How will you handle possible stop to elective surgery?

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I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?
 
I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?
What is “the center”? The hospital?
 
I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?

At 60% cut I would stay just to have a job. Although, I would negotiate with them about removing their noncompete and a 30 days notice only.

At 80% pay cut, force them to fire you. It’s not worth it at the point especially if you are in a high Covid 19 area. You are taking on too much risks for no benefits. If they fire you, noncompete goes away without you doing anything.

Stay safe and best of luck.
 
I would consult an employment lawyer before agreeing to ANYTHING, especially in writing. That $200-400 will be worth the peace of mind.

What YOU think your contract means may be different from what it ACTUALLY means. They may have language there to allow them to do exactly what they are doing now. You may not be able to leave this crappy job as easily as you'd think.
 
I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?

1. Why 60% and not 30% pay cut? Can you negotiate?
2. Do you have any remaining Vacation time? Can you borrow vacation time from next year so your salary is at 80-100% this year?
3. How long will this pay cut last? Is it for 2 months? What will your hours be like at work after elective cases resume?
4. This is an extreme situation and your contract may not protect you as much as you believe. Would you prefer to be fired or "furloughed" without any pay? I would say a pandemic with shutdown of all elective cases is reason enough for "no cause termination." Are you willing to litigate this matter at your expense?

If I was in your situation the best course of action IMHO is to negotiate with them and leave the lawyers out of it if possible.
 
At 60% cut I would stay just to have a job. Although, I would negotiate with them about removing their noncompete and a 30 days notice only.

At 80% pay cut, force them to fire you. It’s not worth it at the point especially if you are in a high Covid 19 area. You are taking on too much risks for no benefits. If they fire you, noncompete goes away without you doing anything.

Stay safe and best of luck.
Thanks for your thoughts. I work at a freestanding AMCwith no hospital affiliation. I don’t have a noncompete clause and I can terminate with 30 days notice. They have the ability to not renew without cause but my contract renews in October.
 
Thanks for your thoughts. I work at a freestanding AMCwith no hospital affiliation. I don’t have a noncompete clause and I can terminate with 30 days notice. They have the ability to not renew without cause but my contract renews in October.

60% is not bad at all if you are at an ASC with no work. If at 80%, maybe force them to increase pay if/when volume goes to normal. Otherwise, get unemployment benefit and chill with the family.
 
1. Why 60% and not 30% pay cut? Can you negotiate?
2. Do you have any remaining Vacation time? Can you borrow vacation time from next year so your salary is at 80-100% this year?
3. How long will this pay cut last? Is it for 2 months? What will your hours be like at work after elective cases resume?
4. This is an extreme situation and your contract may not protect you as much as you believe. Would you prefer to be fired or "furloughed" without any pay? I would say a pandemic with shutdown of all elective cases is reason enough for "no cause termination." Are you willing to litigate this matter at your expense?

If I was in your situation the best course of action IMHO is to negotiate with them and leave the lawyers out of it if possible.
1 That was their offer, I rejected and countered with 50% pay deferral for 90 days with reimbursement on schedule resumption. They rejected and haven’t countered.
2. I have about 3 weeks vacation time
3. Pay cut until cases resume, very busy center and likely long days on resumption
4. Yes I would litigate if I’m treated unfairly
Thanks for your help. This is certainly uncharted territory
 
I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?

Does “force majeure” appear in the contract narrative? If so that’s their no-fault out, as I think the pandemic would fit the definition.
 
60% is not bad at all if you are at an ASC with no work. If at 80%, maybe force them to increase pay if/when volume goes to normal. Otherwise, get unemployment benefit and chill with the family.
They offered 80% paycut with working one day/week,60% paycut working 2 days. I’m assuming no pay if no work
 
They offered 80% paycut with working one day/week,60% paycut working 2 days. I’m assuming no pay if no work
Seems like they are paying you a daily rate. Up to you if you feel that it’s in your best interest financially and health wise. If there are N95s available, I would work a day a week and possibly to no work if things get dicey with Covid19. If I were you, better to stay healthy and make money later than be dead with a pocketful of money.
 
They offered 80% paycut with working one day/week,60% paycut working 2 days. I’m assuming no pay if no work

May I suggest a pay cut of 50% for 60 days then resumption to full pay (no pay back by the AMC). This saves the AMC money for 2 months and you avoid litigation. My hunch is they will try to work with you/negotiate rather than force litigation.
 
May I suggest a pay cut of 50% for 60 days then resumption to full pay (no pay back by the AMC). This saves the AMC money for 2 months and you avoid litigation. My hunch is they will try to work with you/negotiate rather than force litigation.
Thanks for your input. Definitely something to think about. I really appreciate everyone’s insight.
 
Our group (regional AMC essentially with private equity backing) is at 50% for roughly 50% work (I do think they've tried to make the actual work part fair across sites).

It is currently an indefinite pay cut, no timetable set at all because who knows how long this will last. I'm a straight employee, and this is obviously not spelled out in the contract, but what else are we to do? No one else is hiring at the moment.

I do think that if our group tries to treat us unfairly (lag time between resumption of full pay and full schedule) OR if there's a significant uptick in volume without increased compensation, many members will pursue litigation for some sort of back pay.
 
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I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?

whatever you end up negotiating for now (while shut down lasts),you should also protect yourself for the time when volume returns...you don’t want them working you like a dog 6 days a week for whatever your current contract is.
Don’t let them double dip and screw you now, then screw you again when volume returns and then some.
 
I’m an AMC employee now being asked to take 60-80% pay cut. My question is why would I agree to that when my employment contract protects me from no cause termination. The center makes hundreds of thousands every year from anesthesia billing, I think they can absorb this hit and not me. Any thoughts?
This is exactly what I was curious about. Does it mean that the employer has some way to start laying off essential doctors and nurses if they can’t pay them?
 
Our group was asked to help in the ICU should we see a surge. Negotiated a decent rate. Not particularly jazzed about it given the current situation but helps mediate loss of income secondary to elective surgery setbacks. Anyone else down this?
 
We are helping to be support team in ICU, but group is not getting reimbursed, and my pay is basically slashed in half.
 
This is exactly what I was curious about. Does it mean that the employer has some way to start laying off essential doctors and nurses if they can’t pay them?
And are anesthesiologists who have employment contracts willing to allow them to be altered to their detriment?
 
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