Getting the shaft

This post is in regards to the use of accrued PTO.. Hoping to maybe get some answers because my immediate supervisor and HR seem to be throwing me all over the place. The situation was that I was given low census but I was on call for that 24 hours. I was given the option to use my accrued time, but come pay day I was short 24 hours on my pay check... hmm what a coincidence. I immediately contacted my supervisor (who does our pay roll) and she said that she was going to get it taken care of, but at the same time she stated that, even though I had talked to her and she ASKED me if I wanted to use the time, "she wasn't sure that I was aware that I had already had 92 hours on my pay check." Why not just call me back to verify? Anyways, long story short... apparently you cannot use PTO if it is on overtime days- WHICH I WAS SCHEDULED! I cannot seem to get an honest answer from anyone, so I was hoping that I could get some verification. Is this true? If so, why was one of my coworkers paid for that overtime day even though he got low census as well? I think this is a little case of favoritism as a result of a** kissing!!!!!
Totally depends on the facility's policies.Sent from my HTC One X using allnurses.com

I agree it is facility policy. What I am more used to is that you are called off, use your PTO, then a couple days later, called to see if you want to work an alternate shift (like a night shift, or a weekend shift, or stay 12 hours instead of a scheduled 8) you agree because it is "extra" however, it is not extra, becuase you just get paid your usual EVEN though it was not a day/shift you were scheduled to work. Most places only allow you to claim a certain amount of PTO, and it has to be "approved". But it is interesting that they seem to "call off" the nurses who are running into overtime. So you would just get the $3.00 and hour or whatever it is that you are paid for being on call.If you are finding that as soon as you reach 40 hours that they are calling you off on your scheduled days, and not allowing you to take PTO, or to work overtime, I would speak to your union person or HR. Otherwise, I wouldn't take any extra shifts, just what you are scheduled.

My facility's policy is to balance your 2 week pay period. If I work 48 this week & 24 next week, that's still just 72 hours & I don't get time and a half. If I work 48 hours this week, scheduled 36 next week but call off or get called off 12, I won't get any OT. The extra 12 on week one balances the short week two. And according to the really terrible labor laws and exceptions, it's legal. Which sucks.They also have a policy that anyone on OT is the first to get called off. Sent from my HTC One X using allnurses.com

I have never worked anywhere that an employee was allowed to use PTO to accrue time above their scheduled FTE; even if called off on a scheduled OT shift.

I quickly came to learn many years ago that there are some things that need to be put in written rather than verbal communication before I agree to do them.

@Jade: Wow! Three bucks an hour to be "on call?" We get zilch. They can't technically say we are "on call," but they make it clear they expect us to be! With so many nurses applying for jobs, they pretty much know we will be "on call without pay" anyway, and it matters when we get our year-end evaluation. As a matter of fact, I don't recall getting paid to be "on call" at any hospital I have ever worked at, but we don't have unions around here.

If we are scheduled for extra/over time and call out or are downstaffed, we can take PTO AND get the overtime. If you want to save your PTO you can, but you won't get overtime or extra time. It is posted on the scheduled which day is your extra day, so the only exception to this is that the day you call out or downstaff cannot be that extra day (to get the OT/extra). We also get $5 an hour for call. After reading all this, I need to tell my coworkers to stop complaining! It can suck for the company though -- I know people who routinely sign up for extra time, have lots of PTO, and will call out one of the days.

Quote from chareI have never worked anywhere that an employee was allowed to use PTO to accrue time above their scheduled FTE; even if called off on a scheduled OT shift.

We cannot use PTO and get OT either.. Kinda crazy.