Can a nursing home have their RNs work 60 hour weeks?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Without paying overtime?

Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

Sorry. ETA = edited to add. :)

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Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.
Assuming that you are in the U.S. ... a wealth of information here on the Fair Labor Standards Act:

U.S. Department of Labor — Wage and Hour Division (WHD) — Topical Fact Sheet Index

It's impossible to comment on your situation without specifics. Nurses are sometimes classified as "exempt" workers, meaning that they are exempt from the requirement to pay an overtime rate for work in excess of 40 hours/week. It's the managerial functions of nursing, including acting as charge/supervisor, that make it somewhat of a gray area.

That was really cool of you to post that link for people Altra!!! Thanks-a-Ton!!!!

I think people would be VERY surprised what some facilities try to get away with. My wife is a Social Services Director at a small Southeastern State's For-Profit Hospital that the Administrator would walk around asking nurses still sitting charting (or running around to catch-up- "It's 8:00 PM, 15 minutes after your shift ended! Are you still clocked in?!!!"

Keep in mind this is WHILE they were OBVIOUSLY working!!!! It is sick!!! It must not be tolerated, and is against the Law. I would hope it is against the Law everywhere. But, as for the United States- We call it SLAVERY!!! (working off clock).

OP, if your Hourly, I would definitely descreetly talk to an attorney, or your Nursing Association to FULLY understand your rights to Overtime, and other "Gray" areas.

I am soooo sorry this is going on, Wow, it shows a huge lack of appreciation for staff. Even when I was Travel Nursing at $42/Hr, I got overtime after 40. One hospital tried to do something funky with the 2 week pay period, and say you had to work over 80 to get overtime- so they would load half the nurses down the one week, and the other half the other week. They later squared up with us on the shady deal (I don't know if someone threatened- but the practice was at least made "right," and stopped.

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I agree 100 percent!

Your Regional Nursing Association can be a wealth of information in these issues!

Great Post Altra!!!!!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Yes President Bush made it very easy for employers to avoid paying overtime to a majority of workers! Your ability to get overtime then depends on your state law and if you are classified as salary or hourly. You are now at the mercy of the individual state you work in since the federal govt dropped the ball and screwed the workers!

It is exactly the opposite of what we need here in America. Overtime pay started during the great depression to discourage employers from overworking their employees and in turn to encourage employers to hire additional workers in return. So here we are in another depression and the govt is doing exactly the opposite, encouraging overworking a few employees instead of hiring more workers. Another reason for the explosion of layoffs and unemployed workers and even the many new grad RN's that can't find jobs!

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Can My Boss Do That? | Home
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Ask a couple of lawyers in your state to be sure.

Also, call your Senators' offices, both state and federal, to be directed to the right state or federal departments to get legally correct answers.

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