Taxable rate + Per Diem = need help!

Specialties Travel

Published

Hey guys. I just got offered a AWESOME location job that is paying LOW rates these days, but I am more concerned with my brain not able to put the pieces together to figure out what I will be making an hour.

My company is quoting me: $16 taxable pay + $245/week per diem. It is REALLY low. I don't want to do it, except the awesome location. The other problem I have is that those two numbers when factored into a 40/hr work week, come to $22/hr. My recruiter is telling me that I will actually "net" more, up to $27/hr, but that number is NOT making sense.

Anybody have mathematical insight? Why am I being told my take-home will be higher than the actual numbers I'm coming up with. I asked if she was calculating in travel reimbursement/housing/car rental, and she said no. This is basic taxable rate+per diem. She said that my gross is less than my net, and that I need to factor in that some of that money will be tax free. I told her that right now, on paper, all that money was tax-free, but it still wasn't coming up to $27/hr.

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Peds, Ortho, LTC and MORE.

$16.00 per hour based on 40 hours per week over the lenght of the contract, I am guessing its a 13 week contract, plus $245.00 per week per diem, comes out to a gross of $23.73 estimated taxes of $6.93 for a net of $16.79 per hour.

This is extremely low pay for a Registered Nurse. I do not know what your sepcialty area is, Med/Surg ICU, etc, but most travel nurses would not accept that payrate. I am currently on a Med Surg travel assignment, and my base is $35.00 per hour taxable. gross is 1260.00 per week.

With your gross figured at $23.73 per hour with 40 hours that is $742.20 gross per week. After you figure taxes and any other incidentals (health insurance) your net (take home) pay would be very low indeed. Bottom line question can you afford to live on perhaps $500 a week take home?

I'd ask for a better basic payrate and less per diem or ask what the payrate without perdiem would be. Also if you had to file for unemployment that would be figured on the 16 per hour rate as well as your social security for retirement wages.

Good Luck

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Specializes in ED, Clinical Documentation.

well, the truth is travel nursing is not about the money these days for the most part. still $16 is pretty low, but I did consider it for the location this summer (Cape Cod). I think you are asking the right questions. Some companies, they make their packages look different, it's true, you are wise to differentiate between actual hourly wage and per diem. most offers i get are a combo of hourly, per diem and that fluff they calculate based on non taxable income. remember, you can also negotiate housing type (washer/dryer) (i always ask and get a two bedroom), if they pay for houseware/linen rentals.

everything is negotiable, I'm finding.

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Specializes in ED, Clinical Documentation.

and sometimes the location is worth the low pay. money isn't everything.

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Thanks for the help. I just can't stomach the low rate. I also am having problems figuring out where they are getting the final take home numbers, and that is a MAJOR red-flag. I really need things above board.

Especially when I specifically went through the math with the recruiter, and we both came up with the same $22/hr, but she continued to tell me I would take home $27/hr? It sucks though...I really wanted to go to that location.

Maybe next time, now back to the job hunt.

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No location is worth $16! Where is it?? PM me for great recruiter who is above board and explains the whole tax advantage BS in laymans terms! I am just getting back into the travel world and things certainly have changed. Of course, we don't do it to get rich, but what good is paradise if you have no money to enjoy it on your off days?

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Exactly. Which is why I almost croaked when I was told those numbers. I guess some places are so wanted by travelers that they post rates WAY below normal...the worse part is these companies/hospitals get away with it because travelers take the assignment.

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Specializes in labor and delivery.

Oh my gosh this must be with American Mobile! They told me the same b.s. with an assignment I took in Cali and I got completely screwed! If its really about the location you wanna be in then take the job, if you can stomach the low pay.

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Are they supplying a Rental Car, travel and housing? You must also account for those things... A rental car is a big-time expense!

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They were supplying a rental car, but it wasn't those numbers. I can understand only giving me so much in travel reimbursement when they have to supply a car for the 3 months. I was more concerned about the crazy numbers the recruiter was coming up with to justify a low hourly rate, but manipulating it to be $13 dollars more an hour. I still have not figured it out. I really think she had no clue what she was talking about.

Needless to say...I RAN...from that one. I'm in Seattle now...life of the traveler. ;)

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Specializes in L&D.

Where was the location? Companies do it differently. You need a recruiter you can trust to break it down for you! I love the company I work for and am always happy with my pay packages.

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It was Hawaii. Great location, awful pay...

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