Are Prescheduled 4 hour shifts Legal in California?

[Kittylin]

Hi All,

I really need some feed back on this issue. Recently our manager and HR have claimed it is against the labor code for a 12 hour nurse to get the last 4 hours of a shift covered by another nurse. They claim it is against the Alternative Workweek Schedule rules in California's labor law. We are told a 12 hour employee can not be scheduled for 8 hours ever, even if there is no overtime involved and vacation time to cover the 4 hours requested off. We are a non union hospital so I do not know if they can make their own interpretation of the law and make us abide by it. So I want to make a case for flexibility, and that it is legal and good for the unit.

Thanks :)

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

While I admittedly know nothing of California labor laws, this makes ZERO sense.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

That sounds so not right. Where I work we are hired for a certain amount if hours...and we can be scheduled 12's 8's or even 4's if absolutely needed to cover.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

When I worked 12-hour shifts in California, I used to cover staffing needs with partial 6-hour shifts somewhat frequently. However, I have not worked in CA since 2004 or lived there since 2005, so laws might have changed (but I doubt it).

[nursel56]

That makes no sense and is most likely not true, but on the other hand I don't think they are required to permit their employees to independently take time off without notice or agreement of the employer if they schedule their own replacement to cover the hours they will be absent

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

From my understanding....that is not true. But as per the Terms of Service we cannot offer legal advice....I say call your local labor board/division of wage and labor and ask them.

http://law.onecle.com/california/labor/511.html