How do I set up a 13-week travel nurse assignment with GSA per diem stipends?
Configure a compliant 13-week travel nursing contract with GSA-validated lodging and M&IE stipend rates, eNLC license verification, and housing allowance tracking.
In YourMedSoft, to set up a 13-week travel nurse assignment with GSA per diem stipends requires navigating to Assignments in the portal, clicking Create Assignment, selecting Travel Nursing as the type, and executing the validated workflow steps. The platform looks up GSA locality rates, validates eNLC compact licenses, and logs all stipend records to an immutable audit trail.
What You Need Before Starting
- Travel Nursing vertical enabled in Settings > Organization Settings.
- Clinician profile created with state nursing license and compact (eNLC) status recorded.
- Client facility added under Foundation > Facilities with city and state set (required for GSA lookup).
Clinical & Regulatory Compliance Standards
- GSA lodging and M&IE rates set the IRS-approved ceiling for non-taxable travel reimbursements under IRS Rev. Proc. 2019-48.
- eNLC compact practice privileges are governed by NCSBN Interstate Compact rules. Always verify the nurse is not under active investigation in their home state.
- Travel nurse contracts must include guaranteed-hours language per FLSA and many state labor codes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Open Assignments and Create New
Navigate to Assignments in the sidebar and click the blue '+ New Assignment' button in the top-right.
Select Travel Nursing Assignment Type
In the assignment form, set Type to 'Travel Nursing'. This unlocks the 13-week contract fields, stipend section, and GSA per diem calculator.
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Set Contract Dates and Duration
Enter the Start Date, then set End Date to 13 weeks later. The form auto-calculates contract weeks and displays a timeline bar.
Select Clinician and Verify eNLC Status
Choose the travel nurse from the Clinician dropdown. If the assignment facility state differs from the nurse's home state, the system checks eNLC compact eligibility and warns if the license does not cover the destination state.
Look Up GSA Per Diem Rates
In the Stipends section, click 'Look Up GSA Rates'. Enter the facility city and state, then click Fetch. The platform calls the live GSA API and auto-fills the current fiscal year's lodging ceiling and M&IE rates for that locality.
Configure Weekly Housing and M&IE Stipend
Review the pre-filled GSA rates. Set Weekly Housing Stipend (up to the GSA lodging ceiling) and Daily M&IE Stipend. These are non-taxable per IRS Publication 463 when the clinician maintains a tax home. The system flags if the entered value exceeds the GSA ceiling.
Set Bill Rate and Pay Rate
Enter the hourly bill rate charged to the facility and the hourly base pay rate for the clinician (excluding stipends). The assignment panel shows projected gross margin and spread in real time.
Save and Activate Assignment
Click 'Create Assignment'. The system saves the contract, links it to the clinician's credential profile, and generates a shift template for the 13-week period.
Pro-Tips & Best Practices
- GSA rates update October 1 each fiscal year. Use the Fetch button at the start of each new contract to ensure you are using current rates.
- The eNLC verification only checks compact membership — always confirm the nurse's Primary State of Residence (PSOR) separately.
- If the housing stipend exceeds the GSA ceiling, the excess becomes taxable and should be reported on the W-2. Use the notes field to flag for payroll.
Troubleshooting & Operational Edge Cases
Issue: GSA Fetch returns no rates for the entered city
Operational Resolution: Try the nearest large city in the same county. GSA uses county-level locality groups; small cities often fall under a county or state standard rate.
Issue: eNLC warning shows even though nurse has multistate license
Operational Resolution: Open the clinician's credential record and confirm the 'eNLC Multistate License' checkbox is checked and the license status is Active.
Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting
What happens if the GSA API is unavailable?
The system falls back to the previous fiscal year's cached rates and displays a yellow notice. You can override rates manually in the stipend fields.
Can I extend a 13-week assignment?
Yes. Open the active assignment, click 'Extend Contract', and set a new end date. The system creates an extension record linked to the original assignment and re-checks eNLC status.
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