emergency booking

[clueless]

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone can tell me what would be acceptable to charge for an emergency booking, ie on the day?

Thanks!

[johnep]

AS much as the market will bear.
johnep

[DavidS]

If you have a good relationship with an agency, they will often tell you what the market will bear. I charge my usual rate, from time of arrival, plus one or two hours extra depending on distance and how much I really want to do it.

That will often be accepted more easily that a large hourly rate.

Beware of trying to over-negotiate, however, or, indeed, to be too helpful. For one company I used to do a fair bit of work for, I got a desperate and panic-infused request to work way out of my usual area in an emergency, when I had other things planned. Instead of saying sorry, I don't/can't/won't because ... [insert convincing reason of choice] which I had done before and had no after-effects, I said I would do it if they would reimburse my travelling time (time, not expenses) plus the amount I was going to lose through breaking appointments already made for the day. At least I wouldn't have lost anything that way, and I thought that was very reasonable and helpful of me, and would help them out in their hour of need. They just thought I was being difficult, said certainly not, and never employed me again.

[BrianA]

It depends on how desperate the pharmacy is to open on that day and also whether you might seek work with them in the future. Best advice I can give is ask for a fair days pay for a fair days work

[hibernia]

Best advice I can give is ask for a fair days pay for a fair days work

Very good advice.
Nobody likes to be taken advantage of, especially in cases of illness or berevement. You'll pay up if you are desperate enough but it leaves a sour taste and you look elsewhere when you can.
Sometimes a locum knows you only booked them because you were stuck and are unlikely to book them again so they don't put in a fair day's work. Very short-sighted. You might not need them again but chances are somebody else will and word travels.

[Fleegle]

True enough.

Problem in Ireland however is locums are now treated as employees from a tax standpoint..across the board.
No locum in their right mind would take on a day's emergency cover at flat rate and pay emergency tax, only to be looking for a 'one day P60' at the end of the tax year, which, I'm told, are a long time coming from the employer who was desperate at the time, but perhaps not do desperate when it comes to tax submission.
That is being taken advantage of. Word travels both ways.

[hibernia]

Problem in Ireland however is locums are now treated as employees from a tax standpoint..across the board.

I agree that it is frustrating and I don't like it any more than you do but when the Revenue say 'jump' the only reply is 'how high?