I was just reading in todays Sunday paper that in 2 weeks new OT laws will take affect and could affect nurses. thanks GW. Well when I first read about this a while back when first proposed it mentioned LPN being exempt from the 40 hour law but this article says RN is affected. I did mention that this could really impact the health care industry if nurses not getting OT.
Well I am still a student but wondering just what is up with the new OT laws and how they will affect those of us in the profession.
Has anyone heard much on how these laws will affect nurses and exactly who is considered exempt from OT.
I thought nursemike was being sarcastic! Was I wrong?:stone :)
To quote one of my more obnoxious friends, "Who, me? Sarcastic? No-o-o-o-o!"
But, seriously, folks: $455/wk x 52wk/yr = $23,660/yr. Now, why would any learned professional raking in those kind of big bucks quibble over a little OT? (Oops--that was kind of a little sarcastic, too, wasn't it?)
It's just that it's a little hard to read on the Dept. of Labor website how this is going to strengthen the rights of low-income workers without lapsing into sarcasm.
As tempting as it is to believe that the nursing shortage and market forces will prohibit employers from taking advantage of nurses, that logic would suggest that nurses' wages are just about what they ought to be. If nurses didn't think they were getting paid well enough, they would do something else--right?
I do think market forces will help those of us in states that prohibit mandatory OT. It would be a lot easier to turn down overtime than to turn down a job altogether. But there are plenty of hard-working Americans who are pretty happy just to have any job and aren't in much of a position to complain if they are treated unfairly. Kinda ironic, in a way--the Bush administration acts like we should be grateful just to have a job in today's sluggish economy...
Oh, and to answer Helllo Nurse, I haven't done much OT since starting school, but I've done overtime and extra time for straight pay (since I'm part-time) on numerous occassions, previously. Sometimes I do it for the extra money, but often just to help out the hospital. I really am a moderate liberal, and as much as I distrust greedy, unprincipled corporations, my employer has actually been pretty decent toward me. Frankly, I think a lot of employers want happy employees--it's good business. But how do you pay a living wage and compete with someone down the street who pays half that? How do you offer benefits when your competitors don't? We NEED fair labor laws to protect decent employers AND their employees.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Yeah. The problem, of course, is if the industry decides to do that, then what do you do if the language is ambiguous. Also, how much can state laws help? Isn't it possible that this federal reg supercedes that?
Actually, there is a clause in this that says state protection supercedes any new OT regs. It is wise for all of us to contact out state reps. If you go to the ANA political page, you can find out who your reps are and either send them an email or a paper letter (pre-written or self-written). You are more likely to be heard and get a reply if you send a paper letter, though. I believe with this last revision, Congress got something like 20,000 letters from nurses supporting the Obey Amendment and explicit protection for RNs.
nursemike, ASN, RN
1 Article; 2,362 Posts
To quote one of my more obnoxious friends, "Who, me? Sarcastic? No-o-o-o-o!"
But, seriously, folks: $455/wk x 52wk/yr = $23,660/yr. Now, why would any learned professional raking in those kind of big bucks quibble over a little OT? (Oops--that was kind of a little sarcastic, too, wasn't it?)
It's just that it's a little hard to read on the Dept. of Labor website how this is going to strengthen the rights of low-income workers without lapsing into sarcasm.
As tempting as it is to believe that the nursing shortage and market forces will prohibit employers from taking advantage of nurses, that logic would suggest that nurses' wages are just about what they ought to be. If nurses didn't think they were getting paid well enough, they would do something else--right?
I do think market forces will help those of us in states that prohibit mandatory OT. It would be a lot easier to turn down overtime than to turn down a job altogether. But there are plenty of hard-working Americans who are pretty happy just to have any job and aren't in much of a position to complain if they are treated unfairly. Kinda ironic, in a way--the Bush administration acts like we should be grateful just to have a job in today's sluggish economy...
Oh, and to answer Helllo Nurse, I haven't done much OT since starting school, but I've done overtime and extra time for straight pay (since I'm part-time) on numerous occassions, previously. Sometimes I do it for the extra money, but often just to help out the hospital. I really am a moderate liberal, and as much as I distrust greedy, unprincipled corporations, my employer has actually been pretty decent toward me. Frankly, I think a lot of employers want happy employees--it's good business. But how do you pay a living wage and compete with someone down the street who pays half that? How do you offer benefits when your competitors don't? We NEED fair labor laws to protect decent employers AND their employees.