Is drive time included in an 8-hour shift for a corporate nurse with facilities 2 hours away?

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For a corporate nurse who has 8 facilities to visit, is the drive time included in the 8 hour shift since some facilities are 2 hours away

 

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Extensive travel times like yours should be clarified to ensure fair compensation.

Generally, commuting to and from your primary work location (if you have one) and home is generally not paid, whether you're salaried or hourly. This is because commuting is typically considered personal time, not work time.

  • However, traveling between work sites during your shift (such as driving from one facility to another) is generally considered paid work time, especially for hourly employees.
  • For salaried employees, whether this time is compensated depends on the employer's policy. In many cases, the employer may include travel time as part of your overall working hours, especially if it's required for the role.

To clarify:

  • Commuting to your primary facility (home to work) is not paid.
  • Traveling between multiple work locations during your shift (e.g., going from one facility to another) is generally considered paid work time.

You must check with your employer and review your contract/job offer to understand how they manage travel time and whether it's included in your 8-hour shift.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth