mandatory overtime?

Yes!!!

I thought it was a CA state law for mandatory overtime but my travel company based in a different state is not paying me the time and a half and stated "they were looking into it".

It doesn't matter where your company is located. If you work in CA you are to be paid time and a half for any hours after 8, double time for hours after

12. Unless the nurses at your hospital have signed away this right either in a union contract or by vote. (In the last couple of years hospitals have threatened to go back to the 8 hour shifts unless 12-hour employees voted in favor of OT after 40 hr/week instead of OT after 8 hours....called it cost cutting).

The nurses at the hospital I am working at did sign a waiver.However,I am a travel nurse and I never signed a waiver.Therefore,I thought I would still be entilted the overtime pay.Is that correct?

I know that some of the hospitals here in riverside don't pay time and a half until after a 12 hour shift. I guess you sign a contract agreeing to it when you get hired.

I may be wrong, but I thought Ca. has this weird option where a company can decide when it's overtime. Meaning....

1) They can pay you overtime for any thing over an 8 hour day OR

2) They can pay you overtime for anything over 40 hours in a week.

I know some hospitals that don't pay overtime for 12 hour shifts, because most of them work less than 40hrs a week. But the company has to notify you in writing of how they will pay, and any subsequent changes they make ot the policy.