Pros
Kids and co-workers, anything you can get from a different clinic. BCBAs are amazing, but this is clinic dependent.
Cons
Let me start off by saying that there are multiple lawsuits against Hopebridge, a lot of which are for fair labor law violations. (Myres v. Hopebridge, LLC | Skevington v. Hopebridge, LLC | Gepson, Jordan v Hopebridge LLC, | Solen v. Hopebridge, LLC, and 25 other cases.) I am not saying that I experienced anything illegal, but it is something to keep in mind when applying. A lot of these cases are still pending.
[1] The absence/late policy is god-awful. If you are 1 minute late (this is not an exaggeration - it is in the handbook) or miss a day, you will receive a "point." Rack up 9 of these points and you will be terminated. This might sound difficult to do, but keep in mind that you are working with kids. You will get sick A LOT, especially if you are just starting in the profession. They do not accept doctors' notes or any other documentation that would otherwise verify your absence was necessary. I got strep throat twice from infected coworkers who were unable to miss work due to accumulated points. The second time I got strep throat it turned into scarlet fever. After sending in multiple doctors notes and positive tests I was told I would be terminated if I received two more points. Company policy does not accept doctors' notes as a legitimate excuse to miss work. I was not given any warnings prior to this, because I was out for scarlet fever during both warning periods. If you are in an area that snows heavily or doesn't have well-maintained roads, you are going to receive points if you are unable to make it to work.
[2] The pay is massively below average for this profession. I have worked in care for 3 years, and my starting rate was $15.00 (16 after completing the month-long training period). The average RBT salary is $23.42 an hour (ZipRecruiter). There is not a single person at our clinic who makes above the $20 mark, even employees who have been there for 3 years or more.
[3] The benefits are lackluster if they are even given to you. There is no paid maternal leave, despite the fact that we are working at a clinic for children. If you are expecting, or plan on starting a family, do not work at Hopebridge. You will either have to quit or accept months without pay. You are also promised a $500 starting bonus. You will have to hound management to pay this. Some coworkers didn't receive their bonus for over a year, and I personally had to ask management multiple times.
[4] You will not receive breaks that are guaranteed to you according to the handbook. A lot of us are regularly put on break at 11:00am, just 2 hours after arriving at the clinic. You will work straight through the remaining 6 and a half hours of your shift. The handbook might guarantee you a 10 or 15-minute break every two hours, but that is ONLY if there is someone there without a kid who you can ask to cover for you. This is a rarity, at least at my clinic, and management does not perceive it as their responsibility to cover breaks.
[5] Don't get too attached to co-workers. This company is a revolving door for RBTs, and the company seems to have no interest in keeping people around by altering policies or pay. During my first 4 months working, 5 people quit and were replaced in the same week. This is a regular occurrence, and more people have worked and quit in the past year than have stuck around. We have had competent and experienced RBTs become completely disillusioned with the industry after working at Hopebridge and decide to work serving jobs instead.
