Published
July 1, 2025
If you are a current or former travel nurse who received housing or lodging stipends in the past two years, you may be able to join an investigation into how those stipends were paid.
Travel Nurse Housing Stipend Investigation
Are you a current travel nurse who gets housing stipends OR are you a former travel nurse who received housing stipends in the past two (2) years (June 2023 - present day)? If so, you may be eligible to participate in an ongoing investigation into pay practices related to housing or lodging stipends for traveling nurses. This investigation is looking into whether traveling nurses may have been misclassified or underpaid due to the way their stipends for housing, lodging, or meals are handled.An investigation currently underway into pay practices related to housing or lodging stipends for traveling nurses. Specifically, the investigation is looking into whether traveling nurses may have been misclassified or underpaid due to the way their stipends for housing, lodging, or meals are handled.
Status
Active Investigation
No lawsuit filed or class certified yet — attorneys are reviewing claims
Who May Qualify
Travel nurses
Current or former travel nurses paid housing/lodging stipends in the past ~2 years
Estimated Payout
Varies
Depends on the facts of each nurse's pay and assignments
Proof Required
Yes
Employment and pay records showing how stipends were handled
What Is a Travel Nurse Housing Stipend?
A travel nurse housing stipend is generally treated as a non-taxable allowance under IRS per-diem rules when the nurse maintains a tax home. It helps cover the cost of temporary housing while on assignment away from a primary residence. This stipend is part of the overall compensation package and is determined based on federal per diem rates set by the government, specifically the General Services Administration. This can vary by assignment location and local cost of living (also known as the "CoL"). To qualify for these stipends, nurses may have to maintain a tax home and thus have double the housing expenses while on assignment as a travel nurse.Why Is There a Travel Nurse Investigation?
Some staffing agencies may be manipulating pay structures by offering lower taxable wages and higher stipends to make net pay appear more attractive. However, if agencies reduce your taxable pay or overtime by misusing per diems or stipends, this could violate wage and hour laws. For example, agencies might withhold stipend payments for missed hours or shifts, or improperly classify stipends to avoid paying appropriate overtime rates.How Do I Qualify?
If your employer or staffing agency is reducing your taxable pay or overtime by misusing per diems or stipends, you may be eligible to participate in this investigation:• You are a current or former travel nurse who received housing stipends within the past 2 years.
• Your employer or staffing agency reduced your taxable pay or overtime by misusing per diems or stipends.
• You maintained a tax home and incurred duplicate housing expenses while on assignment
Key Points for Travel Nurses
Housing stipends are meant to cover actual housing expenses while on travel nurse assignment, and you may need to have a legitimate tax home to receive them tax-free.
If you did not incur housing expenses (e.g., stayed with family for free), you might not qualify for the stipend.
Agencies cannot misuse stipends to reduce your taxable pay or overtime, as this might be considered unlawful deception of wage characterization.
If you suspect your pay was structured unfairly or illegally, you may be eligible to participate in this ongoing investigation. There is no out-of-pocket cost for representation. If any of the companies you work for are listed above, you can fill out the forms linked below to see whether you qualify.
Separately, travel nurses and other healthcare professionals who worked with Triage Staffing may also qualify for the Triage Staffing data breach settlement, which is paying up to $3,000 in documented losses or a $50 cash payment for the agency's May 2025 data breach (claims due August 10, 2026).
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This page is general information about an ongoing investigation and is not legal or tax advice. For questions about the tax treatment of stipends or wages, see the IRS or a qualified professional.
