First-time travelers tend to assume the contract that lands in their inbox is the contract — final, take-it-or-leave-it. It often isn't. There's frequently room on schedule, start date, and other terms, and the worst anyone will say is no. The travelers who are happiest with their contracts aren't always the most experienced — they're the ones who ask good questions before signing. Here's how to do that without burning bridges.
Step 1 — Know the market before you pick up the phone
Walk into the conversation informed. Look at what travel roles in your specialty are paying in the city you're applying to, and compare a few listings in the same metro. Knowing the going rate tells you whether an offer is competitive — and lets you ask informed questions about anything that looks off.
Use Luvo's transparent pay listings as your baseline
Every job on Luvo shows a transparent weekly pay estimate up front, so you can benchmark any offer against the market without making a single phone call.
Browse open positionsStep 2 — Understand what's actually flexible
Some contract terms are set by the facility and can't move — others have real give. Knowing the difference saves time on both sides and keeps the conversation focused where it counts.
The pay package itself is built from two inputs that are mostly fixed before you ever see the offer. The facility sets a bill rate — the hourly amount it pays for the position — and everything in your package is carved out of that number. Stipends are then sized within federal per-diem guidelines for the assignment's location. Because the facility sets one and federal guidelines shape the other, there's rarely much room in the rate or stipends — and a package that looks different from another agency's for the same role is usually just split up differently, not actually bigger.
The real flexibility is in fit: the schedule, the start date, and — most of all — which assignment you choose in the first place. That's where a conversation with your recruiter pays off.
Step 3 — The questions every first-time traveler should ask
- What is the guaranteed hours clause? (You want your full contracted hours — typically 40/week — protected.)
- How many shifts can the facility cancel per pay period without paying me?
- What's the call-off policy if the caseload drops?
- Is orientation paid at the same rate as regular hours?
- What units can I be floated to? Are float shifts paid at the same rate?
- How far in advance is the schedule released?
- Are weekends and holidays in the rotation, and at what differential?
- What happens if the facility ends the contract early?
- Who is my point of contact at the facility for scheduling issues?
Step 4 — How to ask for what you need
Asking works best when it's specific and unemotional. Frame requests as questions rather than demands: "Is there any flexibility on the schedule?" lands better than an ultimatum.
Be direct about what matters to you. If the schedule, the float terms, or the guaranteed hours don't work for your situation, say so specifically — a concrete question gets a concrete answer, and it helps your recruiter find the assignment that actually fits.
Prioritize before the call. Know the one or two terms that genuinely matter to you so the conversation stays focused on what would make the contract work.
Step 5 — The clauses that matter most
If you focus on nothing else, get clarity on these:
- Guaranteed hours. The single most valuable clause in a travel contract. Without it, the facility can cancel shifts indefinitely and you eat the loss. Aim for your full contracted hours — typically 40/week — guaranteed.
- Cancellation policy. Contracts differ on how many shifts a facility can cancel without pay — know the number in yours, in writing, before you sign.
- Float policy. Specify which units you'll float to. Vague "as needed" language can land you on a unit you're not credentialed for.
- Termination clause. Understand what happens if either side ends the contract early — what you're owed for hours already worked, and what's expected of you — before you sign.
Step 6 — Get every change in writing
A verbal "yes, the rate's now $32" only counts once it's in the addendum to your contract. Always review the updated contract before you sign anything, and take the time you need to read it properly.
When to pass on a contract
It's okay to pass on a contract that isn't right: no clarity on the hourly + stipend breakdown, no guaranteed hours when you're flying across the country, or an open-ended cancellation policy. There's another contract starting next week — never sign one because you're afraid you won't find another.
Give yourself options
The single biggest shift for first-time travelers is realizing you're choosing between assignments, not hoping for one. Apply to several jobs that fit your criteria so you're weighing real options — setting, pay, location, life — rather than waiting on a single maybe.
The best time to do that weighing is before you're submitted, not after an offer lands. At Luvo, we walk through the details of an assignment with you up front — so by the time you're submitted to a facility, it's for a contract you understand and actually want.
Your first contract sets the tone for every contract after it. Take the time to ask the questions, get changes in writing, and make sure you understand what you're signing. By contract three or four, you'll be doing all of this without thinking about it — but the habits start now.
