Troubles with Trustaff

:fight:Troubles with Trustaff
I am a RN/CVOR traveller who recently completed a 13 week assignment with Trustaff.
The week of Thanksgiving I was sent home the day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday) 3 hours early.
I made sure the charge nurse knew that by sending me home, I would be paid my guaranteed time. I worked 4-10 hour shifts.
Thanksgiving week I was scheduled to work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.
My next scheduled work day was the day after Thanksgiving, Friday.

Late Wednesday, because of lack of cases, the OR was deemed closed on
Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) by the nurse manager.
That Friday was my scheduled 10 hour work day.

On Wednesday, before I left the hospital, I had the charge nurse sign my timesheet and sign for Friday, the day the OR was closed so that I would be paid my guaranteed 40 hours for the week.
I duly informed Trustaff immediately (Wednesday and again Friday) that my hours were less than my scheduled hours, per their policy and protocol to guarantee my 40 hours for the week.

Trustaff now claims that the hospital will not pay me and that Trustaff will not pay me because the OR was closed on a holiday. My contract states that if the facility is closed on a holiday, my guaranteed hours may not be paid. Friday was not the holiday and my timesheet was signed by the charge nurse.

After numerous emails to Trustaff (approximately 10 or more), and almost one month after my contract ended, I still have not received my pay.

Today (12-23-09) I was informed that because the client/charge nurse had not "checked a box" on my timesheet (a box that after reviewing all of my timesheets had not been checked on any of my timesheets during the 13 weeks) I would not receive my 14.75 hours.
Mr. Schoepf (Trustaff nurse advocate) stated that he "went to bat for me and did me a favor of "giving" me 5 hours."

I remained professional and calm as Mr. Schoepf proceeded to tell me that after the conversation with him today, my files would be deleted, my email address would be deleted and Trustaff employees are instructed not to communicate with me.
(Actually, after dealing with Trustaff and the convoluted payroll issues for the past 4 weeks, he really did not have to tell me this).

BTW, I was very detailed, timely and factual in faxing my weekly timesheets during the contract period.
Before I completed the assignment, the client wanted me to extend, I chose not too.
As well, I received a wonderful letter of reference from the nurse manager.

Anyone else have contract issues with this company?

ok,I would not have put in that I worked when if fact you did not.
There probably is a clause that states gaurenteed hours, but, if you don't work the scheduled hours, you can ask to make up the hours on another day. That would be your 40 hours.
BUT anyway, no, the hospital won't pay if you were not there and the company won't either.
SO, don't expect that money and Learn from this.
I was scheduled to work 40 hours for my first week of orientation but only worked 32 because we got done early each day. I submitted the hours I worked and Oh well, lose out on 8hours...Another nurse put 40 hours on her time card, even tho, it was 32. I would not do that.

I agree with Kdog that if you didn't work the hours, you should not be putting them on your time sheet as hours worked. HOWEVER, if your contract guarantees your hours, and you were unable to make them up later in the week (being that it was Friday, I'm assuming not) you SHOULD get paid for them.

I found myself in the same situation with my last assignment, and after making sure the nurse manager understood that I would get paid if they sent me home due to low census, I wrote the hours on my time sheet as "unworked, but guaranteed paid hours," and had the nurse manager sign it. I didn't have any problems getting paid, but this was with RN Network. I think the problem is that if you put the hours on your time sheet as hours worked, then this is technically falsifying your time sheet. It's all in how you worded things.

Thank you for all of your responses.

First, my contract does stipulate that I get paid my guaranteed 40 hours per week as long as I notify Trustaff if my hours at with the client facility will be less than 40. I did that according to their policy and protocol.
The charge nurse signed off on both days knowing that I was guaranteed my hours.

I did not falsify my hours. I did not mark my timesheet as hours worked but as hours due. I also sent numerous emails to Trustaff to immediately alert them of the low hours (per policy) of the hours due me.
Again, I explained the time lack on the timesheet, I faxed on Saturday.
I am paid weekly. I would not be able to make up the hours guaranteed.
Also, that was my last week of work.

My contract with Trustaff specifically guarantees me 40 hours per week, as long as I immediately notifiy them of low hours ... declared by the facility ( meaning not sick time on my part, absence, etc).

I took the matter to a contract/employment attorney who concurred with me that payment was due me and acted in my behalf to obtain the hours. :yeahthat:

I misunderstood, that you did notify Trustaff and placed your hours in the correct spot. I apologize. Hope you do get paid.