increased pay for increased call

[Cards]

Hello! 

 

I have been with a cardiology practice 3 years, working Monday to Friday in an office and hospital setting. I currently take 1 week of call per month, office and hospital, phone call only. This call reimbursement was negotiated into my present salary.

 

I was just informed by my attending physician that I am now required to go into the hospital on four weekends per year, Saturday and Sunday, to work a full days. I was informed that I will not get any comp days during the week, so I would be working 7 days straight. I negotiated to be compensated those weekends I am required to work in the hospital. He has agreed. 

 

Can anyone help me with what would be an appropriate compensation structure? I have done some research on the matter but I would like some advise from the community also. I really appreciate any feedback. 

[ventana]

Ahh. Excuse me, but that is total BS - I am going to respond with out knowing what your "compensation is"

 

Just like the attending told you that you had to do it - be professional, but say that this is what you would require to do it.

 

 

For telephone only call - 1/4 day pay for a week day night

For weekend - a lot more

 

For going in to work - at least time and one half or time and one half comp time

 

They are just abusing you and treating you like a piece o meat - not like a provider, not like a professional, and the worst thing you can do is just roll over on it.... DEMAND atleast 1.5 times comp time

 

I get paid about $40,000 per year to cover call, and it sucks.... The doc's know this as they have lived it, now they realize they can get some PA to do it for free 'cause they said so... Ahh NO

 

 

State law also comes into play - you might be hourly and entitled to over time pay

 

 

Seriously stand up for yourself and say no!

 

 

 

ten years ago a local PCP was paying $2000 to get out of the weekend call..... Yup, they hate it....

[hrubenstein]

I know this doesn't help but I have a question. I'm just a student and I'm wondering how contracts work. If an employer hired you for x at a certain compensation can they just demand mid contract that you now provide x+y service while Receiving the same compensation?

[mgriffiths]

It depends on how the contract works, but truly employers can ask/require whatever they want.  It's up to us, the employees, to decide to stay or leave.  You could fight the change if the contract is set for a specified amount of time, such as 1 or 2 years, but the bottom line is that the vast majority of employers are always trying to get more for less.  That's the truth in any industry, healthcare or otherwise.

 

Another thing, a contract for job security means nothing in "right to work" states.  This means you might sign a 1 or 2 year contract, but they can still fire you without cause because the contract is not actually enforceable in its length because state law overrides the contract.

 

Cards: I am confused by your initial post.  Are you being asked to start taking weekend call, or are you being asked to start working a few weekends?  The pay would be different depending on the situation.  Actually working vs. just being available if needed is very different.  Of course, if you get called in that again is very different.  Also, they have asked to increase your workload, and you negotiated to be able to negotiate your compensation for those weekends?

[Cards]

Thank you for your responses.

 

To clarify, the practice I work for has started paying another group to cover hospital rounds and calls 3 weekends a month. The fourth weekend of the month that group wants my practice to cover their hospital rounds and calls (in addition to ours). They have way more patients than we do, so it would require a full day in the hospital Saturday and Sunday. Previously when I took call, it was by phone only and there was no chance of rounding at the hospital. Therefore I would be actually working, rather than just "available" if called in.

 

Yes, since they increased my workload, I negotiated compensation for those weekends.  

[anewconvert]

Unless I am misunderstanding the situation you aren't being asked to work 7 days straight, you are being asked to work 12 days straight (Two full 5 day weeks plus the weekend in the middle). Even if it is only once a quarter that is a lot of work piled on and I imagine you'll find it significantly more impactful than eight extra days a year would seem. I'm with Ventana here, this should be paid significantly higher than a typical day would be paid.

[mgriffiths]

So I am still not sure exactly what you are asking.  Are you asking how much you should be compensated for these extra weekends?

 

If so, as anewconvert pointed out, it is 12 days straight of work, which honestly is inappropriate.  That will wear you down extremely quickly.  If it were me, I would require at minimum 1.5x pay if not 2x (doubt you are paid hourly, so you will have to calculate your approximate hourly rate) and would want an increase in PTO to compensate for the 12 days straight - probably another week because I would probably take at least Monday off following those weekends. This is especially true since those weekend days are going to be even busier than regular days ("They have way more patients than we do").

[Cards]

Yes, that was what I was asking. Thanks everybody for your feedback! I really appreciate it.