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COVID-19 and Job Security


COVID-19 Crisis and Job Security   

119 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you fear losing your job due to COVID-19 crisis?

    • Yes
      46
    • No
      36
    • I've lost my job already
      14
    • My hours were cut
      28


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This is a complicated answer. I got laid off and my clinic closed because I was gone, playing around with cancer and getting a bone marrow transplant. I, however, was starting to create a new clinic with a neurologist and then this shit happened. Because of my risk factors, I could not start seeing patients in person, so, by mutual agreement, we pulled the plug on the clinic, for now.

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I probably would, but I work at a solo coverage ED. Fire me and either no one is there or you pay more than my salary to cover the shift. They could try to cut my hours, but it’s events like these I always have a contract with a salary that doesn’t stipulate hours or patients seen.

I do worry about the hospital shutting down with the huge loss of revenue from FM and elective surgeries.

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Resigned from old position as I had an offer elsewhere. Took the time to prepare for new position as it was a new specialty. Then offer was rescinded because of COVID 19.

Jobless due to circumstances. Previous employer probably would have laid me off, but couldn't say for sure.

Are any of you who are jobless applying for unemployment?

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1 minute ago, FallenFruit said:

Are any of you who are jobless applying for unemployment?

I certainly hope so.  I am thankful that my income has not been interrupted or effected, but if the day comes that it is I will IMMEDIATELY file for unemployment.  I have an emergency fund, but part of employer payroll taxes is for unemployment.  If my income is interrupted I want the taxes that my employer paid on my behalf.  Who knows how long it will take to get a new job if my income is interrupted and therefore I need that emergency fund to last as long as possible.

I was planning on dropping some extra cash into the market during this downturn - you know the mantra, "buy low, sell high."  But, I actually haven't because I have made the decision to hold the cash.  If this crisis doesn't start slowing down soon I just don't see how my employer can continue to pay all of the providers their full base salaries.  I wouldn't be the first in line to be cut as I am viable for UC, ED, hospitalist, and could be effective in the CCU with guidance, but who knows!

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My concern is like Ltjg's: what will happen to my critical access hospital.  We were already seeing volumes drop due to our orthopod retiring.  Now with elimination of all elective procedures the surgery is almost completely idle and we're seeing very little of the routine testing, imaging, outpatient PT, etc.  So, I'm sure the financial impact is there.

We staff 1 doc during the day and 1 PA at night, so I feel safe: you can't go below 1 provider and I cover the IP unit at night.  So, unless the hospital closes the ED - unlikely - I'm more safe than most.

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8 hours ago, cinntsp said:

The PAs and NPs at our ER got furloughed.

Hours are cut at all kinds of EDs, census is down 50% in our area.

And clearly these patients aren't dying at home, too afraid to come in. Makes you wonder what would happen if there was a cultural shift in the culture of our society in regards to ED visits. 

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Outpatient specialty here.  Have to stay open but visits are significantly cut back and all it's doing is highlighting how poorly they utilize APPs in our system (fewer pt visits means docs can take care of all of them...and they want the RVUs).  

I don't realistically think they'll fire/layoff anyone but who knows.  Taking this time to brush up my resume and get more serious about the job search.

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My group is working the same hours, but our schedules are only ~50% of what they usually are in terms of # of appointments. Employer took our base salary until further notice and we are now only paid % of collections; “eat what you kill” so to speak. 

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13 minutes ago, PA-C said:

My group is working the same hours, but our schedules are only ~50% of what they usually are in terms of # of appointments. Employer took our base salary until further notice and we are now only paid % of collections; “eat what you kill” so to speak. 

Wow...

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30 minutes ago, Cideous said:

Wow...

I know. Not excited about it, but I also don’t think I have any other choice at the moment. I cannot think of a worse time to try to switch specialties or be looking for a new job in general. So I guess I’ll stay and try to wait it out and hope I am at least seeing enough people to make more than I would make from unemployment.

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22 minutes ago, Cideous said:

You know how long it takes to collect on claims?  Especially right now?  You will be working for free brother.  If it was me, I would say fire me and go collect unemployment.

That is a good point. They said they were going to pay us weekly still, but it wouldn’t be the normal weekly base salary, it would be %. I’m not sure how that’s going to work though due to the collections lag time, like you said 🧐. I think the change goes into effect next week, so I’ll see how it goes.

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All PA's/NP's furloughed at major clinic in Lexington KY - about 80-100 of us.  Another KY hospital system laid off 350+.      I am having a tough time deciding whether to go to work in NY with Covid patients to try and make money or sit back and see what happens.     I am signing up with locums but it seems that health care providers all over the US are being furloughed so now is not a great time to do locums either.    

Does anyone know about a locum company called DirectShifts?    

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/04/02/coronavirus-pandemic-jobs-us-health-care-workers-furloughed-laid-off/5102320002/

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9 hours ago, MediMike said:

Hours are cut at all kinds of EDs, census is down 50% in our area.

And clearly these patients aren't dying at home, too afraid to come in. Makes you wonder what would happen if there was a cultural shift in the culture of our society in regards to ED visits. 

it would be great!  too many unnecessary ED visits, a financial burden. 

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1 hour ago, AbeTheBabe said:

Just got a letter from CEO cutting PA hours and base salary by 25%. I'm in ortho and have not been able to do elective surgeries (90% of surgeries for the surgeon I work with) and have had probably 50% reduction in clinic volume.

 

Received the email today that "in the next few days to weeks some difficult decisions will have to be made."  So, not furloughed yet, but as a fellow ortho PA I wouldn't be surprised.  The only potential saving grace is that I am working in a non-respiratory UC and could certainly work more.  But, we'll see...

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14 hours ago, MediMike said:

Hours are cut at all kinds of EDs, census is down 50% in our area.

And clearly these patients aren't dying at home, too afraid to come in. Makes you wonder what would happen if there was a cultural shift in the culture of our society in regards to ED visits. 

I've thought about this too, but where I work, the minute this is "over" my lovely clientele will be calling 911 for a "possible spider bite" and "back pain x6 years" within days, the ed will be full again

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On 4/3/2020 at 4:51 AM, MediMike said:

And clearly these patients aren't dying at home, too afraid to come in. Makes you wonder what would happen if there was a cultural shift in the culture of our society in regards to ED visits. 

I think some people are literally dying at home, location dependent of course. Some don't want to take up a hospital bed and don't come in. Others are waiting until they literally can't breathe to come in. And a lot of the people who abused the ER are not coming in because they don't want to get the virus.

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