Before you say yes: seven things to check about a job near home

Starting a new job is a bet on something you haven’t seen yet. Early departures are common: in a private survey of 527 US hospitals, 29.5% of new hires left within their first year. A survey like that can’t tell you why each person left. But it’s a reminder to find out as much as you can before you commit.

The checklist

1. See the workplace. The unit, the shop floor, the break room. Meet the people you’d work with. It’s a chance to see the reality before you start.
2. Try the commute at the time your shift would start and end.
3. Check the pay against your state and city minimum, not just the federal $7.25. Ask how overtime is paid.
4. Ask about schedules: how shifts are set, how much notice you get, what happens if a shift is cut short. In California and New York, reporting or call-in pay rules can apply.
5. Employee or contractor? A W-2 employee is covered by minimum wage and overtime rules; being called a contractor doesn’t change what the work really is.
6. Licenses and registries: nurses need a license valid in that state (or a multistate NLC license in a compact state); nursing homes must check the nurse aide registry before a CNA starts.
7. Sick leave and benefits: federal law doesn’t require paid sick leave, but your state or city might.

Free help near you

American Job Centers and your state’s job bank offer free job-search help. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the US Department of Labor, lists training, licenses and job centers by location.