Pay Package Evaluation!

AWanderingMinstral · May 9, 2013

Without factoring in the housing stipend, I'm getting $27 and change per hour (pre-tax). Factoring in the housing stipend, I'm getting $36 and change (pre-tax). Seems low for an ICU RN.

NedRN · May 9, 2013

22.22 hourly

6.80 per diem (35x7 day/36 hours)

14.10 housing (6,600/468 hours)

.64 travel (300/468)

? insurance

? license reimbursement

Total $43.76 an hour. Subtract housing and it is $29.66. There are a couple of ways the recruiter could be taking it to $33, including payroll taxes but it doesn't really matter what number she quotes, you won't be able to compare it directly to any other offer or prior pay. For that, it will be a lot easier if you use the calculator on PanTravelers for every offer received.

This is fairly average total pay (it is actually about $46 total pay when you add payroll taxes). Best total pay is usually around $50.

AWanderingMinstral · May 9, 2013

22.22 hourly
6.80 per diem (35x7 day/36 hours)
14.10 housing (6,600/468 hours)
.64 travel (300/468)
? insurance
? license reimbursement
Total $43.76 an hour. Subtract housing and it is $29.66. There are a couple of ways the recruiter could be taking it to $33, including payroll taxes but it doesn't really matter what number she quotes, you won't be able to compare it directly to any other offer or prior pay. For that, it will be a lot easier if you use the calculator on PanTravelers for every offer received.
This is fairly average total pay (it is actually about $46 total pay when you add payroll taxes). Best total pay is usually around $50.

It's $20.22 per hour, not $22.22.

dar115 · May 16, 2013

I'm wondering the same thing about my pay for upcoming assignment in Silicon Valley. The agency is quoting me hourly rate as low as $19/hr, $28.50 OT (after 8 hrs work), $40/day for meals tax free, $2700 a month for housing tax free. I don't know what my net pay is. I tried using the pantravelers calculator but I'm getting a different amount from my own calculations. Help pls?

meandragonbrett · May 16, 2013

I'm wondering the same thing about my pay for upcoming assignment in Silicon Valley. The agency is quoting me hourly rate as low as $19/hr $28.50 OT (after 8 hrs work), $40/day for meals tax free, $2700 a month for housing tax free. I don't know what my net pay is. I tried using the pantravelers calculator but I'm getting a different amount from my own calculations. Help pls?[/quote']
Did you tell them that you want tho take the housing stipend or them to provide your housing?
I won't take an assignment for $19/hr for the most part. That's asking a lot. What hospital in Silicon Valley and what agency?

dar115 · May 17, 2013

I'm taking the housing stipend and finding my own place. Silicon Valley area not sure what specific hospital it is but they said Santa Clara maybe.

NedRN · May 17, 2013

I'm wondering the same thing about my pay for upcoming assignment in Silicon Valley. The agency is quoting me hourly rate as low as $19/hr, $28.50 OT (after 8 hrs work), $40/day for meals tax free, $2700 a month for housing tax free. I don't know what my net pay is. I tried using the pantravelers calculator but I'm getting a different amount from my own calculations. Help pls?

The amount on PanTravelers adds ten percent to the taxable amount to account for the employer's share of workers comp, unemployment, and the employer's share of FICA. That is corrected back on the net pay (there are a number of different perspectives on compensation that are useful). The reason it is added (besides actually being compensation paid on your behalf by the employer) is that you need to know the agency total payout on your behalf to compare it to other agency total payouts that have a different mix of taxable and tax-free compensation. You also need to know that total number if you negotiate pay packages to ensure that you still get at least the same total compensation.

There is some online information about the calculator on PanTravelers if you want to know more.

dar115 · May 18, 2013

So the only way to find out if your pay is fair is to talk to different companies and choose the best one?

NedRN · May 18, 2013

Correct on finding out the market rate for your services. Choosing the best agency may not be on best hourly only. There is service, reliability, communications, quality of benefits (OK, health insurance and housing), and the all important support when things go bad (which can only be found out the hard way generally). There is also willingness to negotiate contract language (such as do-not-compete clauses or termination language), and hard finances such as missed hour penalties and overtime rate based on something other than an artificially low base rate.

Personally, a really good agency that hits most of the marks is worth giving up a couple bucks an hour. In any case, every traveler has different needs, and so will weight the various factors differently. Someone who wants the actual highest pay possible may be able to put up with every paycheck being wrong and having to call weekly or daily to correct it (for example).

dar115 · May 18, 2013

Yeah that make sense. Thanks Ned! I do feel that my hourly is low but I am happy with my recruiter. She helps me out with whatever I need or when situations arise.

NedRN · May 18, 2013

Do remember the recruiter is not your friend but a business partner. Their primary loyalty is to their agency and their own paycheck, not to you and yours. Try to avoid treating them as a friend with personal information and gossip from work. That can only come back to bite you at some point and make you feel betrayed when ultimately your "friend" is business over friendship.