Guest guest Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Ed, sorry to hear about your dilema. I was in a similar situation a couple of years ago, PT owned company, lots of promises, never delivered, they tried to do the same thing to me, schedule me 50 hrs per week on salary but doc my pay during a week when I may not have worked 40 hrs for one reason or another. Talked to a couple of people, found out that this was illegal, and threatened to call the labor board if I was not reimbursed for the " lost time " , recieved a 700 dollar check the next week. If you have any documentation of your hours worked it may not be too late to get the money you rightly deserve. Good Luck E. s, PT, DPT, OCS s Orthopedic & Spine Rehab, inc Bonita Springs, Fla > > > > Hi folks, > > > > I have a bit of insight I'll provide that at least pertains to my > most recent departure from an outpatient care center. I have 5 years > experience as a Physical Therapist and 5 years experience as an > Electrical Engineer. I've worked in two different Rehab Management > positions as well as typical staff PT positions. In most cases I left > because the company didn't live up to their promises delivered during > the interview process. > > > > My most recent departure is for the same reason... they had > promised bonuses of $8k-$10k/yr based upon efficiencies and volume... > I understand bonuses are performance based and was very excited about > this at the start... I've always been able to provide a good level of > care while dovetailing treatments in an outpatient setting and yet > still maintain a very high level of patient/physician satisfaction. > It was a salaried position. However, the director felt that it was > appropriate to schedule salaried staff for more than 40 hours in a > week and expect the PTs to eat the overtime. However, if we worked > less than 40 hours in a week the time was subtracted from our PTO to > add up to 40 hrs ... the end result was that no matter how many hours > I worked at the end of the pay period some time was going to come out > of my pocket one way or another... I put up with this for a year... > waiting for the bonuses to add up to something of substance... finally > after having two > > consecutive quarters of being the most productive PT in the > company.... and having a bonus that amounted to less than what would > be considered comp time for the overtime I had put in... I decided to > look elsewhere. It was unfortunate. I actually enjoyed the work, the > people, etc... but the HR/Administrative issues were what finally > tipped me over the edge. > > > > Within a week I found another job with better pay/benefits/etc.... > but as an Electrical Engineer.... The healthcare COO made a valiant > attempt to counter-offer to keep me from leaving... but the new > position's benefits were so much better I couldn't pass it up. > > > > Physical Therapy is a great profession... & I'll continue to be an > APTA member...however, in the end... I believe, most of us work for > what we bring home to support our families. If we feel that we are in > some way being wrongly taken advantage of... we start to look at our > other options. > > > > Best Regards, > > > > Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE > > Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful > email and get things done faster. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 , Thanks for the advice. After the first time my check was cut short... and I didn't have anything in the PTO bank I started keeping track of my hours worked in my own calendar log... nearly an entire years worth of time logs... The company's PC based time logs weren't very reliable... I believe there is still a software bug in the time sheet program, but that's not the topic. I could likely go back to the company & ask them to check the years time logs & compare that to mine... a colossal amount of work... or I could just leave gracefully and try to make sure the remaining therapists don't have to endure the issue any longer. We're likely only talking about several hundred dollars... I'd like to see the remaining therapists be treated well... I could feel good about that. Not sure... sometimes company's seem like they act dumb so they can in fact take advantage of their employees. I appreciate your insight! Best Regards, Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE Mansfield, TX > > > > > > Hi folks, > > > > > > I have a bit of insight I'll provide that at least pertains to > my > > most recent departure from an outpatient care center. I have 5 > years > > experience as a Physical Therapist and 5 years experience as an > > Electrical Engineer. I've worked in two different Rehab Management > > positions as well as typical staff PT positions. In most cases I > left > > because the company didn't live up to their promises delivered > during > > the interview process. > > > > > > My most recent departure is for the same reason... they had > > promised bonuses of $8k-$10k/yr based upon efficiencies and > volume... > > I understand bonuses are performance based and was very excited > about > > this at the start... I've always been able to provide a good level > of > > care while dovetailing treatments in an outpatient setting and yet > > still maintain a very high level of patient/physician > satisfaction. > > It was a salaried position. However, the director felt that it was > > appropriate to schedule salaried staff for more than 40 hours in a > > week and expect the PTs to eat the overtime. However, if we worked > > less than 40 hours in a week the time was subtracted from our PTO > to > > add up to 40 hrs ... the end result was that no matter how many > hours > > I worked at the end of the pay period some time was going to come > out > > of my pocket one way or another... I put up with this for a > year... > > waiting for the bonuses to add up to something of substance... > finally > > after having two > > > consecutive quarters of being the most productive PT in the > > company.... and having a bonus that amounted to less than what > would > > be considered comp time for the overtime I had put in... I decided > to > > look elsewhere. It was unfortunate. I actually enjoyed the work, > the > > people, etc... but the HR/Administrative issues were what finally > > tipped me over the edge. > > > > > > Within a week I found another job with better > pay/benefits/etc.... > > but as an Electrical Engineer.... The healthcare COO made a > valiant > > attempt to counter-offer to keep me from leaving... but the new > > position's benefits were so much better I couldn't pass it up. > > > > > > Physical Therapy is a great profession... & I'll continue to > be an > > APTA member...however, in the end... I believe, most of us work for > > what we bring home to support our families. If we feel that we > are in > > some way being wrongly taken advantage of... we start to look at > our > > other options. > > > > > > Best Regards, > > > > > > Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE > > > Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful > > email and get things done faster. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Hi Joe, Thanks for your advice and the link to the DOL opinion letter. I like the approach you've suggested. I'd like to leave on reasonably good terms if at all possible. Suggesting anything that can be construed as threatening will not likely be productive and may tarnish my hard earned excellent work record. I believe you are correct in identifying a huge weakness in many middle managers in the rehab field. One small company I worked with, RJ Therapy/Therapeak actually provided a substantial amount of educational material on labor laws, EEOC guidelines, etc for ensuring that I didn't say something out of compliance (I was a new Rehab Manager at the time... 9 yrs ago)... For example... what kinds of questions you can't legally ask in an interview of a candidate, etc. I still have fond memories of that company and one of its founders... also a PT. The one week... I believe I had help from a higher power. Amazing how the timing all worked... the same day I made up my mind to look at my options... I called a buddy in California I used to work with... who knew someone that was looking for someone of my same skills/experience... I received a phone call the next day from their HR person asking me to come in for an interview. I went in for the interview, a panel interview, with three different people. They made an offer at the end of the interview... that I likely would have accepted... but I wanted to discuss the matter with the healthcare company to give them yet another a chance to fix/address the series of problems. A week later the company came back with another offer... but with a substantial sign on bonus... I couldn't pass it up... it was significantly more than I was making as a staff PT or any of the previous rehab manager positions I'd held. Again, thanks for your advice! Best Regards, Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > Hi folks, > > > > > > > > I have a bit of insight I'll provide that at least pertains to > > my > > > most recent departure from an outpatient care center. I have 5 > > years > > > experience as a Physical Therapist and 5 years experience as an > > > Electrical Engineer. I've worked in two different Rehab Management > > > positions as well as typical staff PT positions. In most cases I > > left > > > because the company didn't live up to their promises delivered > > during > > > the interview process. > > > > > > > > My most recent departure is for the same reason... they had > > > promised bonuses of $8k-$10k/yr based upon efficiencies and > > volume... > > > I understand bonuses are performance based and was very excited > > about > > > this at the start... I've always been able to provide a good level > > of > > > care while dovetailing treatments in an outpatient setting and yet > > > still maintain a very high level of patient/physician > > satisfaction. > > > It was a salaried position. However, the director felt that it was > > > appropriate to schedule salaried staff for more than 40 hours in a > > > week and expect the PTs to eat the overtime. However, if we worked > > > less than 40 hours in a week the time was subtracted from our PTO > > to > > > add up to 40 hrs ... the end result was that no matter how many > > hours > > > I worked at the end of the pay period some time was going to come > > out > > > of my pocket one way or another... I put up with this for a > > year... > > > waiting for the bonuses to add up to something of substance... > > finally > > > after having two > > > > consecutive quarters of being the most productive PT in the > > > company.... and having a bonus that amounted to less than what > > would > > > be considered comp time for the overtime I had put in... I decided > > to > > > look elsewhere. It was unfortunate. I actually enjoyed the work, > > the > > > people, etc... but the HR/Administrative issues were what finally > > > tipped me over the edge. > > > > > > > > Within a week I found another job with better > > pay/benefits/etc.... > > > but as an Electrical Engineer.... The healthcare COO made a > > valiant > > > attempt to counter-offer to keep me from leaving... but the new > > > position's benefits were so much better I couldn't pass it up. > > > > > > > > Physical Therapy is a great profession... & I'll continue to > > be an > > > APTA member...however, in the end... I believe, most of us work for > > > what we bring home to support our families. If we feel that we > > are in > > > some way being wrongly taken advantage of... we start to look at > > our > > > other options. > > > > > > > > Best Regards, > > > > > > > > Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE > > > > Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > > Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful > > > email and get things done faster. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Joe, Blackmail?, I simply informed them of the laws they were breaking and explained that if they did not stop breaking them as well as pay me the money that I was rightfully owed I would have no choice but to turn them in. This is the same responsibility we all have if we are in a situation where we know laws are being broken, be they wage and labor laws or medicare regulations; blackmail had nothing to do with it. As you may have guessed, I no longer work for that PT owned company, instead I went into business for myself and try to treat the PT's that work with me as fairly as I had hoped to be treated. Thanks for your input E. s, PT, DPT, OCS s Orthopedic & Spine Rehabilitation, Inc www.douglasspt.com > > > > > > > > Hi folks, > > > > > > > > I have a bit of insight I'll provide that at least pertains to > > my > > > most recent departure from an outpatient care center. I have 5 > > years > > > experience as a Physical Therapist and 5 years experience as an > > > Electrical Engineer. I've worked in two different Rehab Management > > > positions as well as typical staff PT positions. In most cases I > > left > > > because the company didn't live up to their promises delivered > > during > > > the interview process. > > > > > > > > My most recent departure is for the same reason... they had > > > promised bonuses of $8k-$10k/yr based upon efficiencies and > > volume... > > > I understand bonuses are performance based and was very excited > > about > > > this at the start... I've always been able to provide a good level > > of > > > care while dovetailing treatments in an outpatient setting and yet > > > still maintain a very high level of patient/physician > > satisfaction. > > > It was a salaried position. However, the director felt that it was > > > appropriate to schedule salaried staff for more than 40 hours in a > > > week and expect the PTs to eat the overtime. However, if we worked > > > less than 40 hours in a week the time was subtracted from our PTO > > to > > > add up to 40 hrs ... the end result was that no matter how many > > hours > > > I worked at the end of the pay period some time was going to come > > out > > > of my pocket one way or another... I put up with this for a > > year... > > > waiting for the bonuses to add up to something of substance... > > finally > > > after having two > > > > consecutive quarters of being the most productive PT in the > > > company.... and having a bonus that amounted to less than what > > would > > > be considered comp time for the overtime I had put in... I decided > > to > > > look elsewhere. It was unfortunate. I actually enjoyed the work, > > the > > > people, etc... but the HR/Administrative issues were what finally > > > tipped me over the edge. > > > > > > > > Within a week I found another job with better > > pay/benefits/etc.... > > > but as an Electrical Engineer.... The healthcare COO made a > > valiant > > > attempt to counter-offer to keep me from leaving... but the new > > > position's benefits were so much better I couldn't pass it up. > > > > > > > > Physical Therapy is a great profession... & I'll continue to > > be an > > > APTA member...however, in the end... I believe, most of us work for > > > what we bring home to support our families. If we feel that we > > are in > > > some way being wrongly taken advantage of... we start to look at > > our > > > other options. > > > > > > > > Best Regards, > > > > > > > > Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE > > > > Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > > Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more powerful > > > email and get things done faster. > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Sorry . My mistake. I thought you wrote that you " threatened to call the labor board if I was not reimbursed for the lost time " I agree with you that we have an ethical responsibility to report the apparent trangression (Principles #3 and #9 of the APTA Code of Ethics.) I would suggest that we have a responsibility to report it without conditions. For example, what is to stop you from asking for interest owed on back pay? Would that be unethical? I'll take a bite at your Medicare example. Would it be appropriate to go to a competitor that we suspected was defrauding Medicare and say, " I'm going to report you to Medicare unless you stop forgiving patient copays " (for an example.) We set ourselves up as judge and jury. Our ethical (and probably legal) responsibility is to report the apparent violation - call a hotline. It is left to others to meet out the appropriate sanctions. I would suggest that threatening to report someone unless they comply with your condition is blackmail. But by the way, I was impressed you that were paid in full in less than a week! Joe > > > > > > > > > > Hi folks, > > > > > > > > > > I have a bit of insight I'll provide that at least > pertains to > > > my > > > > most recent departure from an outpatient care center. I have 5 > > > years > > > > experience as a Physical Therapist and 5 years experience as an > > > > Electrical Engineer. I've worked in two different Rehab > Management > > > > positions as well as typical staff PT positions. In most > cases I > > > left > > > > because the company didn't live up to their promises delivered > > > during > > > > the interview process. > > > > > > > > > > My most recent departure is for the same reason... they had > > > > promised bonuses of $8k-$10k/yr based upon efficiencies and > > > volume... > > > > I understand bonuses are performance based and was very excited > > > about > > > > this at the start... I've always been able to provide a good > level > > > of > > > > care while dovetailing treatments in an outpatient setting and > yet > > > > still maintain a very high level of patient/physician > > > satisfaction. > > > > It was a salaried position. However, the director felt that > it was > > > > appropriate to schedule salaried staff for more than 40 hours > in a > > > > week and expect the PTs to eat the overtime. However, if we > worked > > > > less than 40 hours in a week the time was subtracted from our > PTO > > > to > > > > add up to 40 hrs ... the end result was that no matter how > many > > > hours > > > > I worked at the end of the pay period some time was going to > come > > > out > > > > of my pocket one way or another... I put up with this for a > > > year... > > > > waiting for the bonuses to add up to something of substance... > > > finally > > > > after having two > > > > > consecutive quarters of being the most productive PT in the > > > > company.... and having a bonus that amounted to less than what > > > would > > > > be considered comp time for the overtime I had put in... I > decided > > > to > > > > look elsewhere. It was unfortunate. I actually enjoyed the > work, > > > the > > > > people, etc... but the HR/Administrative issues were what > finally > > > > tipped me over the edge. > > > > > > > > > > Within a week I found another job with better > > > pay/benefits/etc.... > > > > but as an Electrical Engineer.... The healthcare COO made a > > > valiant > > > > attempt to counter-offer to keep me from leaving... but the new > > > > position's benefits were so much better I couldn't pass it up. > > > > > > > > > > Physical Therapy is a great profession... & I'll continue > to > > > be an > > > > APTA member...however, in the end... I believe, most of us > work for > > > > what we bring home to support our families. If we feel that we > > > are in > > > > some way being wrongly taken advantage of... we start to look > at > > > our > > > > other options. > > > > > > > > > > Best Regards, > > > > > > > > > > Edwin Bland, MPT, BSE > > > > > Mansfield, TX > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > > > > Check out the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta - Fire up a more > powerful > > > > email and get things done faster. > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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