Trickster122

I too droped from full time to PRN status to go traveling. It has worked out well for me so far. When I come home between assignments I picked up slots where they needed me to keep up appearance and keep a steady paycheck.

I have an apartment that I have been renting over 2 years now and have everything in place for it to be my tax home. I'm on my 2nd travel assignment and i now find myself in a position that I may have to give up that apartment. I need some specfics in reguards to establishing a new tax home. Such as could I use my parents address back home in the same state if I put some of the bills there in my name. Or if I were to move out of state, would that cause a problem. If i recall I have to be at my tax home at least 3 months out of the year in addition to utilities and such. In addition to not staying at one facility for over a year traveling or that residence gets called my tax home and I get picked apart for taxes.

I was informed that if they state there is a housing stipend. Lets say for example 2000 for an assignment. When it comes to the actual weekly pay that gets added to each paycheck that its 461 and something about it being based on a 52 weeks in a year. And it being how the government regulates housing stipends or something to that extent. Seems shady to me. Wanted to verify the facts as I don't see evidence of this when I googled it.

All things considered I believe I'm going for it. Will see about putting a 2 week notice in and applying for my license for that job in the same day. Also will check with our HR Monday; however, I doubt they will be willing to accommodate me. I'll apply to more travel agencies in the meantime. I read I need to start looking for my next assignment mid-way through my current assignment, so I can jump into the next one within a week or two of this one finishing. I'll be sure to use this site as reference and updates. Thanks again for your input.

They do offer insurance but the premium seems high but that's probably just because I've always had hospital insurance, which appear to be quite lower. I am researching with other companies though including medical solutions. I was thinking 3 agencies would be enough to look around for assignments but I see you have many. Would you suggest I invest more into finding more accommodating agencies? Seems like after so many one couldn't keep track of them all.

1. Perhaps your right, when she adjusted wages to increase my pay all she did was juggle the numbers increasing one and lowering the other. 2. I'm working with onward at this point but I have also spoke with fastaff with little result and recently started with medical solutions. 3. I requested increase in overtime pay and got shot down, I didn't ask high as 60 though. They don't require overtime by any means but following the advice of those in the forums. I did ask the manager if it was an option and she said yes if I was interested they offer it to travel nurses. It would be my first assignment and the description from the manager sounded like it was a good fit for me. Just concerned that I'm going be stuck between leaving my current staff job and the assignment waiting on license. Also that I'm not being paid fair wages and being taken advantage of due to my first assignment. I'm living comfortably on my current wages with my wife however I need this/a travel assignment to put up money for other personal reasons. It almost feels like gambling, to take the assignment and hope for the best or wait and shop around more with agencies.

I feel like I have a great agent and she is quick to respond to my calls and everything but I"m concerned about my pay for this assignment. It would seem both this agency and the other one I'm working with say they do 20 base rate of pay with the allowances they pay you tax free to make your effective rate of pay. I understand the concepts and I've seen NED RN talk on here about how overtime wages should be negotiable. My agent i'm working with is telling me that "law requires we pay 1.5 pay rate but that comes out of our pockets, we charge the hospital a flat rate for any hour you work so the extra 50% comes out of what we are paid, the hospital doesn't pay us overtime rate if you work overtime" as being the reason they refuse to give me anything over that 1.5 which would be 30/hr based on the set rate. Also tried getting other bonuses to compensate for it but all they did was increase my housing stipend and lower my per diem weekly pay to compensate. As if I couldn't see what they were doing. I have until Monday to take this assignment. It went from having trouble getting an interview to landing my job the same day I had one. Oh and one last thing they say my assignment starts on 18th but I have not got licensed there yet, they claim it takes 2 weeks max for Arkansas and i'd have it by the time I left. I'm skeptical after stories I've heard about arriving and not having license to work. So should I put my 2 weeks notice into work now so I'll be ready and risk it. Or wait til I have my license/approval for it, then put a 2 week notice in? Oh the woes of traveling the first time. I won't even get into my frustrations of finding decent insurance with 500 deductible for me and my wife.

Hang in there Bolt, i'm still aiming to get my spot there too so we can be roomates for a few months lol.