Orientation Pay Less Than Negotiated Rate. Normal?

[ug33]

I recently accepted a job in Home Health, negotiated my pay rate and received a contract to sign. But when I read it I found that during my 90-day orientation period I would be paid 30% less than the rate negotiated.  Is this normal?  I wrote to my hiring person and haven't heard back yet but I think this should have been clearly stated during negotiations.  While I accept that a slightly less hourly rate might be acceptable during training, a 30% decrease seems like a lot for 90 day period.  Opinions, advice? Please?

[FiremedicMike, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

That's not a thing in my neck of the woods..  

[jbudrick, MSN]

At my agency, full and part time nurses receive the same pay rate including orientation.  Per diem nurses receive a daily flat rate for orientation and are paid per visit.  

A lower orientation rate of pay sounds fishy to me....

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

I was offered a job that had something like that in the contract. It was $15 per hour during orientation. I called to say that it was not acceptable, and they apologized and said that they don't actually do that and it was an old contract that needed to be updated. Call the hiring manager and find out if you can get this changed.  Good luck!

[RN1987]

That would be a hard no for me. I would call them and discuss the agreed upon rate, if they refused to change it, they would be looking for another nurse. Nurse jobs are a dime a dozen. 

[mdsRN2005, ASN, BSN, RN]

I agree with others that this would be a hard no for me - *unless* the post-orientation pay rate is significantly higher than market or this was a specific job that I really wanted that wasn't available elsewhere.  In either of those cases, the short term loss *might* be worth it for a long term benefit.   But shy of either of those reasons, definitely not.  

[Ruth E. Raleigh]

While it is so difficult to say a definite "yes" or "no" answer, many states could have different labor laws and pay rules.  Home Health as always had its own unique pay structure.  If I am correct, any agency by law should offer at least minimum wage for meetings/orientation.  I would definitely ask human resources personnel about this pay scale/structure.  DO NOT EVER COMPROMISE YOUR MONETARY AND SELF-WORTH.

Any company that asks you to do so will have other hidden untruths underneath their sleeves.  Be pro-active and stand up to this policy.

[Ann E Willett RN]

I'm a 69yo retired RN. I have never heard of this happening before. I worked in a unionized hospital & noticed a huge difference. Better pay, staffing requirements, arbitration, health care paid etc. ER-TRAUMA was my specialty. I did change to a VNA, treated us extremely well. Didn't need a union. When I became disabled in 1995, I was making $45/hr. I moved to NH 5 years ago. I was appalled nurses were being paid less in 2020 than I was making in 1995! That's a huge step backwards in my opinion. One needs to be assertive & somewhat aggressive to obtain what one wants or expects.