labor laws/discrimination??

[Guest guest]

Hello Group,

     I am a small private practice owner and I also work for a local home health

agency.  I have been with them two years and was prn for some time and then went

to permanent part time nine months ago to make sure I would have hours with

them.  While I was on vacation in April, they hired another PT 32 hours a week

with benefits.  Also, months before that they hired a PTA full time with

benefits.  I have worked there longer than the otherts and did not take a 32

hour a week assignment ( last year)  because I was afraid I could not handle my

practice. 

      I need the home health job for the cash flow as it takes so long to get

paid as you all know.  The last few months I have recieved less and less work

from this agency and they told me that I am last on the list to receive patients

because I am not 32 hours a week and they have to keep the other Pt and Pta

busy.  I am very upset and feel very put out by this.  I went to permanent part

time so that I would not have this happen to me,  Now I am treated like a prn

therapist.        

       We were recently bought out and taken over by Amedisys corporation in

October of 2007.  Pay per visit has not made any of us any more money at all. 

          A friend of mine told me she believes this is a discrimination  issue

and that they cannot hold work from me because I have a practice. 

          The administrator told me she was taking turns handing out the

referrals and then the clinical coordinator tells me that I am last to recieve

work because of the status of the other people. What???   I thought I had some

rights and some seniority there. I also wrote articles for them to promote them

and have also, helped them to get referrals and many other things...

  Home health is a strange job as I feel it is so dependent on census  and the

people incharge that panic when one can't see a patient in an hour of the time

they call you..Are we on Call???  I always saw the patient within the time frame

we have under the medicare rules.  Some days I could not see someone until late

that day or the very next day. 

                  I am in Colorado in a rural area.  There are few jobs here I

don't want to bite the hand that feeds me ..I am a member of APTA and will ask

the consultants about this also..Any suggestions????  Thanks for taking the time

to read this..

                                                            .Leanora Premeau

MPT 

                                                                     Salida,

Colorado