Using

Anyone else have this prob?? I have two pressing questions:
Firstly, we're heading into slow season, and NOW my DON decides to hire the 5 full time staff we've been missing. Now we are being put on call at least once a wk. Having to use PTO to make a full pay ck. She seems to do this every year. We have poor retention on our night shift. Anyone else coming across this? From a hospital-provided-benefits perspective, does it seem fair I have to use my PTO (one of my benefits which Id like to use for say, I don't know....a vacation??) to make a pay ck??
Secondly, if staff on my shift sign up for a CEU class, esp one that is 7-8 hrs, we will get cancelled because my boss doesn't want to pay us OT (by law anything over 40 hrs must be paid @ 1.5). So, there I go again. Short my pack by four hours or use my PTO just to make my normal 36 pay. Is this ethical, moral, legal?
Legal- yeah, probablyMoral & Ethical...... how does that apply to the nurse/employer relationship?

It may not be fair. It may not be ethical or moral......... but it is legal. Technically the class wouldn't be included in the over time because it is "non-productive" time and therefore can be excluded from OT. To qualify to be OT it has to consist of functions normally performed by you....ie: being at the bedside vs being in class. Technically speaking federal law mandates OT over fourty hours if in job performance usually performed by the worker. Making you take the time is up to the employer. There are no federal laws protection when you get paid your vacation or how you take your vacation just that if there is a vacation promised that you get what you are promised. It is cost effective to make you use your vacation pay to make up cancelation. If you take vacation during "busy times" they have to pay for a replacement or pay OT to cover you with a replacement plus pay your vacation. this way they are saving cost by canceling you and making you use the money already set aside for your vacation and getting it "off the books" so you can't use it at a more expensive time for them later.Shady?Yes Amoral?Yes Self serving? Yes.......welcome to nursing administration 101.

Shady?Yes Amoral?Yes Self serving? Yes.......welcome to nursing administration 101.

Quote from SAHMnurseI'm laughing about this, but it really isn't funny. I always enjoy your posts Esme.What I don't understand is, if retention is important why not try to please your employees? I know the budget is important and necessary, but I look at a unit and see that if administration made an effort to assure breaks, vacations/personal time, sick time...nurses would be happier and willing to stay, trade shifts, work OT once in a while, use OT once in a while... Nurses can see that administration is self serving. It truly doesn't make for a cohesive unit. If nurses saw administration making an effort on behalf of their staff, nurses would do the same. It would make everybody happy! It works with other companies. Why not nursing?

You have pto to use for a full check. I have nothing.