I came on here because I was hoping someone might be able to help me and tell me if there is an agency that I can go to in order to help me get paid from my travel agency. I have been a nurse for 6 years (Peds, Peds ER, ER, PICU) and went on my first travel assignment in November 2012 to an NICU in Albuquerque, NM. I found out later that because I didn't have any true NICU experience that my recruiter should never have sent me out for the job. Lucky for me, everything went well and I enjoyed the hospital and the nurses that I had the opportunity to work for.

At the beginning, I signed my contract that stated that I would be working the night shift 7p-7a. When I arrived at the assignment they asked me if I could work the dayshift for the first month. I am pretty easy going and said that I could. Well, the first few weeks were pretty rough because I was either called off or floated to other units because they were overstaffed. At the end of November, I was called off and only had 24 hours for the week. I was told by my recruiter (in multiple emails) that if I worked my entire 36 hours the next week that he would be able to get me the rest of the stipend from the week that I only had 24 hours. It is now February 2013 and I have YET to see that other half of the stipend. Again, I have multiple emails from my recruiter stating that it would be sent to me and that I would be receiving it shortly, with the last email being on January 18, 2013.

I also received a phone call from my recruiter around the time of January 18 and was told that he was trying to get me the stipend but that it, "was sort of illegal," and "I'm having to coerce people into signing off on it." After that phone call, I sent him and the vice-president of the company an email stating that I would not be using their company for any future travel assignments after my contract was over. I also sent the vice-president an email detailing the conversations that I had with my recruiter and stressing the fact that I had multiple emails where I was promised certain things and never actually received them. I have yet to hear anything from the vice-president of the company. I even emailed my recruiter about the stipend money last week and have not heard anything.

So, my question is, does anyone know who I can go to get this issue resolved? I feel like my recruiter was basically a used car salesman and that he promised a lot of things to me but never actually fulfilled them. The problem is, is that he actually took the time to email all these promises and I feel like he should be held accountable to the things that he wrote just like I am held accountable to the contract that I signed. I went to the Department of Labor, Better Business Bureau, Joint Commission and was told that there was nothing that they could do for me. Anyone have any ideas what to do next?! Thanks!