Per Diem Cancellations

[Sophie Garcia]

I work at a local community hospital as a per diem CNA. Due to a consistently low hospital census, I have been getting cancelled for most days I am scheduled to work. My nurse manager generally schedules 2 CNAs to staff the floor. One CNA for the first 10 rooms & 1 CNA for the remaining 8 (18 bed unit). Because the census has been, for the most part, less than 10, the other aid (full time regular staff member) is consistently working and I am being cancelled. Does that seem right? Or should we take turns in being cancelled? I am receiving little to no hours.

[JKL33]

59 minutes ago, Sophie Garcia said:

Does that seem right?

Yes.

59 minutes ago, Sophie Garcia said:

Or should we take turns in being cancelled?

No.

Your coworker has a full-time position. "Per diem" practical translation = "by the day." Your services are needed or not needed one day at a time; that is the very nature of that type of employment agreement. There are no provisions for guarantees of hours in per diem work, even though there is plenty of work at times. Per diem can sometimes be "feast or famine" in nature.

I am sorry, that is probably not what you wanted to hear. This is a difficult time for many and you have my sympathies for what you are going through. I hope your work picks up soon.

Edit to add: If your per-diem employment agreement happened to mention a minimum number of hours that you would be offered per pay period, you should talk to your manager about it. But I am not sure that is very common.

[Sour Lemon]

1 hour ago, Sophie Garcia said:

I work at a local community hospital as a per diem CNA. Due to a consistently low hospital census, I have been getting cancelled for most days I am scheduled to work. My nurse manager generally schedules 2 CNAs to staff the floor. One CNA for the first 10 rooms & 1 CNA for the remaining 8 (18 bed unit). Because the census has been, for the most part, less than 10, the other aid (full time regular staff member) is consistently working and I am being cancelled. Does that seem right? Or should we take turns in being cancelled? I am receiving little to no hours.

Yes, as per diem we are always the first to be canceled. BUT, if you've worked a consistent number of hours for a long enough period of time, you may actually qualify for unemployment.

I'm per diem and typically work one day a week. I collected unemployment for about five weeks when my hospital slowed way down due to covid19. My unemployment payment was actually much higher than my regular earnings, too. Look into it, especially if things don't seem to be picking up and you're struggling.