Offer FAQs – Nomad Health

Job/Legal Requirements

Can I receive exemption for arbitration?

At this time, Nomad requires signature on the arbitration agreement as a condition of employment. Details on this policy are available in section 16 of our Employment Agreement.

Is there any flexibility on the job post experience requirements?

The experience requirements on the job post are minimum requirements as communicated by the facility. We have a team dedicated to reviewing applications before they are submitted to facilities to make sure you meet every requirement set forth by the facility for a particular position.
If our team finds you do not meet the experience requirement while reviewing your application, they will flag this to you on your Nomad profile and ask that you provide the required credentials/experience for consideration.

Can I start my assignment with a temporary driving certificate?

A paper certificate will suffice temporarily. A physical license application must be submitted, as it will be required to continue with the assignment.

Rates Questions

What is the gross pay? What does that mean?

Gross pay is the total pre-tax amount of income you will receive every week. At Nomad, we display the gross pay on our job posts and offer emails.
The gross pay is your taxable hourly, times the amount of scheduled hours per week, plus your weekly per diem.

What does Weekly Stipend mean?

Your weekly stipend, also known as the weekly per diem, is the non-taxable amount of your income that is maximized as per the GSA's daily allotment for housing plus meals and incidentals.
It is based on the location and the months you are working at the hospital.

What is a Pay Rate?

Nomad displays our jobs with a Pay Rate that is inclusive of the non-taxable stipend and the taxable hourly wage. This is your non taxable per diem broken down hourly, along with your hourly taxable

How it OT calculated? How does OT work?

As a W2 employee of Nomad it must be at least 1.5x your taxable hourly pay rate.
Overtime is always paid after 40 hours worked in a week!
***If in California or Alaska, OT is paid after 8 hours worked in a day.

Why does the OT decrease from 3x12 to 4x12, or increase from 4x12 to 3x12?

With this facility for any non- scheduled OT they have a higher overtime rate to incentivize their nurses to work overtime if offered.
- not applicable to CA/AK
For a 3x12 schedule there are 36 hours, so OT will not be scheduled and is of course always optional
For a 4x12 schedule, there are always 8 hours of scheduled OT. In this case, the facility has decided that 1.5x their taxable rate here is the appropriate and most equitable OT rate for nurses who would be scheduled to work overtime

Why does my local OT rate differ from the travel OT rate?

In a local contract, the facility sets the OT so it is 1.5x the total taxable amount. Because the entire pay package is taxed, by law the OT must be 1.5x the total taxed hourly rate. You will see the total taxed rate is also represented as the blended rate in a local assignment.

I am being considered "local" for an assignment. Why did my rate change?

Due to the proximity of your tax home address to a given facility, this offer will be considered a local contract. Rates may vary from the travel rates provided on the job post.
In this case, the facility has set a different rate for local assignments compared to their travel assignments
- At Nomad we will always be transparent when this happens, and it is never our intention to push you into a job that is not right for you

What does on-call mean? what is the difference from the callback rate?

A hospital may ask their clinicians to be on-call. This means that you will typically be able to stay within a certain distance from the hospital and be paid $3.00/hour to either hold a pager or keep your cell phone on you
In the event you are asked to come back to the hospital to work in the unit, you will receive your call back rate on top of the on call rate

Why is my Holiday or callback rate lower than the pay rate?

Your pay rate is combining your weekly per-diem and your taxable rate into one number, represented hourly. This means that it has no relation to either holiday or call back.
- Ultimately, the rates are set by the facility.

What is a charge rate? What is charge?

In most units, the second in command is called a charge nurse. This is the RN who assists the nurse manager with the day to day of the floor, and makes sure it is running efficiently.
Sometimes a travel nurse who has the experience and demonstrates the leadership skills needed may be asked to work charge. In the event they do, Nomad will pay the RN +3 the taxable for any time worked as a charge nurse.

Why do other Travelers with different agencies have a larger charge rate?

Here at Nomad, we value transparency and ensure that we provide the best available rates for all of our assignments. Based on a recent industry review by a third party consulting firm, the charge rate offered for this hospital is in the top 10- 20th percentile of any other staffing agency in the US.

Why did my pay rate change after the offer was extended?

There are a few reasons why a pay rate might change, but the most common reason is due to timing. When a facility has high demand for nurses, then they increase their rates. As that demand is met, the facility decreases their rates but will not cancel the assignment all together.
If a job you applied to experiences a rate decrease, then you will receive an email informing you of that decrease.

Is OT optional or required?

Overtime is always optional and you have the right to choose not to work the overtime

How long does it take for my requests on the contract to be approved by the facility?

We typically hear back from facilities within 24-48 hours. However, responses can take up to 72-96 hours due to high patient volume at some of our hospital partners.
We will continue to provide updates on a daily basis

Is there a missed shift charge?

No. We ask that you show up for all your scheduled shifts, but if there is an emergency and you have to miss a shift you will not be penalized.

Contracts

When do I receive my contract?

As soon as you reply back to the offer email with your acceptance, we will be able to lock in the position for you with the facility
It takes about 24 hours for the facility to draft your contract with Nomad, and you will receive your contract from Nomad 24-48 hours after that
- The contract will come from our e-signature tool called Dropbox Sign

Will I be required to work more hours than my scheduled hours?

There is a clause in our contract that is added in the interest of the patient
For example, if you are working with a patient and are asked to stay an extra hour to care for the patient, when the alternative would be not working and potentially harming the patient, this clause is added to make sure the patient's safety comes first

Can I request a specific patient ratio in my contract?

Patient ratios cannot be guaranteed by Nomad nor by the hospital
While every unit has an average ratio, you could be asked to work with more patients than the average ratio due to unexpected spikes in patient volume
- For this reason, patient ratio requirements cannot be guaranteed in contracts.

Modules Questions

How and when do I receive my training modules?

Your designated Nomad Navigator will be able to share the details with you as part of your onboarding. Module requirements vary from facility to facility and often even by the unit and the nurse manager.
About one week into your onboarding, your Nomad Navigator will walk you through all the steps if any online training or modules are needed.

Can my pay rate for training and modules be higher?

As per a recent industry review, Nomad's pay for training and modules is in line with the majority of that of other travel companies
At Nomad, our goal is always to be transparent and ensure you are compensated fairly for your time. Given that this is the norm in the industry, we are not able to increase the pay rate at this time.

Why are online modules paid at $20/hr?

Based on a recent industry review, $20.00/hour is the industry standard for all online/remote training done before an assignment
Please note this is separate from your orientation which is paid at your regular rate.

Will I be paid for training modules? Is this separate from orientation?

Yes, Nomad will pay $20.00/hour for any online training or modules needed before your assignment starts. This is included in the email with your offer details and will be added to your contract.
Please note this is separate from your orientation. Orientation is typically the first 2-3 shifts of your assignment as that is paid at your normal regular rate (also referred to as the "taxable rate").

When will I be paid for my training modules?

You will be paid for the training modules in your first pay period. Pay periods run weekly on Fridays via direct deposit to the bank account you provided, unless the facility you are on assignment at runs a differential pay period, which will be communicated to you upon your first pay period.

How will I be able to record the training or module hours?

You will be able to record these hours on your timesheet during your first pay period. The hours are self-reported, and your Nomad Navigator will be able to share more details about the timecard process during your onboarding.

How many hours of online training or modules will this hospital require?

Typically it depends on the facility, the unit, and the manager working during your assignment, but it varies. While many facilities will not require any, we do see that some may require 2-5 hours before your assignment.
- The facility will let you know their requirements for a specific assignment during your onboarding before the assignment starts.
Please note, HCA facilities typically estimate the time needed to complete their modules is about 12 hours in total before your assignment begins.
Your Nomad Navigator will be able to assist you with this during your onboarding!

Benefits

Does Nomad reimburse for continued education and training for clinicians?

Yes! Nomad will reimburse nurses for approved continuing education classes, work related in-services, training, and other educational activities, to support the continued development of skills and knowledge in the nursing field.
- All requests for reimbursement should be submitted allowing for sufficient advance notice.
Please send all requests to Payroll@nomadhealth.com for approval as deemed necessary to enhance job performance.

Does Nomad reimburse for scrubs?

Yes! We will reimburse up to $100 for scrubs needed for this assignment. Please send all receipts to Payroll@nomadhealth.com
This information is also in the Onboarding document attached to your offer email.

Is the premium deducted from my paycheck?

Does Nomad offer a 401k?

Yes! All clinicians working an assignment with Nomad are able to take advantage of our 401K plan through Principal.

How does Nomad handle travel reimbursements?

We provide up to a $750 travel reimbursement for going to the assignment
- You can email payroll@nomadhealth.com with a Google map or Apple map screenshot of your route
We reimburse for driving mileage at the standard GSA rate of $0.70/mile
Nomad Health will reimburse up to $750 in total for approved expenses
- This reimbursement will be paid out in one lump sum, which will be included in your first paycheck after approval
All of this information is also in the Onboarding document attached to your offer email

Does Nomad offer malpractice insurance?

Yes! You are covered under our professional liability insurance while you are working

How does insurance work with Nomad?

Nomad offers three medical plans, as well as dental and vision coverage, all through United Healthcare
Coverage starts Day 1 of your assignment. You will have the opportunity to select your coverage plan about one week before your assignment starts.

When will my health insurance end?

Nomad’s insurance benefits start on the first day of your assignment and end on the last day of your assignment
If you continue with future assignments with Nomad, you will be covered under our insurance as long as the gap between assignments is not longer than two weeks

What happens to my insurance after my assignment ends?

You are eligible for the same benefits you had during your assignment through COBRA
Your Nomad Navigator will inform you on how to enroll through COBRA at the end of your assignment.

What is COBRA?

COBRA is a government program which allows you to keep your healthcare benefits after your employment has ended

General Questions

Why can't my start date be earlier?

Start dates are decided by the facility. Please keep in mind that there are multiple stakeholders throughout this process, but ultimately we are bound to the medical staff offices' decisions around start dates.
The intention here is to avoid a pushed start date, which increases the risk of a cancellation. We want to be sure you are comfortable making it to this assignment on time. In the event you are cleared to start earlier, we would discuss with the hospital if you could start at that time.

How long is orientation for my assignment?

Orientation varies from facility to facility, but typically it is the first two or three days of your assignment.
Your Nomad Navigator will help clarify the schedule with you shortly before your assignment starts.

If the facility calls me off a shift, will I still receive my stipend?

Yes!