So I work in healthcare as an RN. I recently (October) moved to a PRN position, meaning I'm only required to work 36 hours/mo. Overtime pay and incentive pay would kick in after those 36 hours worked, but they changed this about a year ago to have employees in these positions work 64 hours/mo before OT/incentive pay kicked in. We just found out a week ago that the hospital is changing these requirements again, so that we must work full-time each week (which is 36 hours) before we can get OT/incentive pay. We will still be only required to work 36 hours a month, just won't be making overtime pay unless we work like regular staff, which completely removes all incentive to stay in a position like this. Most people in these positions plan to leave, or stay on as PRN, work their 36 hours that month (when they have previously been working 24-36 hrs each week at this hospital), but then travel somewhere else to make their extra pay. This is a lot of staff!! I personally know at least 10 people on my unit alone that are planning on leaving, and I myself am considering taking a travel position near by but keeping my foot in the door. The hospital really relies on the extra hours worked by these positions to staff the hospital, and Im not sure how they'll be able to do that safely (they won't, I know, but their reputation around here matters to them at least a little) if everyone leaves. Most hospitals (including mine) are already made up of 50% or more travel nurses.
My questions is CAN they actually do this? Can they literally change the rules in the middle of the game? If your position only requires X amount of hours, anything over that has to be paid overtime, correct? Maybe they actually can legally, but I need ideas for wording/reasons why they shouldn't do this that would make sense for the employer. We aren't unionized (thanks, ky), but do have a union of sorts that we aren't required to join.
Ideas? Thoughts? Things your coworkers or unions have done that were successful to combat these kinds of issues?