5 consecutive 12hr shifts

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does anyone know if it is legal in california to give employees 5 straight 12hr shifts in 2 consecutive weeks and not give overtime?

like let's say you're working thurs, fri, sat, sun, mon

coworkers said it's not overtime because you are working 3 days on a week and 2 days on another week...but i've always thought that if they make you work consecutive like that then they should give u overtime bec within 7 days you worked consecutive 5 days..

i dunno about y'all but after 3 consecutive 12 hrs shift, i feel like i've been run over by a thousand cows already..

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

It's legit. Not overtime because you do 36 hours the first week. The last two shifts fall into the second week. You can ask your employer to not group your shifts together like that as a preference. Most people at my work don't like doing more than 3 in a row. Sorry you got stuck with that many.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

OMG!!!! I don't have a clue if its legal or not, but Jeez!!!! I would be exhausted!!!!!!!

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A lot of nurses I work with will work Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues to have 8 day stretches off.....:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

It's perfectly legal. This week I start 6 twelves in a row. There will be no overtime because of the timing of pay periods.

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At the facility I am at, some employees chose this way, it gave them a "mini" vacation sort of between working shifts. The facility cracked down and said we cannot work more than 4 12 hour shifts without a day off. If I am not mistaken, labor laws only state OT when more than 40 hours within a pay period. These are federal, not state laws. CA laws may be more strict, I don't know. Union contracts can dictate as well as long as they are at least to federal standards.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I worked 6 twelves in a row for over a year with no overtime. But then I would have 8 days off in a row. I used virtually no PTO during that time because I took all my vacations during those days off. It is not technically overtime.

And it's a beatin'

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Specializes in Admin, ER, ICU, Med-Surg.

I routinely work 5, 12 hour shifts in a row with 2 off in between. I do it between two different jobs but I do it because I want my student loans paid off quicker and I am able to devote the pay from two of the 12 to my student loans. It is exhausting.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

That would be overtime in my world. Wouldn't matter one bit when it fell from one week into the next, or one pay period into the next.

Anything after 4 consecutive 12 hour shifts or 6 consecutive 8 hour shifts is OT in my union.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
That would be overtime in my world. Wouldn't matter one bit when it fell from one week into the next, or one pay period into the next.

Anything after 4 consecutive 12 hour shifts or 6 consecutive 8 hour shifts is OT in my union.

Yes, well Canada is more civilized with more employee rights and benefits.

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Specializes in ICU.

There is no overtime unless you go over 40 hours in one week. If your 5 days falls into 2 different weeks, then you do not make OT. If you do not go over 40 hours per pay week, you do not get paid OT

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After 3 I am worthless...I will not EVER do more than 3 in a row, period unless it was the worst disaster emergency situation ever. I think it is unsafe for most people (some can handle it just fine, I know) to work like that. Just my $0.2.

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