Phone reimbursmenti

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We used to be able to get reimbursed once a month for use of our personal cell phone. Our agency sent out an e-mail last November that "We will no longer be providing cell phone reimbursement effective Dec 31,2012. A cell phone is absolutely essential for this job. As of now, we are using our personal phones while we working. There has not been an offer to provide a business phone. I am wondering how legal this is with the Labor Board? My phone rings ALL DAY LONG. I use it to call patients, doctors, the office. I have patients who remember my number on caller ID and call me whenever they feel like it. I have ALWAYS told them "you need to call the office first". I even have this in my voicemail message. I get calls at night, days off, on vacation... They usually will not answer "Blocked" or "Unknown" and I don't blame them. But, I have a life... Bottom line, is the agency not required to either provide a phone or reimburse me for using my "personal" cell phone ??????

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Specializes in Pulmonary, Lung Transplant, Med/Surg.

What about claiming it on your taxes?? Our agency reimburses monthly with a business expense form and is soon switching to an auto-pay but ONLY for Verizon accounts. This caused a lot of backlash at that meeting, many of the nurses didn't have Verizon. The alternate option given was the claim it on your income taxes.

Side note: What does your voice mail say? I never thought to include that in mine and I'd love to know how you phrase your greeting for patients and your family?

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What about claiming it on your taxes?? Our agency reimburses monthly with a business expense form and is soon switching to an auto-pay but ONLY for Verizon accounts. This caused a lot of backlash at that meeting, many of the nurses didn't have Verizon. The alternate option given was the claim it on your income taxes.

Side note: What does your voice mail say? I never thought to include that in mine and I'd love to know how you phrase your greeting for patients and your family?

Hi, this is Barbara. I work for ---Home Health. If you are a patient that I take care of, please call 33333333

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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I think they should either have to pay a fair portion of it, or preferably provide the nurses with a company cell phone. I like the latter because a nurse should be able to keep her phone number private if she wishes.

What if I want to play a Gangster Rap song on my personal voicemail ? can't very well do that if patients will be calling my phone. :rolleyes:

I don't include the name of the home health on the voicemail .....bc I don't want everyone who calls my phone to know where I work

also....I wonder if a nurse is hired and she doesn't have a cell phone, would they require her to get one? Most home healths just require that you have a vehicle with insurance.

bottom line is: the home health industry is turning into one big CHEAP WAD

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My message is intentionally long and I speak slowly so it takes forever to get through my message:

Hi This is Kym Last Name at Best Home Health & Hospice. If this is an emergency please hang up and dial 911. If you are calling between the hours of 5pm to 8:30 am please call the office at 555-555-5555..otherwise please leave a message and I will call you as soon as I can.

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I work for a not for profit and we are offered $30 per month or a company cell phone.

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Specializes in Pedi.

There is no legal requirement for an employer to pay for an employee's cell phone. The Labor Board doesn't have rules about such things.

You can claim your cell phone as a "business expense" on your taxes just as you can for any business related miles you are not reimbursed for at the federal rate or any supplies you have to buy on your own. I would say only an accountant could properly advise you on how to do this... I don't think you can claim the full cost of your cell phone since it is also for personal use.

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Specializes in Home health.
I think they should either have to pay a fair portion of it, or preferably provide the nurses with a company cell phone. I like the latter because a nurse should be able to keep her phone number private if she wishes.

What if I want to play a Gangster Rap song on my personal voicemail ? can't very well do that if patients will be calling my phone. :rolleyes:

I don't include the name of the home health on the voicemail .....bc I don't want everyone who calls my phone to know where I work

also....I wonder if a nurse is hired and she doesn't have a cell phone, would they require her to get one? Most home healths just require that you have a vehicle with insurance.

bottom line is: the home health industry is turning into one big CHEAP WAD

I agree with you, since the cell phone use is business related the agency should cover the cost. I have a cell phone that is 100% paid for by my home health agency. I use it only for patient or physician related calls although the agency doesn't mind if I use it for personal use as long as I don't go over the allotted minutes. We should not be absorbing agency expenses. I've known too many nurses who have said their personal phones were costing them more because of patient related calls and the agencies were covering less. Agencies are more than happy to dump their responsiblities on the nurse in order for them to make more money. Thank god my agency treats their nurses right.

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Like how it should be.

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Specializes in Home health.
Like how it should be.

Absolutely!

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