Crazynut

So true! So many haters on here! Everyone is different. I could not have traveled with 1 yr experience. I was still a scared new grad. But I have friends that traveled with 1 yr experience. And they did great. Policies and work flow are different but nursing is still nursing. I think traveling is a great way for new nurses to learn. As long as they are safe and know when to ask questions. What's the problem? I think its more of a personality issue. I know nurses with 20+ yrs of experience and they couldnt handle traveling. People are people. They are going to do what makes them happy. No need to put them down.

Awwww! Yea you cant trust anyone these days! I dont understand why a company would take a nurse to collections! I wish they would. I wish they would! People these days.

I would block their phone number and block them from your email. You dont have to talk to them. Thats really low them threatening collections. I wouldnt sweat it. It's usually just talk. But if they do I would get a lawyer. What company is it? A little neg publicity goes a long way!

I would kick them to the curb. It's industry standard that verbal acceptance is pending contract negotiation. Some companies expect you to say that when you accept. I dont accept over the phone. I email my recruiter and I state in the email that I "accept pending contract negotiation". These companies try to be slick. They use the good ol bait and switch. You just have to know how to beat them in their own game!

Oh to answer your question. I can not decided what constitutes wage recharacterization. Congress makes the law and the court system interprets the law. You should look at the case law. It's the court the has the final say. That's how it works. Gotta love American tax laws! It's so complicated various circuit courts disagree on interpretation.

Consistent with legislative history, the preamble to Treasury Decision 8324, 55 FR 51688, 1991-1 C.B. 20, 21 (1990), states: Some practitioners have asked whether a portion of an employee's salary may be recharacterized as being paid under a reimbursement arrangement. The final regulations clarify that if a payor arranges to pay an amount to an employee regardless of whether the employee incurs (or is reasonably expected to incur) deductible business expenses or otherbona fide expenses related to the employer's business that are not deductible, the arrangement does not meet the business connection requirement of § 1.62-2(d) of the regulations and all amounts paid under the arrangement are treated as paid under a nonaccountable plan.... Thus, no part of an employee's salary may be recharacterized as being paid under a reimbursement arrangement or other expense allowance arrangement. Agencies should be asking nurse where they plan on living while on assignment. If the nurse has family in that area and plans to crash with family for free, that's asking for trouble. ACTUAL expenses must be incurred to receive the tax free per diem. Also note that employers are NOT allowed to determine taxable hrly rate willy nilly. Taxable hrly rate must be consistent with local market and comparable to rate travel nurse made back home at perm position. You are giving out misinformation. It amazing how many people try to cheat their way out of paying taxes. Taxerpayer money goes to many vital programs and services. Head start, vaccine programs, schools etc.

Do not mingle wages and reimbursements – they are separate componentsHourly per diems are problematicWages are paid for work - reimbursements are paid for expenses incurred in performing the work. Hourly per diemsshould be avoided as they are daily rates. If paying per diems based on hours worked, clarify that the amounts are adaily reimbursement and not a wage. Penalties for missed time should be in the form of claw backs,” not in the formof forfeited hourly per diems. Hourly per diems are not completely disallowed when they anticipate the actualexpenses of the employee (Worldwide Labor Support of Mississippi v US) but the practice invites unnecessary IRSscrutiny and conflicts with the goals of state labor and unemployment boards. Tres Regs §1.62-2(j), Example 2,Gagnon v United Technisource, May 2010. From TravelTax. When nurses engage in illegal practices they can be held liable. End up owing thousands in back taxes. Now none of this matters unless you get audited. But I just want everyone to know the risks associated with this business. I have two friends that were recently audited one was a staff nurse other a waitress. Staff nurse was good. The waitress not so much. Audits do happen and it can be devastating if it doesn't work out in your favor.

http://www.traveltax.com/TaxEdArticles/TravellingTaxRelated/Tax%20Issues%20HC%20Staffing.pdf "The primary issue is the re-characterization of wages," said Joseph Smith of TravelTax LLC. "That is an illegal tactic, which from acompany perspective, exposes you for an audit, and from an industry perspective, because this has become more acceptable for ameans of practice, presents an industry problem." Smith, formerly a traveling respiratory therapist and also an accountant, specializesin traveler tax returns and is also a tax consultant to healthcare staffing firms. The firms that are the worst offenders, according to Smith, allow their recruiters to freely add tax free and subtract taxable in order toentice the traveler to take the contact. "This is a blatant recharacterization of wages. The IRS does not see reimbursements and salarymingling."Using the per diem allowance inappropriately can also negatively affect the traveler as well. "On the traveler end, you think a traveleris going to be able to buy a $200,000 house on $20,000 of reported income?" Smith asked. Disability, workers comp, social security,and the ability to buy a house, are all affected.Warrick also expressed his concerns, "Travelers are generally single and in the 25% tax bracket, so if you fail to report compensation,the tax assessment would be the 25% federal income tax which is about 8% Social Security and Medicare, and then penalties andinterest on top of that. The fines can get quite hefty."

NedRN can you site a source? All my sources say that it's illegal. I have several friends that are lawyers. I always have them look over my contracts. All of them have warned me to be careful about wage recharacterization. We even discussed case law on this topic. I'm really confused as to where you get this info. This is an important issue and I do not want nurses to be misinformed.

7 Things to Know about Travel Nursing Pay & Wage Recharacterization here is another link that explains is a little better. Nothing wrong with getting tax free money when you have taxable home. But there has to be limits. Otherwise travel nurses could make min wage. But thousands in tax free money. Uncle Sam is not going to be too happy about that. Also note that a low taxable hrly rate will effect social security payments in the future.

It's pretty clear. Did you read the example? Employers are not allowed to take money from taxable rate and shift it into tax free money. For example, I had one company that told me she could take $1 from my taxable rate. Give it as housing. Tax free money is for housing MI. Yet companies use it to replace money that would normally be taxable income. The link clearly explains this. You are giving out false info. Several companies have been busted for this. The travel nurses that work for these companies can then be audited. You can google it and find out for yourself if you dont believe me. Maybe we should have TravelTax come on here and explain it. This is a very important issue that every travel nurse should understand. Be careful with companies that offer $10 but $2,000 tax free money. That's just asking for trouble.

http://www.irs.gov/PUP/businesses/RR201225.pdf this explains it. It uses a travel nurse as an example. There's also really good articles about it on bluepipe. People go crazy with this tax free money. It doesn't work that way. The IRS has set limits to keep it in check.

Wage recharacterization is illegal. It's when the travel company takes money from your taxable hrly rate and shifts it to tax free housing meals. Of course this is industry standard but its still illegal. You can google it. Many articles about it. Alot of nurses dont realize that its wrong. But you cant cheat uncle sam! He wins everytime!

I called the number but I never did the interview. It just seemed really weird to me that my voice recording is on record somewhere. I don't know who will listen to it or have access to it. I told my recruiter I wasn't feeling it. I figured if the hiring manager doesn't take the time to call me and talk in person then I shouldn't bother doing some recorded phone interview.

Cobra is too expensive for most people to afford. OP is trying to find solutions to a ticky problem. No need to be rude!