Regarding overtime and wages

[nursesong]

I am about to accept my first assignment. I was told my wage would be $32.00/hr and I would receive per diem which would make my taxable income about $20.00 hr. When my contract arrived my wage was listed as $20.00 hr with per diem listed as $39.00 a day. The clincher is that my overtime rate of pay is only $30.90. The employee hand book states travelers need to be available for overtime as needed by the facility. Please educate me of what is fair here for me and the company. They are paying for my housing and all my medical insurance. Thankyou.....looking forward to answers and making new friends!

[Sylvia321]

I am about to accept my first assignment. I was told my wage would be $32.00/hr and I would receive per diem which would make my taxable income about $20.00 hr.

Let me get this straight; Your total hourly pay is $32 per hour? and only $20/hr is taxed?

When my contract arrived my wage was listed as $20.00 hr with per diem listed as $39.00 a day.

So you will be getting a total of $59/hr?

The clincher is that my overtime rate of pay is only $30.90.

$30.90/hr? The IRS on thier web site will tell you what is allowed in various areas for per diem rates. These rates are per day that you are away from your tax home. If the agency pays you over what the IRS states, and you get audited then you not the agency are liable for unpaid taxes.

The employee hand book states travelers need to be available for overtime as needed by the facility. Please educate me of what is fair here for me and the company.

Travel agencies base thier profits on your base hours that should be guaranteed (this word should be in your contract) any hours over those stated hours (overtime) is 100% profit to them. It is extra $$ in thier pocket so yes, they want you to work overtime. As for the hand book, it is vague, if the above statement is all it says. The statement sounds like it is saying you are supposed to be "on call" all the time. Are they expecting you to sit by the phone all the time? What does your contract state?
They are paying for my housing and all my medical insurance.

They should pay all your housing including total utilities plus round trip travel (travel allowance is not taxed). Thoughts for future contracts, have it in writing, if you take the tax free per diem that your overtime will be paid on the total amoount not the taxed portion. For example; Base pay $30/hr with a $12/hr per diem equals $42/hr total pay your overtime should be $63/hr. If the agency won't do that, then move on to another agency as they are low balling you. The agencies pay taxes on what you are taxed, so it is to thier benifit to use the "tax advantage" program.

Thankyou.....looking forward to answers and making new friends!

I am hoping you did ot sign that contract. It doesn't sound like it was to your advantage

[RockinRobynRN]

I have a similar question. I, too am traveling for the first time in January & received my contract in the mail today. Pay rate is 24/hr with OT pay of 36/hr. The only other "stuff" was charge pay of $1.50 and on-call pay of 2.50. No per diem on the contract. I am taking their housing and insurance, but this seems very low to me. Am I wrong? :confused:

[nursesong]

Hello Rockin Robin
I have learned if the hospital doesn't pay you the perdiem the only way you can get it is to beat the standard deduction and idemize your taxes. Another way you can shelter some tax money is to invest in an IRA. I am having my recruiter rewrite my contract to forgo the per diem and take the higher wage which I plan to invest.
As for the stated wage.... sounds low to me. I believe wages are based on your experience, speciality and location of the assignment. Be sure and find out what kind of staffing ratios you will be subjected to and cover your behind with good documentation. Good luck, Denise

[Sylvia321]

I have a similar question. I, too am traveling for the first time in January & received my contract in the mail today. Pay rate is 24/hr with OT pay of 36/hr. The only other "stuff" was charge pay of $1.50 and on-call pay of 2.50. No per diem on the contract. I am taking their housing and insurance, but this seems very low to me. Am I wrong? :confused:

You didn't state where you would be working (State/city area). $24/hr is very low. Did you agree to be charge? Did you agree for on-call? And if so did you agree to those amounts? Also the contract needs to state when you will be on-call..otherwise you could be sitting by the phone on all your off days. Did you agree to $24/hr??

$30/hr is the lowest I would even consider (and that would depend on where the assignment is). And all the other perks would have to be extremely good. (I don't usually open my eyes for $30/hr)
As long as nurses accept low wages, they will be continually offered.