Why We Don’t Offer 1099 Contracts

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

EmpowerCare gives nurses the power to choose when, where and how often they work, usually right in the palm of their hands by our easy-to-use app. When one of our talented nurses works a CNA job, LPN job or RN job, they are their W-2 hired employee. We have chosen not to offer 1099 options to our healthcare workers and here are 3 main reasons why.

1. 1099 contractors must manage their payroll taxes.

When you choose a staffing agency that does 1099, you’re responsible for managing your payroll taxes throughout the year. That means your weekly/biweekly checks will be bigger in size, but at tax time you will need to pay all the taxes that would usually have been taken out in a lump sum. This could be a problem if you don’t correctly estimate your taxes or if you don’t set money aside for your taxes. Being a W-2 employee, you don’t have to do any of this. Your employer withholds a specified amount, which you determine, from each one of your paychecks to cover your taxes. Making it easier to manager.

2. W-2 employees can have access to company benefits

Being a W-2 employee, you will have access to the company benefits such as health insurance, life insurance and paid time off, as well as your travel nurse salary. These are additional benefits that you can access and use when needed. Having a benefits package, you can fall back on is so important. It shows that the employer is invested in not only you, but your future and happiness as well.

3. W-2 employees are protected

W-2 employees are protected by laws covering minimum wage, workers’ comp, unemployment, and overtime. 1099 contractors must handle their own insurance, meaning there is less protection for you in your RN job.

At EmpowerCare, we prioritize your security and benefits, choosing W-2 over 1099. Join our caring team for the best possible work experience.

Block Booking

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Full time stability with per diem flexibility

When our CEO founded this company back in 2005 as a Registered Nurse, it was to help nurses combat burnout and get more autonomy in their careers. We understand more than most staffing agencies how fast the industry can change. One significant shift we are seeing right now is the rise of block bookings.

What is block booking? It empowers you to schedule shifts at you preferred facilities as if you were a full-time employee, while still enjoying the flexibility of Per Diem jobs. Essentially it’s the best of both worlds! EmpowerCare is excited to offer block bookings to our healthcare professionals.

More control of your own schedule and time

Being able to take a shift when you want to at different facilities is the amazing benefit of working as a per diem RN. With block booking, you will still be able to do that but you can simplify your life even further by creating a more consistent schedule that you can plan around.

If Christmas is coming up and you need to work more hours than usual, so you can afford to spend the holidays with your loved ones, block booking in your answer!

Have a once in a lifetime vacation happening next month and won’t be working? Pick up extra shifts this month to make up for it!

More consistent income

Now that block booking is being offered at EmpowerCare, you can rest easy knowing that you can have the shifts you need booked and out of the way in advanced, instead of trying to find shifts last minute. There is nothing worse than deciding you want to work one day and seeing that all the open shifts have already been taken by other per diem CNAs or per diem RNs. T

Saved and guaranteed hours

Everyone wants some more free time, right? Block booking can give you just that by being able to provide you saved and guaranteed hours. Gone will be the days that you spend time searching and worrying if you are going to be able to work the right number of hours that you are needing each week. Once block booking is happening, we can guarantee you the hours that you need each week going forward. If you want to be able to use more of your time the way you want to use it while knowing you have the hours you need to work, block booking is right up your alley, and you should make the switch today!

Finding comfort with facilities

One last thing that shouldn’t be overlooked is the opportunity to become a regular face in facilities. This can help you build relationships, get to know your coworkers and patients more, and get to the point where you feel comfortable in the facilities you work in day to day. This helps make the days go by much faster and you get the sense of belonging that might have been missing before while working per diem shifts. Being comfortable where you work can make a huge difference in your day-to-day operations, so try it out for yourself.

Block booking has many benefits for you and your healthcare career, and EmpowerCare is here to help you make the switch. We are educated and have the knowledge needed to help you make the change fast and efficiently, so what are you waiting for? Contact us today and let them know you are looking for block booking shifts to get the ball rolling!

Being Cozy When Travelling

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Travel nurse jobs are all the rage, and we can understand why. You get to see and experience new and exciting things while doing the job you love to do. Travel nursing inevitably involves a lot of actual traveling, which can either be a blessing on a curse depending who you ask! Personally, I love the travel aspect, especially as I have become something of an expert on finding ways to stay cozy on the go. Here, I’ll share a few of my secrets so you can enjoy a more comfortable journey on your next travel nurse job assignment.

Dress Comfy

Cotton and layers will be your best friend when it comes to traveling. Cotton is a soft and breathable fabric that keep you cozy and can help you stay relaxed on those long flights or drives. As for layers, these will allow you to increase or decrease the amount of clothing layers you have on depending on the temperature you are dealing with. Nothing is worse than sitting on a three hour flight freezing. A few other tips for comfort would be compression socks if you are prone to swelling and also one of those much needed travel pillows. All of these things will make your traveling a breeze!

Snacks and Hydration

I always overpack snacks when I am traveling, especially on airplanes. Something about being stuck somewhere for a certain amount of time makes me want to snack hardcore. Eating healthy snacks such as nuts, bars, trail mix, popcorn, fruits, and veggies are all great ideas. Try to avoid salty snacks as they tend to make you thirstier and also try to avoid super crunchy foods if at all possible. No one wants to hear a random person crunch down over and over again. Water is simple, stay hydrated and keep a reusable bottle with you at all times so you can easily refill when needed. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely hate feeling thirsty and try to avoid it at all costs.

Stretch

Did you know that you can get sore after sitting for too long? To decrease muscle soreness, you should really move around and stretch your muscles as often as possible. If you find some time to walk around, even for a minute, it will help in a big way.

Bring Things you Enjoy

Time flies when you’re having fun! Bring items you genuinely enjoy and your travel time will feel like a breeze. I always bring a book that I can enjoy, my phone loaded up with new music, and a show or two downloaded on my phone. This way I am giving myself options in what I want to do, but all of them are things I really like to do so win win win.

Buy Boujee Items

Sometimes, it’s okay to be a little extra. When it comes to my travel set up, I am usually the most extra. Invest in some items that can take your traveling experience to the next level. Here are just a few items that you could purchase hat have worked wonders for me.

Noise cancelling headphones
Face mask
Portable battery for phone
Travel packing cubes (game changer)
Phone holder for hands free holding
Foot hammock for air travel

I hope this helps make your next travel assignment easier and more enjoyable. I know personally that after I started making these changes in my travel routine, it increased my love for travel that much more. There is no reason why you should hate the idea of traveling, and these easy tips will help you on your adventure.

Per Diem Jobs – All The Rage!

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

A group of healthcare professionals taking a selfie.

After the fallout of the pandemic, people have reassessed what is important to them and their work/life balance. We are seeing that many nurses would prefer to have a flexible schedule that fits their needs more than other benefits. Per diem work is when work hours for a person can very from week to week depending on the employer’s needs and how much the employee is wanting to work each week. There are many benefits of working per diem jobs, and we are going to highlight 3 of them right now.

Enjoy the Ideal Work-Life Balance

Everyone has their ideal work-life balance in their head. Whether it’s working night shifts 4 nights a week to be at home with your kids during the day, or working in the morning for half the work week so you can concentrate on your second job the other half of the week, per diem jobs can be the easiest way to get you to where you want to be. You get to decide how often and when you will be working. This also means you could pick up more shifts if you wanted to from week to week. The schedule is really up to you and your needs.

Work at more than one place

Another great opportunity that per diem jobs provides is the ability to work at multiple facilities at the same time. This would be great if you wanted to explore a variety of clinical settings or maybe if you wanted to have additional shifts that just one facility could offer you.

Multiple specialties

Per diem positions are also able to hone their skills in a variety of different specialties. While in the healthcare field, you can try different specialties and make choices that will improve your resume as you work. This can in turn help you figure out what specialty you truly enjoy.

Are you interested in a better work-life balance than what you’ve previously had? Then you should really consider looking into per diem work. In our opinion, the benefits clearly out way the disadvantages and per diem work never goes away. We are always looking for new and excited candidates to join our team and if you choose to work with us, we could have you at your 1^st shift in less than a week. Contact us now to learn more about everything we have to offer.

Travel Nursing Just Got Easier

Posted on April 12, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

If you have a lust for adventure, seeing new places, and meeting new people while helping people who need it, a travel nurse job might just be for you. With the travel nursing life comes income fluctuations as well. Budgeting your income is important all the time, especially when it comes to travel nursing. It might seem like a daunting task, but we’re here to share our top five budgeting tips that can help make the adventure that much better!

1. Create a Budget Breakdown

This is the first step in learning how to manage your money. The main goal for this step is to figure out how much you spend on a monthly basis for your bills, food, entertainment, and other activities. Establish your needs versus your wants and think about how much money you need to set aside for each category. There are plenty of apps out there that can help you achieve this first step fast and efficiently.

2. Utilize the 50/30/20 Rule

The 50/30/20 rule is a staple when it comes to budgeting. First, you need to calculate your monthly income after taxes have been taken out. Next, divide your income into three segments—50% of your income should go toward needs, 30% on wants, and 20% will go to savings or paying off debt. This method ensures that your needs and wants are met while still setting money aside for your savings account.

3. Research Free Things to Do

While on a travel nursing assignment, one of the best ways to save money is to find activities that are free to do during your time off! Honestly, there are so many options out there and most people have no idea! Parks, museums, hiking trails, and local events are always fun options and are typically free or have a low cost to them. This will help you save money while also experiencing things you might not usually experience. Natural beauty is everywhere, and it’s usually free to experience, so go out there and explore!

4. Learn How To Cook

Some of us spend more money on eating out at restaurants than we’d like to admit. I am especially guilty of this when I’m away from home. If you’re joining the travel nursing community, you will be away a lot, so best learn to cook! It will save you so much money and you will be gaining cooking experience as well, so two birds with one stone with this one. Pinterest, TikTok, Google, and Facebook are all great tools to find great recipes with step-by-step instructions to follow.

5. Talk To Locals

Locals are a great resource for spending your money wisely. These people know where and how to get the most out of your budget and can provide information that can save you money in the long run. From weekend entertainment to the best grocery store for your dollar, the locals can fill you in on what’s worth spending money on. Along with this, you can happen across some great friendships along the way.

Travel nursing with your favorite healthcare staffing agency, EmpowerCare, gives you the opportunity to advance your career, develop new skills, and experience new things. Let us help cure your Wanderlust. Talk to one of our recruiters about our open travel nursing assignments and start exploring the country today!

Earn With A Desire To Help People

Posted on April 1, 2021 by Luke Hewitt

Have you ever wanted to transition into the medical field but didn’t know where to begin? You’re in luck! If you’re willing to pair your desire to help people with a CPR certification, we can help you start a career as a Caregiver.

TL;DR

Caregivers are compassionate people looking to make a difference in the lives of others.
Entering the field requires a CPR certification, which can be obtained online quickly and inexpensively.
EmpowerCare wants to help anyone interested in entering this field find rewarding work, with the best fit for their life and schedule, at the best pay (starting at $16/hour).

What is a Caregiver?

Caregiver is a general title for a person who takes care of other people. You may hear other titles like Residential Counselor, Rehab Aide, or Personal Care Aide—but they’re all the same thing.

In short, caregivers provide support to people who have difficulties completing basic tasks. This can include caring for people with disabilities, the elderly, or someone with a mental disorder. Primary duties include giving medications, assisting with bathing, dressing, cooking and eating, transportation to appointments, reminders to take medication, light housekeeping, etc.

Most people in this role find the work incredibly rewarding. Yes, at times it’s challenging, but that is the nature of all meaningful work. Many of the people who require a Caregiver wish they could be fully independent, so part of your role is to help people achieve whatever level of independence they can safely obtain.

Work settings can include anything from a small group residential setting, or a private residence. You will very likely work alongside friends, family, employers, and others who play a role in caring for your Resident or Patient.

What are the qualifications?

A highschool diploma or GED, a CPR certification, and some empathy are really all you really need to get started. You probably have experience caring for people already. Perhaps you took care of a family member on a regular basis, or helped a friend after they got out of the hospital. Maybe you worked at a summer camp with kids who needed a little extra attention or support.

These types of experiences prove you have the one quality every Caregiver truly needs: compassion. If you can bring that to the table, EmpowerCare can help with the rest.

How to get your CPR certification?

You can get CPR certified in about an hour through an online course offered through The National CPR Foundation. It will cost about $15.

If you’re not able to complete a certification online, you can usually find a class through The Red Cross. Just know that in-person classes are typically a little more expensive, costing around $60.

We want to find you a job!

Whether you are currently CPR certified or not, EmpowerCare is ready to help you find work as a Caregiver! Here are a few things you can expect when you decide to work with us:

We’re Convenient—from the application process, to finding a job with the best fit at the best pay—we work hard so finding work is as stress-free as possible.

We’re Personable—like you, we care about people. We’re friendly, open, and 100% transparent. We pride ourselves on telling candidates everything we know about potential jobs so there are no surprises.

We’re Responsive—93.3% of all calls, texts, and emails are returned within 24 hours. If you reach out with a question, you will get an answer.

Starting pay for Caregivers is $16/hour, and can go up to $19/hour (note: this article was published in April 2022, so that may have changed depending on when you’re reading this). We work with facilities all over Massachusetts, so we can help you find work that fits into your schedule.

Reach out to get started, or if you have any questions. A new rewarding career awaits!

Travel Nurse Jobs: The Financial Aspect

Posted on November 28, 2020 by Luke Hewitt

Financial freedom or independence is something that nobody wants to forego. However, at times this aspect can make or break employments. For the people applying for travel nurse jobs; compensation, pay rates and other financial benefits are something that should be discussed in order to ensure that there are no problems later. Of course, the healthcare recruitment agency such as EmpowerCare will also take care of such issues and ensure that complete transparency is maintained. Here are a few financial considerations that a person needs to keep in his or her mind before replying in affirmative for a position for a travelling nurse.

Aspects to look out for

In the case of a travel nurse employment, the compensation and the entire range of benefits is quite lucrative. Sometimes, it may even surpass the financial benefits of a person who is a permanent staff at the medical facility. In other words, people in this profession tend to receive their normal pay according to the number of hours worked and are also entitled to overtime pay, medical benefits apart from choosing the house to work as well. In some cases, travelling nurses receive bonuses at the end of every week depending on the criticality of the assignment and the number of hours worked. However, there are many other medical facilities and establishments, which do not pay weekly, but hand out a sizeable amount at the end of the tenure of the travelling nursing staff at the hospital. Travel nursing jobs are thus very lucrative and the demand for such nurses is quite high. Medical establishments are willing to spend as long as they are able to get the desired work quality from a person. There are many medical hospitals, which either provide accommodation or an equivalent amount of allowance so that travel nurses can get a suitable accommodation somewhere nearby to the medical facility.

Salaries and other monetary benefits tend to form a major reason for taking up employment away from home as a travel nurse. Travel nursing jobs are highly lucrative and a major part of this aspect is the financial remuneration. This is also one of the major reasons for the people to take up jobs. Staffing companies like EmpowerCare tend to look into this matter quite closely and makes sure that each person gets a near perfect fit according to his or her desire of a dream-nursing job.

Latest in Medical Job Vacancies

Posted on June 28, 2020 by Luke Hewitt

Mental health nurse practitioner working remotely

There are many medical job positions which no longer belong to the stereotypical definition of a medical job. The latest in the medical world is the ‘doc in the box’ clinic. This is a new type of approach wherein any person can get medical attention for minor problems at locations such as shopping malls and grocery stores. EmpowerCare, a healthcare placement agency handles the staffing function of such requirement.

Novel trend in the medical world

This new trend of ‘doc in the box’ clinic is something that allows people to handle minor ailments and get immediate medical attention. The importance of such a facility is both for the staff as well as for the patients. There are many people aiming for medical job vacancies but they are either not qualified enough or do not have the means to achieve it. However, they need to be on the job is quite persistently and honest. Such people can try their luck through any healthcare recruitment agency to get a chance to work and learn on the job. The scope of activities is quite limited since these places are visited by people with minor ailments and medical problems. However, this is an excellent ground for learning and enhancing your skills to be a compassionate worker. Such medical job positions tend to be a first place where you can establish a contact with the doctor as well as the patient and know how the industry works as well as the expectations or problems of the patients. This is a place where the amount of learning is enormous and it prepares you for getting a better opportunity later in life.

Medical job vacancies are forever growing in number. There is no dearth of such requirements. However, the matter is top identify quailed and professional staff rather than hiring first timers. Recruitment agencies specializing in healthcare are aware of the latest development in the field and thus tend to adapt themselves in that manner so that they are able to bridge the gap between the demand and supply of medical job positions in the industry. These agencies like EmpowerCare are smart to spot the right talent and go through many rounds of the recruitment process in order to segregate the best talent and send them for employment.

Personal Qualities for Healthcare Jobs

Posted on February 13, 2020 by Luke Hewitt

Have you come across any healthcare advertising jobs or any such jobs related to healthcare? Well, the fact of the matter is that in terms of healthcare jobs, there are many personal qualities which are required to make your career a great success. Placement agencies such as EmpowerCare tend to be such entities which complete a large part of recruitment by checking on these personal qualities of the people who apply for health care job vacancies. Here are a few of these personal qualities which can help you identify as to whether you are fit for the job or not.

Traits required for healthcare related jobs

Healthcare job positions are the positions where there is a need to look after people who are either temporarily or permanently suffering. In such workplaces, the level of stress is quite high as you are engaged in taking care of the other people. In such a scenario, we need people who have empathy towards others and hence do not make fun of their ill health. Being kind and being able to help others in need are a few personal traits that are extremely necessary. These are internal traits which cannot be copied, but needs to be cultivated over a period of time especially in healthcare job vacancies. Qualities such as being patient towards people unable to carry out regular work, showing empathy towards others, being kind and helpful, being of understanding nature tends to make people more famous in their chosen arena of the profession and thus they tend to rise to a higher position in the workplace. Any healthcare recruitment agency tends to understand this particular requirement of such jobs and thus takes great caution to ensure that the candidates that are being sent to the actual location of work are well qualified candidates along with certain qualities in them.

It is important for a person to be successful in the healthcare job positions that he seeks. The education or the other external qualities such as degrees and certifications, etc. are something that everyone in the profession can acquire. However, the main idea here is to be different from others in order to establish an air of superiority in the work area. Personal qualities such as patience, empathy towards others and a helpful nature are very important to create a special place in the hearts of people whom you serve. Health care job vacancies are many but the preference is always for a deserving and kind hearted person with the necessary educational qualifications as well.

Searching for Jobs through Healthcare Recruitment Agencies

Posted on December 2, 2019 by Luke Hewitt

Recruitment agency is the place to be contacted when one wants to get into services relating to the allied medical staffing. Every placement company works with utmost dedication and looks to it that the customers are given the best kind of services. There are certain guidelines and laws and regulations, to which every healthcare recruitment agency needs to, abide by. The processes adopted by the recruitment agency are quiet rigorous. They try every possible thing to save their customers from auditing on continuous basis.

What does the allied employment agency usually thinks?

An allied employment agency thinks and believes that if the needs of the customer are understood clearly and his expectations are fulfilled then a trust relationship can be easily built. This trust is the base of running every healthcare recruitment agency. The confidence of the candidate contacting any placement agency increases in the company if he is given more than what he had been expecting. Every placement agency practices working continuously to make the customers happy.

Why should one go for Allied Medical Staffing?

The best part of getting into Allied Medical Staffing is that one gets very good chance of travelling to all those places which one has dreams of. And like a topping on the Cake, one gets paid well for travelling. Allied medical staffing is an interesting field to work in. It is good not only for the youngsters but for medical professionals of all ages. The skills of the individuals for getting into allied medical staffing are not specific. Being an allied professional is good and rewarding for those who love to visit new places and enjoy making new friends and travelling to new destinations. For getting a job in this field, the best is to call allied placement services center.

Why have healthcare recruitment agencies become so popular in the recent time?

One of the major benefits of searching jobs through healthcare recruitment agencies like EmpowerCare is that they have very good contacts with the best of health care centers and even the best of hospitals. They can help in getting a very well paid job in a very short time. One can find a wide range of job opportunities to choose from, such as RN jobs, CNA jobs, LPN jobs and Nurse Practitioner Jobs. The list goes on. If one is not getting a job as per his preference the best option is to look for a job through the health care recruitment agencies. They are very much reliable and are always willing to assist with any issue you may have.