Lawyers and unions condemn scandal of international health workers forced to pay out if they quit their jobs early
Overseas nurses in the UK forced to pay out thousands if they want to quit jobs
When Laura Sanchez was offered a job as a nurse in the NHS, it sounded like the opportunity of a lifetime.
At home in the Philippines, she had seen Facebook ads similar to those on the site today, promising “an attractive relocation package” and inviting her to “Start your UK dream!”
Bosses from an NHS trust in the south-east had even flown to the city near her village to interview candidates in person, desperate to fill empty posts on their wards.
With eight years’ experience, she was a perfect fit. Hours after her interview she was offered a job. “I was very excited,” said the 34-year-old, whose name has been changed. “My friends in other trusts had beautiful jobs and were enjoying it.”
At first, things went smoothly: the work was hard but she was saving enough money to send a small amount to her elderly parents, who had remortgaged their land to put her through nursing college.
Then, in April 2020, everything changed. While working 12-hour shifts on a critical care ward at the height of the first lockdown, without full PPE or regular testing, Sanchez caught Covid. The virus left her fatigued and struggling for breath, but mentally it was even worse.
She returned to the ward but found herself anxious and panicky to the point that she was signed off by her GP. “I kept on crying...
NEW HAVEN — A New Haven man pleaded guilty Friday to making false claims to the IRS after he was accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $257,000 in COVID-19 relief funds, federal prosecutors sai...