keep. In mine, length of service with the facility means some things but other things (like vacation requests during summer months) is based on unit seniority.

This is how it works for our hospital as well. Taking a new job within the system allows you to keep your organizational benefits, but you start at the bottom in regards to the experience (and thus vacation/holiday requests) for the specific unit staff.