RURAL Healthcare Act

Locum clinicians treated as contractors

If enacted, the bill would say that for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, a "qualified locum tenens professional or advanced care practitioner" would not be an employee of the site where they provide temporary services. To qualify, the clinician would provide temporary coverage, scheduling flexibility, or episodic staffing; work no more than one continuous year at a single site; and have a written contract saying they are not an employee. The rule would apply to physicians (as defined in federal law), nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified registered nurse anesthetists. Affected clinicians would lose employee protections like minimum-wage, overtime, and collective-bargaining rights, while employers and staffing firms would pay less in payroll costs and face fewer labor obligations.