Salary and not hourly?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2006

Sorry, but salaried pay is not for me. All of the salaried employees at my workplace work well over 40 hours weekly, yet they are not paid the overtime for it. Someone said that people who receive salaries are true professionals, whereas people who receive hourly wages are part of the mass of workers. I don't care.....I like hourly pay.

Sheri257 · Sep 11, 2006

That sounds like a horrible deal. The only employer I know of that pays "salary" is state government BUT, they still have to pay overtime either in cash or with additional time off as per union contract. If you work 50 hours instead of 40, you get time and a half ... double time if it's a holiday for those ten hours.

And no differentials? That's really bad. Differentials for weekends and nights generally run $4-5 more per hour at just about every employer I'm aware of except, again, state government where the differentials are miniscule but, the overall salary and benefits can be much better than private so ... that tends to make up for it.

You might consider quitting that job. It sounds like a ripoff.

:typing

Sheri257 · Sep 11, 2006

Someone said that people who receive salaries are true professionals, whereas people who receive hourly wages are part of the mass of workers. I don't care.....I like hourly pay.

I agree. If that means not being a "true" professional so be it. I'd rather take it to the bank.

I've worked tons of uncompensated hours as a salaried employee in other professions and, it definitely isn't worth it. It's not like they appreciate it anyway.

:typing

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Sep 11, 2006

We are paid an hourly rate, for a 12 hour shift that is paid out as 11.63 hours. They take 37.75 minutes off for our meal break... However, I have NEVER gotten out of there on time, often spending at least an extra half hour or more at the bedside. Our OT has to be preauthorized, meaning formal OT; there's no such thing as an extension of your shift due to acuity changes right at the end of it. The health region is getting thousands of hours of unpaid OT every year. We don't clock in or out either. We do have shift differentials.

MQ Edna · Sep 11, 2006

I'm also a new grad (a little more than one year out) who started at a metropolitan teaching hospital just like you. Yep, I get paid salary, swing shifts monthly, work every other weekend (sat/sun) and get no shift differential. Been told that the differential is "built in" to the salary (whatever that means??). The only difference is that we do clock in and out (I think this is to keep people from being habitually late to work).

So, basically I give at least 30 minutes of free time to my employer every shift (because it's almost impossible to get off the floor before 7:30 with giving report, and that's on a good day). This hospital switched to salary about 5 years ago, every nurse who has worked there more than 5 years will tell you, hands down, that going to salary caused their net income to drop.

Now, working at the big metro teaching facility is a great experience for a new grad, granted. I have seen alot and learned a ton. But, now it's on to new horizons!

I'm in the process of transferring to an outlying facility, 26 bed LTACH unit. . and the kicker is . . that the (supposedly competitive) salary with the "built in" extras that I make at the "big hospital" was easily beaten by what the "little" community rehab facility is willing to pay me "per hour". Plus I will be driving less than 6 miles round trip (instead of close to 60 miles) and save 144.00 a month on parking expenses (not to mention gas money I will save).

Well, enough gloating over my "heaven sent" new job! Learn all you can at the "big facility" and put up with the salary . . .for now!

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 12, 2006

i just started a few weeks ago at a major metro teaching hospital. we are paid a salary (i.e. 12 hours for a 12 hour shift even if we are there for 15). you don't clock in or out. is anyone else paid like this? i feel like this is a really raw deal as i work 50 hours a week and get paid for 40. the hospital i am at has a great reputation, but i am beginning to think it is not worth it. they also have no differentials (just a standard add on of a few dollars an hour for everyone) and i work a day night rotation! being a new nurse is hard enough and i am quickly loosing all motivation. any similar experiences?

i'm salaried, too. (when i'm not on std/fmla for a back injury!) in general, i think it's better to be paid hourly, although i thought i'd give the salaried route a try. hr really touted t as being such an improvement over hourly wages!

as a new nurse, you're probably experiencing some difficulty in managing your time. as you gain experience, you'll find that you are more readily able to finish your work in your twelve hour shift, and that you'll be more willing to let the next shift pick up some of the slack. salary will be a better deal for you at that point. it's a better deal for the hospital right now.

i'd really think hard before changing jobs because of this issue. you'll find that most hospitals will make you justify your end of shift overtime, and if its a time management issue rather than and end-of-shift code, they'll refuse to pay it. that's fair. if it weren't that way, the same folks would be chatting rather than charting during their shift, and stay an hour over every day to catch up on their charting, charging the hospital for ot. that's not fair. as a newbie it bites, but as i said, you'll get better at managing your time. if you're working in a top rated metro hospital, you're probably getting excellent benefits and learning a lot. give it a couple of years.

as for the differential issue, check into it more closely. i'm thinking you'll find that you are getting it, it's just not separated out. folks who work full time days have it removed from their salary, folks that work full time nights get the full deal, and rotaters like you and me get half of the night differential added to our base pay. it sucks that some folks don't work their fair share of night shifts but get paid for it anyway, but there's always something.

being a new nurse is difficult, but it sounds as if you're in a great position to learn a lot and have a top-ranked hospital on your resume. a couple of years there, and your resume will shine! if you stay less than that, it will appear as though you couldn't cut it, and i'd rather not have that on my resume! good luck!

Dempather, RN · Sep 13, 2006

I interviewed for a salaried hospital - it was one of the things that turned me off. The only differential was more for nights. I imagine that there must be some benefits to that, though. Every single nurse that I speak to that works there says it's worth it.

TXNurseBSN · Sep 13, 2006

I think that sounds like a bunch of ****! Another way to take advantage of nurses. Imagine working an extra half hour every shift (which I usually do, sometimes more). For me, that would add up to about $2000 of lost wages/ yearly. Now I am not only losing time with my family but money as well. No thanks!

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Sep 13, 2006

No. No. No. I had not heard of this trend, but it's a dangerous one.

I wouldn't do it.

I've worked jobs w/ 'comp time' before instead of overtime. But, there's always a 'shortage' and we can't every find the time in the schedule to let you use it. Oh! You didn't use your comp time? I'm sorry, it expired. You should make sure you use it before it expires!

No thanks. Pay me if you want me to stay. Otherwise, I'm outta there and YOU can come take over chest compressions. And you can chart for me while you're at it.

~faith,

Timothy.

manurse06, BSN, RN · Sep 15, 2006

Thanks for the great advice everyone. I called HR and found out that the differential IS added to the salary (although it is not much!). I also found out that paying nurses by salary is the case for all of the major non-union hospitals in my metro area. I guess I will tough it out for at least a year, because I am learning and seeing things that I would never see at a community hospital. Thanks again.

MANurse

DaretoDreamRN · Sep 20, 2006

I know Johns Hopkins in baltimore does the salary thing and day/night rotation thing.