help!

Just starting out as a traveler? Traveling questions or experiences to share? Here's the place.
wendybird1
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2014 5:04 pm

help!

Unread post by wendybird1 » Tue Feb 11, 2014 5:28 pm

I am new to this forum and an so happy to find someone who may be able to help answer some questions. I just started traveling after 18 years of working at a typical 9 to 5. From the get go it has been a disasterand am so financially strapped is ridiculous. My initial home care job fell through just 1.5 weeks into the assignment. It took them 2 weeks to find a 70 hour job that was pieced together ...30 one week/40 the next( Thursday to Wednesday). I'm still not getting even 70 hours. It's in BFE with few to no options for even PRN work. I'm desperate to work! I've already lowered one of my loans. What can I do? ! How locked in to this contract am I? The company wad highly recommended by another co worker who traveler for years with them, but I feel like I'm getting screwed! I moved from Michigan to Texas and sat there for 2 Weeks waiting for a job. Can I demand room and board for that time? I am so overwhelmed right now. I wanted to travel for years but am losing more money then I'm making! Any advice? ?!
Wendy

Hobohealth
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Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:32 pm
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Re: help!

Unread post by Hobohealth » Sat Feb 15, 2014 12:24 pm

Wendy!

My heart goes out to you. That REALLY stinks.

I hope that this is just a rough patch in what will eventually be smooth sailing for you. I don't know enough about your specific situation to really say anything with great certainty - it depends contract-to-contract what clauses there are for termination, etc. So, I don't know if you could expect your staffing agency to foot the bill for the time you spent waiting for work. I have certainly heard of contracts being cut short like yours was and it's not all that uncommon, but at the same time, in 7 years of travel, I've never personally had one terminated early (except one bad assignment where we mutually agreed to end the contract). I hope this is the last time you experience this.

As far as pay, when you're working consistently, you should be doing pretty well... but it's up to you to negotiate a rate that you think is appropriate on the front end. This goes for everybody: NEGOTIATE!!! 8) As PT's I think we do a pretty bad job of negotiating business stuff.

Remember, your recruiters get paid based on you working. The more you work, the more they make. A good recruiter or staffing agency will bend over backwards to make you happy and find you work because if you're not getting paid, their not getting paid. You should be able to talk with your recruiter and let them know all that you're experiencing. If you're really thinking about bailing, check your contract and see what the terms are.... sometimes there are steep penalties for bailing on a contract early. The answer may be toughing it out for a couple months and seeking a different staffing agency for the next contract.

Traveling PT should be fun and should pay well. Shoot me an email, Wendy, let's get you some help!!! [email protected]

James

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