Nursing Labor laws?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a nurse and working for a physician who is terrific. However, the manager over-works and keeps me there beyond my hours, there are UNION nurses who are allowed to leave on time and then bc i am not union i have to leave later and stuff..

do labor laws protect against non-union employees?

I also have religious obligations i need to fulfill and the manager is not happy I need to leave early certain days (early meaning the ACTUAL time which is 5pm when the office closes)

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

If you are paid hourly, and are asked to stay outside of your scheduled/contracted hours (ie 40hrs per week) you are entitled to overtime payments. If you are not getting overtime and you are an hourly-paid employee, then you have a right to complain. If you are salaried, not so much.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Labour laws apply to everyone, regardless of union membership. If you believe labour laws might be violated, please call you local labour board and speak with someone. They can clarify a lot of things for you.

If other nurses in your place of employment are union members, why aren't you? Is your position exempt? Ask your coworkers who the rep is and arrange to speak to that person. It might be a very enlightening conversation. Good luck!

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Yes i am exempt. I am not apart of the union...I just feel with nursing if one RN is to leave at 5 the other RN should leave at 5 too. there is no "well this one is union, and this one isnt", i do more work than the RN that is union, PLUS her work! I am going to take your advise and consult the person...

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Hi! thanks for responding, yes, all the RN's are Salary where i work. Union included. I am not getting paid overtime as i am salary...so with that being said, I stay and work 10 hours every day almost while the other union RN gets to leave.

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
Yes i am exempt. I am not apart of the union...I just feel with nursing if one RN is to leave at 5 the other RN should leave at 5 too. there is no "well this one is union, and this one isnt", i do more work than the RN that is union, PLUS her work! I am going to take your advise and consult the person...

Unfortunately, that is the difference between belonging to a union and not. Your coworkers are protected by a contract. Since you have no representation, you are fair game. There is a lot of union-bashing on this site. Some of it deserved, because some unions give the others a bad name. But your experience nicely sums up the difference between being represented and not.

In your case, the labour board is your best bet. Good luck.

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