Moving to an exempt position

[Mommy TeleRN, RN]

So I'm in the interview process for a position away from bedside. The new position will be exempt ie salaried. I'm trying to figure out what salary I am looking for if I am offered the position.

I know exempt persons may have to work extra hours for the same pay. So this is one factor I need to take into consideration.

I know we get around 6 weeks paid time off with an exempt position. Does anyone know how it usually works if you need to take off a few hours say for a doctor appointment? Do they make you take a partial day off from your PTO or as long as your work is done for the week it's just all part of your normal week?

Also, let's say you have a big deadline push and must work 60 hours that week. Do you then get another week with some comp time?

I want to make sure I ask for a high enough salary to cover the various scenarios! Because with my current hourly job I'd have a killer paycheck with 60 hr workweeks kwim??

Any advice very appreciated!! This will be a big move going away from bedside to a desk job!

[llg, PhD, RN]

Some of the "machanics" of being exempt (e.g. leaving for part of a day for a doctor's appointment, etc.) can vary from employer to employer. Some employer's will ask that you use PTO for things more than an hour or so ... others will not as long as you were at work for 40 hours during the week ... others won't even if you were at work for less than 40 hours.

I've spent most of my career in exempt positions -- and have experienced a wide range of specific guidelines and practices.

That's the kind of thing you need to ask either late in the interview process or after you have been offered the job. Be honest and say something like, "I have a few questions about how you handle certain situation with regards to salary and work hours. I know that practice vary from place to place and would like to know how you would handle the situation if ...." Try to appear flexible and willing to meet them half-way of such matters.

As for estimating a salary to ask for, find out how much people in that type of position are usually paid -- the normal salary range for such a position. Then evaluate your qualifications for the position in relation to whether you belong in the lower or higher point of that range. Don't be surprised if it is lower than you could make as a staff nurse getting shift differentials, overtime, etc. That's often the price you pay for getting the greater flexibility in your schedule, etc. But also consider whether or not there is room to increase your salary over a period of a few years to a point above that which you can make as a staff nurse. It is often worth it to take a pay cut (or side step) for a year or two to get to a higher level later for the long term.

[Mommy TeleRN, RN]

Thanks llg. I was offered the position today. I'm still a little nervous about the whole exempt thing and them running me into the ground lol..but since I already work at the facility I know it's a good place and I think they will do right by me. The time off is extremely generous and the pay is about the same as a full time day float position. Less than what I could make working full time night float but better than if I left float and took say a procedural area job...so all in all I think it's a good move for me.